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Sample records for cultured pure melanocytes

  1. Isolation and culture of melanocytes from the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus

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    Jiarong Bao

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Coat colour is a phenotypic marker of fur animal species, which was determined by the pigment generated from melanocytes. In this study, we developed and validated a method for isolation, purification and passage culture of melanocytes from the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus. Skin biopsies were harvested from the dorsal region of adult foxes and enzyme digestion by Dispase II. The primary culture of melanocytes from arctic fox skin was obtained by using keratinocyte serum-free medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor and bovine pituitary extract with/without phorbol- 12-myristate-13-acetate, and by carrying out a medium change strategy. After serial passages, it yielded pure population of melanocytes, which become efficient tools for investigating the function of colour genes and unraveling the process of melanin synthesis.

  2. Growth of melanocytes in human epidermal cell cultures

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    Staiano-Coico, L.; Hefton, J.M.; Amadeo, C.; Pagan-Charry, I.; Madden, M.R.; Cardon-Cardo, C.

    1990-01-01

    Epidermal cell cultures were grown in keratinocyte-conditioned medium for use as burn wound grafts; the melanocyte composition of the grafts was studied under a variety of conditions. Melanocytes were identified by immunohistochemistry based on a monoclonal antibody (MEL-5) that has previously been shown to react specifically with melanocytes. During the first 7 days of growth in primary culture, the total number of melanocytes in the epidermal cultures decreased to 10% of the number present in normal skin. Beginning on day 2 of culture, bipolar melanocytes were present at a mean cell density of 116 +/- 2/mm2; the keratinocyte to melanocyte ratio was preserved during further primary culture and through three subpassages. Moreover, exposure of cultures to mild UVB irradiation stimulated the melanocytes to proliferate, suggesting that the melanocytes growing in culture maintained their responsiveness to external stimuli. When the sheets of cultured cells were enzymatically detached from the plastic culture flasks before grafting, melanocytes remained in the basal layer of cells as part of the graft applied to the patient

  3. Isolation, Culture, and Motility Measurements of Epidermal Melanocytes from GFP-Expressing Reporter Mice.

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    Dagnino, Lina; Crawford, Melissa

    2018-03-27

    In this article, we provide a method to isolate primary epidermal melanocytes from reporter mice, which also allow targeted gene inactivation. The mice from which these cells are isolated are bred into a Rosa26 mT/mG reporter background, which results in GFP expression in the targeted melanocytic cell population. These cells are isolated and cultured to >95% purity. The cells can be used for gene expression studies, clonogenic experiments, and biological assays, such as capacity for migration. Melanocytes are slow moving cells, and we also provide a method to measure motility using individual cell tracking and data analysis.

  4. Ultraviolet radiation directly induces pigment production by cultured human melanocytes

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    Friedmann, P.S.; Gilchrest, B.A.

    1987-01-01

    In humans the major stimulus for cutaneous pigmentation is ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Little is known about the mechanism underlying this response, in part because of the complexity of interactions in whole epidermis. Using a recently developed culture system, human melanocytes were exposed daily to a physiologic range of UVR doses from a solar simulator. Responses were determined 24 hours after the last exposure. There was a dose-related increase in melanin content per cell and uptake of 14 C-DOPA, accompanied by growth inhibition. Cells from donors of different racial origin gave proportionately similar increases in melanin, although there were approximately tenfold differences in basal values. Light and electron microscopy revealed UVR-stimulated increases in dendricity as well as melanosome number and degree of melanization, analogous to the well-recognized melanocyte changes following sun exposure of intact skin. Similar responses were seen with Cloudman S91 melanoma cells, although this murine cell line required lower UVR dosages and fewer exposures for maximal stimulation. These data establish that UVR is capable of directly stimulating melanogenesis. Because cyclic AMP elevation has been associated in some settings with increased pigment production by cultured melanocytes, preliminary experiments were conducted to see if the effects of UVR were mediated by cAMP. Both alpha-MSH and isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX), as positive controls, caused a fourfold increase in cAMP level in human melanocytes and/or S91 cells, but following a dose of UVR sufficient to stimulate pigment production there was no change in cAMP level up to 4 hours after exposure. Thus, it appears that the UVR-induced melanogenesis is mediated by cAMP-independent mechanisms

  5. Human melanocytes form a PAX3-expressing melanocyte cluster on Matrigel by the cell migration process.

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    Choi, Hyunjung; Jin, Sun Hee; Han, Mi Hwa; Lee, Jinyoung; Ahn, Seyeon; Seong, Minjeong; Choi, Hyun; Han, Jiyeon; Cho, Eun-Gyung; Lee, Tae Ryong; Noh, Minsoo

    2014-10-01

    The interactions between human epidermal melanocytes and their cellular microenvironment are important in the regulation of human melanocyte functions or in their malignant transformation into melanoma. Although the basement membrane extracellular matrix (BM-ECM) is one of major melanocyte microenvironments, the effects of BM-ECM on the human melanocyte functions are not fully explained at a molecular level. This study was aimed to characterize the molecular and cellular interactions between normal human melanocytes (NHMs) and BM-ECM. We investigated cell culture models of normal human melanocytes or melanoma cells on three-dimensional (3D) Matrigel to understand the roles of the basement membrane microenvironment in human melanocyte functions. Melanogenesis and melanobast biomarker expression in both primary human melanocytes and melanoma cells on 3D Matrigel were evaluated. We found that NHMs migrated and formed reversible paired box 3 (PAX3) expressing cell clusters on three-dimensional (3D) Matrigel. The melanogenesis was significantly decreased in the PAX3 expressing cell cluster. The expression profile of PAX3, SOX10, and MITF in the melanocyte cluster on 3D Matrigel was similar to that of melanoblasts. Interestingly, PAX3 and SOX10 showed an inverse expression profile in NHMs, whereas the inverse expression pattern of PAX3 and SOX10 was disrupted in melanoma MNT1 and WM266-4 cells. The human melanocyte culture on 3D Matrigel provides an alternative model system to study functions of human melanoblasts. In addition, this system will contribute to the elucidation of PAX3-related tumorigenic mechanisms to understand human melanoma. Copyright © 2014 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Early diagnosis and successful treatment of paraneoplastic melanocytic proliferation.

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    Jansen, Joyce C G; Van Calster, Joachim; Pulido, Jose S; Miles, Sarah L; Vile, Richard G; Van Bergen, Tine; Cassiman, Catherine; Spielberg, Leigh H; Leys, Anita M

    2015-07-01

    Paraneoplastic melanocytic proliferation (bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation, BDUMP) is a rare but devastating disease that causes progressive visual loss in patients who usually have an occult malignancy. Visual loss occurs as a result of paraneoplastic changes in the uveal tissue. In a masked fashion, the serum of two patients with BDUMP was evaluated for the presence of cultured melanocyte elongation and proliferation (CMEP) factor using cultured human melanocytes. We evaluated the efficacy of plasmapheresis as a treatment modality early in the disease in conjunction with radiation and chemotherapy. The serum of the first case patient was investigated after plasmapheresis and did not demonstrate proliferation of cultured human melanocytes. The serum of the second case was evaluated prior to treatment with plasmapheresis and did induce this proliferation. These findings are in accordance with the diminution of CMEP factor after plasmapheresis. Treatment with plasmapheresis managed to stabilise the ocular disease progression in both patients. In the past, visual loss due to paraneoplastic melanocytic proliferation was considered progressive and irreversible. We treated two patients successfully with plasmapheresis and demonstrated a relation between CMEP factor in the serum of these patients and proliferation of cultured melanocytes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  7. Melanin offers protection against induction of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 6-4 photoproducts by UVB in cultured human melanocytes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smit, N.P.M.; Vink, A.A.; Kolb, R.M.; Steenwinkel, M.J.S.T.; Berg, P.T.M. van den; Nieuwpoort, F. van; Roza, L.; Pavel, S.

    2001-01-01

    The goal of this investigation was to correlate the melanin content in human pigmentary cells with the generation of UVB-induced photoproducts and to examine the relationship between the melanin content and the removal of the photoproducts. Cultured melanocytes from light-skinned individuals

  8. A reporter mouse model for in vivo tracing and in vitro molecular studies of melanocytic lineage cells and their diseases

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    Melissa Crawford

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Alterations in melanocytic lineage cells give rise to a plethora of distinct human diseases, including neurocristopathies, cutaneous pigmentation disorders, loss of vision and hearing, and melanoma. Understanding the ontogeny and biology of melanocytic cells, as well as how they interact with their surrounding environment, are key steps in the development of therapies for diseases that involve this cell lineage. Efforts to culture and characterize primary melanocytes from normal or genetically engineered mouse models have at times yielded contrasting observations. This is due, in part, to differences in the conditions used to isolate, purify and culture these cells in individual studies. By breeding ROSAmT/mG and Tyr::CreERT2 mice, we generated animals in which melanocytic lineage cells are identified through expression of green fluorescent protein. We also used defined conditions to systematically investigate the proliferation and migration responses of primary melanocytes on various extracellular matrix (ECM substrates. Under our culture conditions, mouse melanocytes exhibit doubling times in the range of 10 days, and retain exponential proliferative capacity for 50-60 days. In culture, these melanocytes showed distinct responses to different ECM substrates. Specifically, laminin-332 promoted cell spreading, formation of dendrites, random motility and directional migration. In contrast, low or intermediate concentrations of collagen I promoted adhesion and acquisition of a bipolar morphology, and interfered with melanocyte forward movements. Our systematic evaluation of primary melanocyte responses emphasizes the importance of clearly defining culture conditions for these cells. This, in turn, is essential for the interpretation of melanocyte responses to extracellular cues and to understand the molecular basis of disorders involving the melanocytic cell lineage.

  9. Hesperetin induces melanin production in adult human epidermal melanocytes.

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    Usach, Iris; Taléns-Visconti, Raquel; Magraner-Pardo, Lorena; Peris, José-Esteban

    2015-06-01

    One of the major sources of flavonoids for humans are citrus fruits, hesperidin being the predominant flavonoid. Hesperetin (HSP), the aglycon of hesperidin, has been reported to provide health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic effects. However, the effect of HSP on skin pigmentation is not clear. Some authors have found that HSP induces melanogenesis in murine B16-F10 melanoma cells, which, if extrapolated to in vivo conditions, might protect skin against photodamage. Since the effect of HSP on normal melanocytes could be different to that observed on melanoma cells, the described effect of HSP on murine melanoma cells has been compared to the effect obtained using normal human melanocytes. HSP concentrations of 25 and 50 µM induced melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in human melanocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. Compared to control melanocytes, 25 µM HSP increased melanin production and tyrosinase activity 1.4-fold (p melanin production in human melanocyte cultures could be reproduced on human skin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A reporter mouse model for in vivo tracing and in vitro molecular studies of melanocytic lineage cells and their diseases.

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    Crawford, Melissa; Leclerc, Valerie; Dagnino, Lina

    2017-08-15

    Alterations in melanocytic lineage cells give rise to a plethora of distinct human diseases, including neurocristopathies, cutaneous pigmentation disorders, loss of vision and hearing, and melanoma. Understanding the ontogeny and biology of melanocytic cells, as well as how they interact with their surrounding environment, are key steps in the development of therapies for diseases that involve this cell lineage. Efforts to culture and characterize primary melanocytes from normal or genetically engineered mouse models have at times yielded contrasting observations. This is due, in part, to differences in the conditions used to isolate, purify and culture these cells in individual studies. By breeding ROSA mT/mG and Tyr::CreER T2 mice, we generated animals in which melanocytic lineage cells are identified through expression of green fluorescent protein. We also used defined conditions to systematically investigate the proliferation and migration responses of primary melanocytes on various extracellular matrix (ECM) substrates. Under our culture conditions, mouse melanocytes exhibit doubling times in the range of 10 days, and retain exponential proliferative capacity for 50-60 days. In culture, these melanocytes showed distinct responses to different ECM substrates. Specifically, laminin-332 promoted cell spreading, formation of dendrites, random motility and directional migration. In contrast, low or intermediate concentrations of collagen I promoted adhesion and acquisition of a bipolar morphology, and interfered with melanocyte forward movements. Our systematic evaluation of primary melanocyte responses emphasizes the importance of clearly defining culture conditions for these cells. This, in turn, is essential for the interpretation of melanocyte responses to extracellular cues and to understand the molecular basis of disorders involving the melanocytic cell lineage. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  11. The slaty mutation affects the morphology and maturation of melanosomes in the mouse melanocytes.

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    Hirobe, Tomohisa; Abe, Hiroyuki

    2006-10-01

    The slaty (Dct(slt)) mutation is known to reduce the activity of dopachrome tautomerase in melanocytes and to reduce the melanin content in skin, hairs and eyes. Although the melanosomes in slaty melanocytes are reported to be eumelanosome-like, detailed melanosome biogenesis is not well studied. To address this point, melanosomes in neonatal epidermal melanocytes from wild-type (Dct+/Dct+) mice at the slaty locus as well as its congenic mouse mutant (Dct(slt)/Dct(slt)) in serum-free primary culture were observed under the electron microscope. Wild-type melanocytes possessed exclusively elliptical melanosomes with internal longitudinal structures, whereas in mutant melanocytes, numerous spherical melanosomes with globular depositions of pigment and elliptical melanosomes as well as mixed type of the two melanosomes were observed. Mature stage IV melanosomes were greatly decreased in mutant melanocytes, whereas immature stage III melanosomes were more numerous than in wild-type melanocytes. These results suggest that the slaty mutation affects the morphology and maturation of melanosomes in mouse melanocytes.

  12. Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor-MET signaling in neural crest-derived melanocyte development.

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    Kos, L; Aronzon, A; Takayama, H; Maina, F; Ponzetto, C; Merlino, G; Pavan, W

    1999-02-01

    The mechanisms governing development of neural crest-derived melanocytes, and how alterations in these pathways lead to hypopigmentation disorders, are not completely understood. Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) signaling through the tyrosine-kinase receptor, MET, is capable of promoting the proliferation, increasing the motility, and maintaining high tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis of melanocytes in vitro. In addition, transgenic mice that ubiquitously overexpress HGF/SF demonstrate hyperpigmentation in the skin and leptomenigenes and develop melanomas. To investigate whether HGF/ SF-MET signaling is involved in the development of neural crest-derived melanocytes, transgenic embryos, ubiquitously overexpressing HGF/SF, were analyzed. In HGF/SF transgenic embryos, the distribution of melanoblasts along the characteristic migratory pathway was not affected. However, additional ectopically localized melanoblasts were also observed in the dorsal root ganglia and neural tube, as early as 11.5 days post coitus (p.c.). We utilized an in vitro neural crest culture assay to further explore the role of HGF/SF-MET signaling in neural crest development. HGF/SF added to neural crest cultures increased melanoblast number, permitted differentiation into pigmented melanocytes, promoted melanoblast survival, and could replace mast-cell growth factor/Steel factor (MGF) in explant cultures. To examine whether HGF/SF-MET signaling is required for the proper development of melanocytes, embryos with a targeted Met null mutation (Met-/-) were analysed. In Met-/- embryos, melanoblast number and location were not overtly affected up to 14 days p.c. These results demonstrate that HGF/SF-MET signaling influences, but is not required for, the initial development of neural crest-derived melanocytes in vivo and in vitro.

  13. Development and validation of a simple method for the extraction of human skin melanocytes.

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    Wang, Yinjuan; Tissot, Marion; Rolin, Gwenaël; Muret, Patrice; Robin, Sophie; Berthon, Jean-Yves; He, Li; Humbert, Philippe; Viennet, Céline

    2018-03-21

    Primary melanocytes in culture are useful models for studying epidermal pigmentation and efficacy of melanogenic compounds, or developing advanced therapy medicinal products. Cell extraction is an inevitable and critical step in the establishment of cell cultures. Many enzymatic methods for extracting and growing cells derived from human skin, such as melanocytes, are described in literature. They are usually based on two enzymatic steps, Trypsin in combination with Dispase, in order to separate dermis from epidermis and subsequently to provide a suspension of epidermal cells. The objective of this work was to develop and validate an extraction method of human skin melanocytes being simple, effective and applicable to smaller skin samples, and avoiding animal reagents. TrypLE™ product was tested on very limited size of human skin, equivalent of multiple 3-mm punch biopsies, and was compared to Trypsin/Dispase enzymes. Functionality of extracted cells was evaluated by analysis of viability, morphology and melanin production. In comparison with Trypsin/Dispase incubation method, the main advantages of TrypLE™ incubation method were the easier of separation between dermis and epidermis and the higher population of melanocytes after extraction. Both protocols preserved morphological and biological characteristics of melanocytes. The minimum size of skin sample that allowed the extraction of functional cells was 6 × 3-mm punch biopsies (e.g., 42 mm 2 ) whatever the method used. In conclusion, this new procedure based on TrypLE™ incubation would be suitable for establishment of optimal primary melanocytes cultures for clinical applications and research.

  14. Heme oxygenase-1 expression protects melanocytes from stress-induced cell death: implications for vitiligo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elassiuty, Yasser E.; Klarquist, Jared; Speiser, Jodi; Yousef, Randa M.; El Refaee, Abdelaziz A.; Hunter, Nahla S.; Shaker, Olfat G.; Gundeti, Mohan; Nieuweboer-Krobotova, Ludmila; Caroline Le Poole, I.

    2011-01-01

    To study protection of melanocytes from stress-induced cell death by heme oxygenases during depigmentation and repigmentation in vitiligo, expression of isoforms 1 and 2 was studied in cultured control and patient melanocytes and normal skin explants exposed to UV or bleaching agent 4-TBP.

  15. Ecto-mesenchymal stem cells from dental pulp are committed to differentiate into active melanocytes

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    F Paino

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs are multipotent stem cells derived from neural crest and mesenchyme and have the capacity to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. It has already been demonstrated that DPSCs differentiate into melanocyte-like cells but only when cultivated in a specific melanocyte differentiating medium. In this study we have shown, for the first time, that DPSCs are capable of spontaneously differentiating into mature melanocytes, which display molecular and ultrastructural features of full development, including the expression of melanocyte specific markers and the presence of melanosomes up to the terminal stage of maturation. We have also compared the differentiating features of DPSCs grown in different culture conditions, following the timing of differentiation at molecular and cytochemical levels and found that in all culture conditions full development of these cells was obtained, although at different times. The spontaneous differentiating potential of these cells strongly suggests their possible applications in regenerative medicine.

  16. Effect of nicotine on melanogenesis and antioxidant status in HEMn-LP melanocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delijewski, Marcin; Beberok, Artur; Otręba, Michał; Wrześniok, Dorota; Rok, Jakub; Buszman, Ewa

    2014-01-01

    Nicotine is a natural ingredient of tobacco plants and is responsible for the addictive properties of tobacco. Nowadays nicotine is also commonly used as a form of smoking cessation therapy. It is suggested that nicotine may be accumulated in human tissues containing melanin. This may in turn affect biochemical processes in human cells producing melanin. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nicotine on melanogenesis and antioxidant status in cultured normal human melanocytes HEMn-LP. Nicotine induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. The value of EC 50 was determined to be 7.43 mM. Nicotine inhibited a melanization process in human light pigmented melanocytes and caused alterations of antioxidant defense system. Significant changes in cellular antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and in hydrogen peroxide content were stated. The obtained results may explain a potential influence of nicotine on biochemical processes in melanocytes in vivo during long term exposition to nicotine. - Graphical abstract: Nicotine inhibits melanogenesis and induces oxidative stress in HEMn-LP melanocytes. - Highlights: • Nicotine induces concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. • Nicotine in non-cytotoxic concentrations inhibits melanogenesis. • Nicotine in higher concentrations induces oxidative stress

  17. Effect of nicotine on melanogenesis and antioxidant status in HEMn-LP melanocytes

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    Delijewski, Marcin; Beberok, Artur; Otręba, Michał; Wrześniok, Dorota; Rok, Jakub; Buszman, Ewa, E-mail: ebuszman@sum.edu.pl

    2014-10-15

    Nicotine is a natural ingredient of tobacco plants and is responsible for the addictive properties of tobacco. Nowadays nicotine is also commonly used as a form of smoking cessation therapy. It is suggested that nicotine may be accumulated in human tissues containing melanin. This may in turn affect biochemical processes in human cells producing melanin. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nicotine on melanogenesis and antioxidant status in cultured normal human melanocytes HEMn-LP. Nicotine induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. The value of EC{sub 50} was determined to be 7.43 mM. Nicotine inhibited a melanization process in human light pigmented melanocytes and caused alterations of antioxidant defense system. Significant changes in cellular antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and in hydrogen peroxide content were stated. The obtained results may explain a potential influence of nicotine on biochemical processes in melanocytes in vivo during long term exposition to nicotine. - Graphical abstract: Nicotine inhibits melanogenesis and induces oxidative stress in HEMn-LP melanocytes. - Highlights: • Nicotine induces concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. • Nicotine in non-cytotoxic concentrations inhibits melanogenesis. • Nicotine in higher concentrations induces oxidative stress.

  18. Culture media-based selection of endothelial cells, pericytes, and perivascular-resident macrophage-like melanocytes from the young mouse vestibular system.

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    Zhang, Jinhui; Chen, Songlin; Cai, Jing; Hou, Zhiqiang; Wang, Xiaohan; Kachelmeier, Allan; Shi, Xiaorui

    2017-03-01

    The vestibular blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) is comprised of perivascular-resident macrophage-like melanocytes (PVM/Ms) and pericytes (PCs), in addition to endothelial cells (ECs) and basement membrane (BM), and bears strong resemblance to the cochlear BLB in the stria vascularis. Over the past few decades, in vitro cell-based models have been widely used in blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-retina barrier (BRB) research, and have proved to be powerful tools for studying cell-cell interactions in their respective organs. Study of both the vestibular and strial BLB has been limited by the unavailability of primary culture cells from these barriers. To better understand how barrier component cells interact in the vestibular system to control BLB function, we developed a novel culture medium-based method for obtaining EC, PC, and PVM/M primary cells from tiny explants of the semicircular canal, sacculus, utriculus, and ampullae tissue of young mouse ears at post-natal age 8-12 d. Each phenotype is grown in a specific culture medium which selectively supports the phenotype in a mixed population of vestibular cell types. The unwanted phenotypes do not survive passaging. The protocol does not require additional equipment or special enzyme treatment. The harvesting process takes less than 2 h. Primary cell types are generated within 7-10 d. The primary culture ECs, PCs, and PVM/M shave consistent phenotypes more than 90% pure after two passages (∼ 3 weeks). The highly purified primary cell lines can be used for studying cell-cell interactions, barrier permeability, and angiogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. 3D co-cultures of keratinocytes and melanocytes and cytoprotective effects on keratinocytes against reactive oxygen species by insect virus-derived protein microcrystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimabukuro, Junji; Yamaoka, Ayako; Murata, Ken-ichi; Kotani, Eiji; Hirano, Tomoko; Nakajima, Yumiko; Matsumoto, Goichi; Mori, Hajime

    2014-01-01

    Stable protein microcrystals called polyhedra are produced by certain insect viruses. Cytokines, such as fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), can be immobilized within polyhedra. Here, we investigated three-dimensional (3D) co-cultures of keratinocytes and melanocytes on collagen gel containing FGF-2 and FGF-7 polyhedra. Melanocytes were observed to reside at the base of the 3D cell culture and melanin was also typically observed in the lower layer. The 3D cell culture model with FGF-2 and FGF-7 polyhedra was a useful in vitro model of the epidermis due to effective melanogenesis, proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. FGF-7 polyhedra showed a potent cytoprotective effect when keratinocytes were treated with menadione, which is a generator of reactive oxygen species. The cytoprotective effect was activated by the inositol triphosphate kinase–Akt pathway leading to upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and peroxiredoxin 6. - Highlights: • 3D cultures using FGF-2 and FGF-7 microcrystals as a human skin model • Cytoprotection of keratinocytes against ROS by FGF-7 microcrystals • Overexpression of SOD and Prdx6 in keratinocytes by FGF-7 microcrystals

  20. 3D co-cultures of keratinocytes and melanocytes and cytoprotective effects on keratinocytes against reactive oxygen species by insect virus-derived protein microcrystals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimabukuro, Junji; Yamaoka, Ayako; Murata, Ken-ichi [Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto (Japan); Kotani, Eiji [Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto (Japan); Insect Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto (Japan); Hirano, Tomoko [Venture Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto (Japan); Nakajima, Yumiko [Functional Genomics Group, COMB, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa (Japan); Matsumoto, Goichi [Division of Oral Surgery, Yokohama Clinical Education Center of Kanagawa Dental University, Yokohama (Japan); Mori, Hajime, E-mail: hmori@kit.ac.jp [Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto (Japan); Insect Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto (Japan)

    2014-09-01

    Stable protein microcrystals called polyhedra are produced by certain insect viruses. Cytokines, such as fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), can be immobilized within polyhedra. Here, we investigated three-dimensional (3D) co-cultures of keratinocytes and melanocytes on collagen gel containing FGF-2 and FGF-7 polyhedra. Melanocytes were observed to reside at the base of the 3D cell culture and melanin was also typically observed in the lower layer. The 3D cell culture model with FGF-2 and FGF-7 polyhedra was a useful in vitro model of the epidermis due to effective melanogenesis, proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. FGF-7 polyhedra showed a potent cytoprotective effect when keratinocytes were treated with menadione, which is a generator of reactive oxygen species. The cytoprotective effect was activated by the inositol triphosphate kinase–Akt pathway leading to upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and peroxiredoxin 6. - Highlights: • 3D cultures using FGF-2 and FGF-7 microcrystals as a human skin model • Cytoprotection of keratinocytes against ROS by FGF-7 microcrystals • Overexpression of SOD and Prdx6 in keratinocytes by FGF-7 microcrystals.

  1. UVB-irradiated keratinocytes induce melanoma-associated ganglioside GD3 synthase gene in melanocytes via secretion of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6

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    Miyata, Maiko [Department of Life and Medical Sciences, Chubu University Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Matsumoto, Kasugai 487-8501 (Japan); Department of Biochemistry II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-0065 (Japan); Ichihara, Masatoshi; Tajima, Orie; Sobue, Sayaka; Kambe, Mariko [Department of Life and Medical Sciences, Chubu University Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Matsumoto, Kasugai 487-8501 (Japan); Sugiura, Kazumitsu [Department of Dermatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-0065 (Japan); Furukawa, Koichi, E-mail: koichi@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp [Department of Biochemistry II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-0065 (Japan); Furukawa, Keiko [Department of Life and Medical Sciences, Chubu University Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Matsumoto, Kasugai 487-8501 (Japan); Department of Biochemistry II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-0065 (Japan)

    2014-03-07

    Highlights: • Melanocytes showed low ST8SIA1 and high B3GALT4 levels in contrast with melanomas. • Direct UVB irradiation of melanocytes did not induce ganglioside synthase genes. • Culture supernatants of UVB-irradiated keratinocytes induced ST8SIA1 in melanocytes. • TNFα and IL-6 secreted from keratinocytes enhanced ST8SIA1 expression in melanocytes. • Inflammatory cytokines induced melanoma-related ST8SIA1 in melanocytes. - Abstract: Although expression of gangliosides and their synthetic enzyme genes in malignant melanomas has been well studied, that in normal melanocytes has been scarcely analyzed. In particular, changes in expression levels of glycosyltransferase genes responsible for ganglioside synthesis during evolution of melanomas from melanocytes are very important to understand roles of gangliosides in melanomas. Here, expression of glycosyltransferase genes related to the ganglioside synthesis was analyzed using RNAs from cultured melanocytes and melanoma cell lines. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that melanomas expressed high levels of mRNA of GD3 synthase and GM2/GD2 synthase genes and low levels of GM1/GD1b synthase genes compared with melanocytes. As a representative exogenous stimulation, effects of ultraviolet B (UVB) on the expression levels of 3 major ganglioside synthase genes in melanocytes were analyzed. Although direct UVB irradiation of melanocytes caused no marked changes, culture supernatants of UVB-irradiated keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) induced definite up-regulation of GD3 synthase and GM2/GD2 synthase genes. Detailed examination of the supernatants revealed that inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα and IL-6 enhanced GD3 synthase gene expression. These results suggest that inflammatory cytokines secreted from UVB-irradiated keratinocytes induced melanoma-associated ganglioside synthase genes, proposing roles of skin microenvironment in the promotion of melanoma-like ganglioside profiles in melanocytes.

  2. UVB-irradiated keratinocytes induce melanoma-associated ganglioside GD3 synthase gene in melanocytes via secretion of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyata, Maiko; Ichihara, Masatoshi; Tajima, Orie; Sobue, Sayaka; Kambe, Mariko; Sugiura, Kazumitsu; Furukawa, Koichi; Furukawa, Keiko

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Melanocytes showed low ST8SIA1 and high B3GALT4 levels in contrast with melanomas. • Direct UVB irradiation of melanocytes did not induce ganglioside synthase genes. • Culture supernatants of UVB-irradiated keratinocytes induced ST8SIA1 in melanocytes. • TNFα and IL-6 secreted from keratinocytes enhanced ST8SIA1 expression in melanocytes. • Inflammatory cytokines induced melanoma-related ST8SIA1 in melanocytes. - Abstract: Although expression of gangliosides and their synthetic enzyme genes in malignant melanomas has been well studied, that in normal melanocytes has been scarcely analyzed. In particular, changes in expression levels of glycosyltransferase genes responsible for ganglioside synthesis during evolution of melanomas from melanocytes are very important to understand roles of gangliosides in melanomas. Here, expression of glycosyltransferase genes related to the ganglioside synthesis was analyzed using RNAs from cultured melanocytes and melanoma cell lines. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that melanomas expressed high levels of mRNA of GD3 synthase and GM2/GD2 synthase genes and low levels of GM1/GD1b synthase genes compared with melanocytes. As a representative exogenous stimulation, effects of ultraviolet B (UVB) on the expression levels of 3 major ganglioside synthase genes in melanocytes were analyzed. Although direct UVB irradiation of melanocytes caused no marked changes, culture supernatants of UVB-irradiated keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) induced definite up-regulation of GD3 synthase and GM2/GD2 synthase genes. Detailed examination of the supernatants revealed that inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα and IL-6 enhanced GD3 synthase gene expression. These results suggest that inflammatory cytokines secreted from UVB-irradiated keratinocytes induced melanoma-associated ganglioside synthase genes, proposing roles of skin microenvironment in the promotion of melanoma-like ganglioside profiles in melanocytes

  3. DMEM enhances tyrosinase activity in B16 mouse melanoma cells and human melanocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panpen Diawpanich

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Media components may affect the activities of cultured cells. In this study, tyrosinase activity was evaluated by using B16-F10 mouse melanoma cell lines (B16-F10 and primary human melanocytes cultured in different media. An optical density measurement and a L-dopa reaction assay were used as the determination of the tyrosinase activity. The study of B16-F10 found the optical density to be 2010, 2246 and 2961 in cells cultured in RPMI Medium 1640 (RPMI1640,Minimum Essential Medium (MEM and Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM, respectively. Moreover, compared to RPMI 1640 and MEM, DMEM showed the darkest color of melanin formation in culture media and in cells after the L-dopa reaction assay. Addition of kojic acid showed a significant inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity in all media.Whereas MCDB153 showed no significant effect on human melanocytes, DMEM caused a dramatic increase in tyrosinase activity after 4 days of cultivation. Addition of kojic acid showed a significant tyrosinase inhibitory effect in DMEM only. Furthermore, an active ingredient in green tea, epigallocathechin gallate (EGCG could inhibit tyrosinase activity in both B16-F10 and human melanocytes cultured in DMEM. In summary, these results suggest that DMEM is a suitable medium that provides high detection sensitivity in a tyrosinase inhibition assay.

  4. Substantial Effect of Melanin Influencing Factors on In vitro Melanogenesis in Muzzle Melanocytes of Differently Colored Hanwoo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amna, Touseef; Park, Kyoung Mi; Cho, In-Kyung; Choi, Tae Jeong; Lee, Seung Soo; Seo, Kang-Seok; Hwang, Inho

    2012-07-01

    The present study was designed to investigate the effect of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), nitric oxide (NO) and L-cysteine on melanin production and expression of related genes MC1R, Tyr, Tyrp-1 and Tyrp-2 in muzzle melanocytes of differently colored three native Hanwoo cattle. Muzzle samples were taken from black, brindle and brown Hanwoo and purified melanocytes were cultured with α-MSH, nitric oxide and L-cysteine at 100 nM, 50 µM and 0.07 mg/ml of media respectively. The amounts of total melanin, eumelanin and mRNA expression at Tyr, Tyrp-1, Tyrp-2 and MC1R levels were quantified. α-MSH and nitric oxide significantly increased (pmuzzle melanocytes. On the contrary, L-cysteine greatly (pmuzzle melanocytes of all three phenotypes. The results of this study revealed nitric oxide and α-MSH contribute hyper-pigmentation by enhancing eumelanogenesis whereas L-cysteine contributes to pheomelanin production in different colored Hanwoo muzzle melanocytes.

  5. (Pheo)melanin photosensitizes UVA-induced DNA damage in cultured human melanocytes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wenczl, E.; Schans, G.P. van der; Roza, L.; Kolb, R.M.; Timmerman, A.J.; Smit, N.P.M.; Pavel, S.; Schothorst, A.A.

    1998-01-01

    The question of whether melanins are photoprotecting and/or photosensitizing in human skin cells continues to be debated. To evaluate the role of melanin upon UVA irradiation, DNA single-strand breaks (ssb) were measured in human melanocytes differing only in the amount of pigment produced by

  6. Grafting Of Autologous Non-Cultured Melanocytes For The Treatment Of Vitiligo : A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    kumar Sudhir

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Vitiligo is a common, often heritable, acquired disorder. Although vitiligo does not cause any physical problem but it surely is a psychosocial disaster. Depigmented patches resistant to medical treatment need to be managed surgically. Surgically. Surgical procedures usually performed lead to unsatisfactory results and that too at the cost of scarring of normal donor site. Here we describe our experience with grafting of non-cultured autologous melanocytes, which is not associated with any scarring. We tried this method in 16 lesions in 8 patients of stable vitiligo. Due to its advantages, like no scarring at recipient sites, ability to re-pigment large area with small piece of skin graft, simplicity and feasibility in Indian conditions, this is a good alternative in the treatment of vitiligo.

  7. Comparison of growth factor signalling pathway utilisation in cultured normal melanocytes and melanoma cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ji Eun; Stones, Clare; Joseph, Wayne R; Leung, Euphemia; Finlay, Graeme J; Shelling, Andrew N; Phillips, Wayne A; Shepherd, Peter R; Baguley, Bruce C

    2012-01-01

    The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K-PKB), mitogen activated protein kinase (MEK-ERK) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR- p70S6K), are thought to regulate many aspects of tumour cell proliferation and survival. We have examined the utilisation of these three signalling pathways in a number of cell lines derived from patients with metastatic malignant melanoma of known PIK3CA, PTEN, NRAS and BRAF mutational status. Western blotting was used to compare the phosphorylation status of components of the PI3K-PKB, MEK-ERK and mTOR-p70S6K signalling pathways, as indices of pathway utilisation. Normal melanocytes could not be distinguished from melanoma cells on the basis of pathway utilisation when grown in the presence of serum, but could be distinguished upon serum starvation, where signalling protein phosphorylation was generally abrogated. Surprisingly, the differential utilisation of individual pathways was not consistently associated with the presence of an oncogenic or tumour suppressor mutation of genes in these pathways. Utilisation of the PI3K-PKB, MEK-ERK and mTOR-p70S6K signalling pathways in melanoma, as determined by phosphorylation of signalling components, varies widely across a series of cell lines, and does not directly reflect mutation of genes coding these components. The main difference between cultured normal melanocytes and melanoma cells is not the pathway utilisation itself, but rather in the serum dependence of pathway utilisation

  8. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor as the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in human melanocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chantarawong, Wipa [Department of Molecular Biology and Applied Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan); Inter Departmental Multidisciplinary Graduate Program in Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok (Thailand); Takeda, Kazuhisa; Sangartit, Weerapon; Yoshizawa, Miki [Department of Molecular Biology and Applied Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan); Pradermwong, Kantimanee [Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok (Thailand); Shibahara, Shigeki, E-mail: shibahar@med.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Molecular Biology and Applied Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan)

    2014-11-28

    Highlights: • In human melanocytes, cadmium decreases the expression of MITF-M and tyrosinase and their mRNAs. • In human melanoma cells, cadmium decreases the expression of MITF-M protein and tyrosinase mRNA. • Expression of MITF-H is less sensitive to cadmium toxicity in melanocyte-linage cells. • Cadmium does not decrease the expression of MITF-H in retinal pigment epithelial cells. • MITF-M is the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in melanocytes. - Abstract: Dietary intake of cadmium is inevitable, causing age-related increase in cadmium accumulation in many organs, including hair, choroid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Cadmium has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hearing loss and macular degeneration. The functions of cochlea and retina are maintained by melanocytes and RPE, respectively, and the differentiation of these pigment cells is regulated by microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). In the present study, we explored the potential toxicity of cadmium in the cochlea and retina by using cultured human melanocytes and human RPE cell lines. MITF consists of multiple isoforms, including melanocyte-specific MITF-M and widely expressed MITF-H. Levels of MITF-M protein and its mRNA in human epidermal melanocytes and HMV-II melanoma cells were decreased significantly by cadmium. In parallel with the MITF reduction, mRNA levels of tyrosinase, the key enzyme of melanin biosynthesis that is regulated by MITF-M, were also decreased. In RPE cells, however, the levels of total MITF protein, constituting mainly MITF-H, were not decreased by cadmium. We thus identify MITF-M as the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in melanocytes, thereby accounting for the increased risk of disability from melanocyte malfunction, such as hearing and vision loss among people with elevated cadmium exposure.

  9. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor as the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in human melanocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chantarawong, Wipa; Takeda, Kazuhisa; Sangartit, Weerapon; Yoshizawa, Miki; Pradermwong, Kantimanee; Shibahara, Shigeki

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • In human melanocytes, cadmium decreases the expression of MITF-M and tyrosinase and their mRNAs. • In human melanoma cells, cadmium decreases the expression of MITF-M protein and tyrosinase mRNA. • Expression of MITF-H is less sensitive to cadmium toxicity in melanocyte-linage cells. • Cadmium does not decrease the expression of MITF-H in retinal pigment epithelial cells. • MITF-M is the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in melanocytes. - Abstract: Dietary intake of cadmium is inevitable, causing age-related increase in cadmium accumulation in many organs, including hair, choroid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Cadmium has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hearing loss and macular degeneration. The functions of cochlea and retina are maintained by melanocytes and RPE, respectively, and the differentiation of these pigment cells is regulated by microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). In the present study, we explored the potential toxicity of cadmium in the cochlea and retina by using cultured human melanocytes and human RPE cell lines. MITF consists of multiple isoforms, including melanocyte-specific MITF-M and widely expressed MITF-H. Levels of MITF-M protein and its mRNA in human epidermal melanocytes and HMV-II melanoma cells were decreased significantly by cadmium. In parallel with the MITF reduction, mRNA levels of tyrosinase, the key enzyme of melanin biosynthesis that is regulated by MITF-M, were also decreased. In RPE cells, however, the levels of total MITF protein, constituting mainly MITF-H, were not decreased by cadmium. We thus identify MITF-M as the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in melanocytes, thereby accounting for the increased risk of disability from melanocyte malfunction, such as hearing and vision loss among people with elevated cadmium exposure

  10. Conjunctival Melanocytic Tumors-New Developments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hülya Gökmen Soysal

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Melanocytic lesions of the conjunctiva represent a wide spectrum of tumors that include benign, premalignant, and malignant tumors. There are many ongoing arguments about the definition, classification, and therapeutic options of the conjunctival melanocytic tumors with many different suggestions. Conjunctival nevi are the most common melanocytic tumors and their risk of malignant transformation is less than1%. Primary acquired melanosis (PAM histopathologically includes various types of lesions from increased melanin pigmentation without melanocyte proliferation to melanoma in situ and is accepted as a clinical definition, so that a new classification is recommended which is based on more objective criteria than before. Although conjunctival melanoma is seen rarely, it is associated with a high mortality rate. Management of these tumors mainly involves surgery and adjuvant topical chemotherapy, cryotherapy, and radiation therapy that help improving the survival, however, new options are being investigated related to genetic and molecular researches. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2014; 44: Supplement 15-21

  11. Prostaglandin production by melanocytic cells and the effect of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolaou, Anna; Estdale, Sian E; Tsatmali, Marina; Herrero, Daniel Pascual; Thody, Anthony J

    2004-07-16

    Prostaglandins are potent mediators of the inflammatory response and are also involved in cancer development. In this study, we show that human melanocytes and FM55 melanoma cells express cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 (COX-1 and -2) and thus have the capability to produce prostaglandins. The FM55 cells produced predominantly PGE2 and PGF2alpha, whereas the HaCaT keratinocyte cell line produced mainly PGE2. The anti-inflammatory peptide, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), reduced prostaglandin production in FM55 and HaCaT cells and reversed the effect of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in the former. These results indicate that melanocytes produce prostaglandins and that alpha-MSH, by inhibiting this response, may play an important role in regulating inflammatory responses in the skin.

  12. Substantial Effect of Melanin Influencing Factors on Melanogenesis in Muzzle Melanocytes of Differently Colored Hanwoo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Touseef Amna

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The present study was designed to investigate the effect of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH, nitric oxide (NO and L-cysteine on melanin production and expression of related genes MC1R, Tyr, Tyrp-1 and Tyrp-2 in muzzle melanocytes of differently colored three native Hanwoo cattle. Muzzle samples were taken from black, brindle and brown Hanwoo and purified melanocytes were cultured with α-MSH, nitric oxide and L-cysteine at 100 nM, 50 µM and 0.07 mg/ml of media respectively. The amounts of total melanin, eumelanin and mRNA expression at Tyr, Tyrp-1, Tyrp-2 and MC1R levels were quantified. α-MSH and nitric oxide significantly increased (p<0.05 the amount of total melanin in black and brindle whereas eumelanin production in brown Hanwoo muzzle melanocytes. On the contrary, L-cysteine greatly (p<0.05 depressed the eumelanin production in black color but increased in brown. Simultaneously, up regulation of Tyr by nitric oxide and α-MSH and down regulation of Tyr, Tyrp-2 and MC1R genes by L-cysteine were observed in muzzle melanocytes of all three phenotypes. The results of this study revealed nitric oxide and α-MSH contribute hyper-pigmentation by enhancing eumelanogenesis whereas L-cysteine contributes to pheomelanin production in different colored Hanwoo muzzle melanocytes.

  13. Modeling pure culture heterotrophic production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozumder, Md Salatul Islam; Goormachtigh, Laurens; Garcia-Gonzalez, Linsey; De Wever, Heleen; Volcke, Eveline I P

    2014-03-01

    In this contribution a mechanistic model describing the production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) through pure-culture fermentation was developed, calibrated and validated for two different substrates, namely glucose and waste glycerol. In both cases, non-growth-associated PHB production was triggered by applying nitrogen limitation. The occurrence of some growth-associated PHB production besides non-growth-associated PHB production was demonstrated, although it is inhibited in the presence of nitrogen. Other phenomena observed experimentally and described by the model included biomass growth on PHB and non-linear product inhibition of PHB production. The accumulated impurities from the waste substrate negatively affected the obtained maximum PHB content. Overall, the developed mathematical model provided an accurate prediction of the dynamic behavior of heterotrophic biomass growth and PHB production in a two-phase pure culture system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Melanocyte colonization and pigmentation of breast carcinoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mele, Marco; Laurberg, Tinne; Engberg Damsgaard, Tine

    2012-01-01

    . The pathogenesis by which melanocyte migration takes place is not known, but a breached basement membrane is considered essential. Conclusion. Histological examination and additional staining of skin are essential to differentiate breast cancer melanosis from malignant melanoma.......Introduction. Melanocyte colonization of breast carcinoma by nonneoplastic melanocytes of epidermal origin is a rare and serious condition first described in 1977. We report on the exceptional clinical and pathological features of this migration phenomenon in a 74-year-old patient. Discussion...

  15. Comparison of n-eicosane and phenanthrene removal by pure and mixed cultures of two marine bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Syakti, A.D.; Acquaviva, M.; Gilewicz, M.; Doumenq, P.; Bertrand, J.C.

    2004-01-01

    The biotransformation activities of two hydrocarbonoclastic marine bacteria, Corynebacterium sp. and Sphingomonas sp. 2MPII, on n-eicosane and phenanthrene were investigated. During a 56-day experiment, in pure and mixed cultures, Corynebacterium sp. and Sphingomonas sp. 2MPII removed about 70% of the initial n-eicosane and phenanthrene concentrations (1 and 0.4 g L -1 , respectively). In pure cultures, culturable cell abundances increased over time, from 0.8 to 8.6x10 -11 CFU L -1 (Corynebacterium sp.) and from 2.1 to 16x10 -11 CFU L -1 (Sphingomonas sp. 2MPII ) but remained barely constant in mixed cultures. We defined a biotransformation index based on the number of culturable cells rather than the culture protein content, with the biotransformation cell yield (BCY) expressed in grams hydrocarbon CFU -1 per day to better characterize hydrocarbon removal in pure and mixed cultures. The BCY was markedly higher in mixed than in pure cultures, increasing by a factor of 2-10.7 and 2.3-4.7 for n-eicosane and phenanthrene removal, respectively

  16. Bringing Planctomycetes into pure culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Maria Lage

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Planctomycetes have been known since the description of Planctomyces bekefii by Gimesi at the beginning of the twentieth century (1924, although the first axenic cultures were only obtained in the 1970s. Since then, eleven genera with fourteen species have been validly named and five candidatus genera belonging to the anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox bacteria have also been discovered. However, Planctomycetes diversity is much broader than these numbers indicate, as shown by environmental molecular studies. In recent years the authors have attempted to isolate and cultivate additional strains of Planctomycetes. This paper provides a summary of the isolation work that was carried out to obtain in pure culture Planctomycetes from several environmental sources. The following strains and planctomycetes have been successfully isolated: two freshwater strains from the sediments of an aquarium, which were described as a new genus and species, Aquisphaera giovannonii; several Rhodopirellula strains from the sediments of a water treatment recycling tank of a marine fish farm; and more than 140 planctomycetes from the biofilm community of macroalgae. This collection comprises several novel taxa that are being characterized and described. Improvements in the isolation methodology were made in order to optimize and enlarge the number of Planctomycetes isolated from the macroalgae. The existence of an intimate and an important relationship between planctomycetes and macroalgae reported before by molecular studies is therefore supported by culture dependent methods.

  17. The presence of embedded bacterial pure cultures in agar plates stimulate the culturability of soil bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burmølle, Mette; Johnsen, Kaare; Abu Al-Soud, Waleed Mohamad Abdel F

    2009-01-01

    Traditional methods for bacterial cultivation recover only a small fraction of bacteria from all sorts of natural environments, and attempts have been made to improve the bacterial culturability. Here we describe the development of a cultivation method, based on the embedment of pure bacterial...... cultures in between two layers of agar. Plates containing either embedded Pseudomonas putida or Arthrobacter globiformis resulted in higher numbers of CFUs of soil bacteria (21% and 38%, respectively) after 833 h of incubation, compared to plates with no embedded strain. This indicates a stimulatory effect...... of the bacterial pure cultures on the cultivation of soil bacteria. Analysis of partial 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed a phylogenetical distribution of the soil isolates into 7 classes in 4 phyla. No difference was observed at the phylum or class level when comparing isolates grouped according to embedded strain...

  18. Towards a "free radical theory of graying": melanocyte apoptosis in the aging human hair follicle is an indicator of oxidative stress induced tissue damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arck, Petra Clara; Overall, Rupert; Spatz, Katharina; Liezman, Christiane; Handjiski, Bori; Klapp, Burghard F; Birch-Machin, Mark A; Peters, Eva Milena Johanne

    2006-07-01

    Oxidative stress is generated by a multitude of environmental and endogenous challenges such as radiation, inflammation, or psychoemotional stress. It also speeds the aging process. Graying is a prominent but little understood feature of aging. Intriguingly, the continuous melanin synthesis in the growing (anagen) hair follicle generates high oxidative stress. We therefore hypothesize that hair bulb melanocytes are especially susceptible to free radical-induced aging. To test this hypothesis, we subjected human scalp skin anagen hair follicles from graying individuals to macroscopic and immunohistomorphometric analysis and organ culture. We found evidence of melanocyte apoptosis and increased oxidative stress in the pigmentary unit of graying hair follicles. The "common" deletion, a marker mitochondrial DNA-deletion for accumulating oxidative stress damage, occurred most prominently in graying hair follicles. Cultured unpigmented hair follicles grew better than pigmented follicles of the same donors. Finally, cultured pigmented hair follicles exposed to exogenous oxidative stress (hydroquinone) showed increased melanocyte apoptosis in the hair bulb. We conclude that oxidative stress is high in hair follicle melanocytes and leads to their selective premature aging and apoptosis. The graying hair follicle, therefore, offers a unique model system to study oxidative stress and aging and to test antiaging therapeutics in their ability to slow down or even stop this process.

  19. YY1 regulates melanocyte development and function by cooperating with MITF.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juying Li

    Full Text Available Studies of coat color mutants have greatly contributed to the discovery of genes that regulate melanocyte development and function. Here, we generated Yy1 conditional knockout mice in the melanocyte-lineage and observed profound melanocyte deficiency and premature gray hair, similar to the loss of melanocytes in human piebaldism and Waardenburg syndrome. Although YY1 is a ubiquitous transcription factor, YY1 interacts with M-MITF, the Waardenburg Syndrome IIA gene and a master transcriptional regulator of melanocytes. YY1 cooperates with M-MITF in regulating the expression of piebaldism gene KIT and multiple additional pigmentation genes. Moreover, ChIP-seq identified genome-wide YY1 targets in the melanocyte lineage. These studies mechanistically link genes implicated in human conditions of melanocyte deficiency and reveal how a ubiquitous factor (YY1 gains lineage-specific functions by co-regulating gene expression with a lineage-restricted factor (M-MITF-a general mechanism which may confer tissue-specific gene expression in multiple lineages.

  20. Does Melanoma Begin in a Melanocyte Stem Cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoerter, J. D.; Bradley, P.; Casillas, A.; Chambers, D.; Weiswasser, B.; Clements, L.; Gilbert, S.; Jiao, A.

    2012-01-01

    What is the cellular origin of melanoma? What role do melanocyte stem cells (MSC) and other melanocyte precursors play in the development of melanoma? Are MSCs and other latent melanocyte precursors more susceptible to solar radiation? These and many other questions can be very effectively addressed using the zebra fish model. Zebra fish have a robust regenerative capability, permitting the study of how MSCs are regulated and recruited at specific times and places to generate the pigment pattern following fin amputation or melanocyte ablation. They can be used to determine the effects of environmental radiation on the proliferation, survival, repair, and differentiation of MSCs. Our lab is using zebra fish to investigate how UVA- (320-400nm) and UVB- (290-320nm) induced damage to MSCs may contribute to the development of melanoma. A review is given of MSCs in zebrafish as well as experimental techniques and drugs for manipulating MSC populations. These techniques can be used to design experiments to help answer many questions regarding the role of MSCs or melanocyte precursors in the formation of melanoma stem cells and tumors following exposure to UVA/UVB radiation.

  1. Primary Cilia Negatively Regulate Melanogenesis in Melanocytes and Pigmentation in a Human Skin Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hyunjung; Shin, Ji Hyun; Kim, Eun Sung; Park, So Jung; Bae, Il-Hong; Jo, Yoon Kyung; Jeong, In Young; Kim, Hyoung-June; Lee, Youngjin; Park, Hea Chul; Jeon, Hong Bae; Kim, Ki Woo; Lee, Tae Ryong; Cho, Dong-Hyung

    2016-01-01

    The primary cilium is an organelle protruding from the cell body that senses external stimuli including chemical, mechanical, light, osmotic, fluid flow, and gravitational signals. Skin is always exposed to the external environment and responds to external stimuli. Therefore, it is possible that primary cilia have an important role in skin. Ciliogenesis was reported to be involved in developmental processes in skin, such as keratinocyte differentiation and hair formation. However, the relation between skin pigmentation and primary cilia is largely unknown. Here, we observed that increased melanogenesis in melanocytes treated with a melanogenic inducer was inhibited by a ciliogenesis inducer, cytochalasin D, and serum-free culture. However, these inhibitory effects disappeared in GLI2 knockdown cells. In addition, activation of sonic hedgehog (SHH)-smoothened (Smo) signaling pathway by a Smo agonist, SAG inhibited melanin synthesis in melanocytes and pigmentation in a human skin model. On the contrary, an inhibitor of primary cilium formation, ciliobrevin A1, activated melanogenesis in melanocytes. These results suggest that skin pigmentation may be regulated partly by the induction of ciliogenesis through Smo-GLI2 signaling.

  2. Primary Cilia Negatively Regulate Melanogenesis in Melanocytes and Pigmentation in a Human Skin Model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyunjung Choi

    Full Text Available The primary cilium is an organelle protruding from the cell body that senses external stimuli including chemical, mechanical, light, osmotic, fluid flow, and gravitational signals. Skin is always exposed to the external environment and responds to external stimuli. Therefore, it is possible that primary cilia have an important role in skin. Ciliogenesis was reported to be involved in developmental processes in skin, such as keratinocyte differentiation and hair formation. However, the relation between skin pigmentation and primary cilia is largely unknown. Here, we observed that increased melanogenesis in melanocytes treated with a melanogenic inducer was inhibited by a ciliogenesis inducer, cytochalasin D, and serum-free culture. However, these inhibitory effects disappeared in GLI2 knockdown cells. In addition, activation of sonic hedgehog (SHH-smoothened (Smo signaling pathway by a Smo agonist, SAG inhibited melanin synthesis in melanocytes and pigmentation in a human skin model. On the contrary, an inhibitor of primary cilium formation, ciliobrevin A1, activated melanogenesis in melanocytes. These results suggest that skin pigmentation may be regulated partly by the induction of ciliogenesis through Smo-GLI2 signaling.

  3. PREFERENTIAL SECRETION OF INDUCIBLE HSP70 BY VITILIGO MELANOCYTES UNDER STRESS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosenson, Jeffrey A.; Flood, Kelsey; Klarquist, Jared; Eby, Jonathan M.; Koshoffer, Amy; Boissy, Raymond E.; Overbeck, Andreas; C.Tung, Rebecca; Poole, I. Caroline Le

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Inducible HSP70 (HSP70i) chaperones peptides from stressed cells, protecting them from apoptosis. Upon extracellular release, HSP70i serves an adjuvant function, enhancing immune responses to bound peptides. We questioned whether HSP70i differentially protects control and vitiligo melanocytes from stress and subsequent immune responses. We compared expression of HSP70i in skin samples, evaluated the viability of primary vitiligo and control melanocytes exposed to bleaching phenols, and measured secreted HSP70i. We determined whether HSP70i traffics to melanosomes to contact immunogenic proteins by cell fractionation, western blotting, electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. Viability of vitiligo and control melanocytes was equally affected under stress. However, vitiligo melanocytes secreted increased amounts of HSP70i in response to MBEH, corroborating with aberrant HSP70i expression in patient skin. Intracellular HSP70i colocalized with melanosomes, and more so in response to MBEH in vitiligo melanocytes. Thus whereas either agent is cytotoxic to melanocytes, MBEH preferentially induces immune responses to melanocytes. PMID:24354861

  4. Melanogenesis in dermal melanocytes of Japanese Silky chicken embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortolani-Machado, C F; Freitas, P F; Faraco, C D

    2009-08-01

    The Japanese Silky chicken (SK) shows dermal and visceral hyperpigmentation. This study characterizes ultrastructurally the melanin granules developing in dermal melanocytes of the dorsal skin of SK, in an attempt to better understand the processes of melanogenesis in these permanently ectopic cells. The steps of melanogenesis are similar to those described for epidermal melanocytes, with melanosomes going from stage I to IV but, in SK, the maturation occurs in the cell body, as well as in the cytoplasmic processes. At stage III, the deposition of melanin is cumulative and can aggregate in rounded structures, which combine to turn into the mature granule. The final destiny of mature melanosomes is still unclear, although it was observed that dermal macrophages can accumulate melanin granules in their phagosomes. Even with the close proximity between melanocytes and other dermal cells, the transference of melanosomes was not observed. Our findings indicate that melanogenesis in dermal melanocytes in SK has the same morphological characteristics found in epidermal melanocytes, but the functional aspect still remains to be elucidated.

  5. Mammalian melanocytes and radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirobe, Tomohisa

    2008-01-01

    Melanocytes (M) decide the skin and hair color through the synthesis of melanine pigment, which is transported via their melanosome to keratinocytes (K) for body color expression in animals. This paper describes mainly author's studies of M concerning effects of ultraviolet (UV), ionizing radiation and heavy ion (carbon ion) beam on their development and differentiation together with its mechanism. In vitro, studies of UV effect on proliferation and differentiation of M and melanoblast (MB) have been greatly advanced since their culturing in serum-free media became possible using cells from author's black-mouse (C57BL/10JHir strain): Their mixed culture with K firstly revealed that their proliferation and differentiation were enhanced by UV irradiation. The important K's factor to regulate M/MB cells was identified to be GMCSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor). In vivo studies of the skin color of the black-mouse before and after birth were performed using radiations like 60 Co gamma ray and high linear energy transfer (LET) carbon ion beam and have revealed that abnormal proliferation and differentiation of M/MB, which were expressed as white spot formation, death and mal-differentiation of M/MB, were induced dose-, LET- and developmental stage-dependently. (R.T.)

  6. Role of Melanin in Melanocyte Dysregulation of Reactive Oxygen Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noah C. Jenkins

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We have recently reported a potential alternative tumor suppressor function for p16 relating to its capacity to regulate oxidative stress and observed that oxidative dysregulation in p16-depleted cells was most profound in melanocytes, compared to keratinocytes or fibroblasts. Moreover, in the absence of p16 depletion or exogenous oxidative insult, melanocytes exhibited significantly higher basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS than these other epidermal cell types. Given the role of oxidative stress in melanoma development, we speculated that this increased susceptibility of melanocytes to oxidative stress (and greater reliance on p16 for suppression of ROS may explain why genetic compromise of p16 is more commonly associated with predisposition to melanoma rather than other cancers. Here we show that the presence of melanin accounts for this differential oxidative stress in normal and p16-depleted melanocytes. Thus the presence of melanin in the skin appears to be a double-edged sword: it protects melanocytes as well as neighboring keratinocytes in the skin through its capacity to absorb UV radiation, but its synthesis in melanocytes results in higher levels of intracellular ROS that may increase melanoma susceptibility.

  7. Investigation of cellular signalling responses to non-ionising radiation in melanocytes by microarray analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyle, G.M.; Pedley, J.; Martyn, A.C.; Fraser, L.M.; Banducci, K.J.; Parsons, P.G.; Breit, S.N.

    2003-01-01

    Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer resulting from the abnormal proliferation and spread of specialised pigment cells in the skin, known as melanocytes. Extensive epidemiological and molecular evidence suggests that a major risk factor for melanoma formation is exposure to non-ionising radiation in the form of solar ultra-violet (UV) light. However, the exact role of solar UV in the development of melanoma is unclear. To elucidate the molecular events that occur in melanocytes following solar UV exposure and determine how they lead to melanoma development, cDNA microarray analysis was used to analyse the gene expression profile of normal melanocytes, melanocytes exposed to simulated solar UV and melanoma cells. The development of cDNA microarray technology has allowed gene expression profiling at the mRNA level to be conducted for many thousands of genes simultaneously by hybridising an array of known sequences with labelled cDNA reverse transcribed form the sample RNA. Gene expression analysis was performed for over 13,000 genes. More than 500 genes were identified as differentially expressed in melanocytes following a single UV exposure, although overall there was a general suppression of transcription. Genes that were up-regulated included oncogenes and cytoskeletal genes; in contrast, genes encoding protein tyrosine kinases and apoptosis effectors were down-regulated. Many of the genes identified as being differentially expressed represent novel UV-regulated targets. Repeated exposure to solar UV resulted in the elevation in expression of a novel member of the transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) superfamily, the Macrophage Inhibitory Cytokine-1 (MIC-1). Our results have shown that MIC-1 is up-regulated by solar UV in melanocytes, and is highly expressed (>3 fold) in a number of metastatic melanoma cell lines (31/61) in comparison to primary melanocytes. Furthermore functional, dimerised MIC-1 was found to be secreted by melanocytes, and secreted levels were

  8. Pigmentation, Melanocyte Colonization, and p53 Status in Basal Cell Carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frey, L. M.; Houben, R.; Brocker, E. B.

    2011-01-01

    Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common neoplasm in the Caucasian population. Only a fraction of BCC exhibits pigmentation. Lack of melanocyte colonization has been suggested to be due to p53-inactivating mutations in the BCC cells interfering with the p53-proopiomelanocortin pathway and the production of alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone in the tumor. To evaluate this, we determined tumor pigmentation as well as expression of melan-A and of p53 in 49 BCC tissues by means of immunohistochemistry. As expected, we observed a positive relation between tumor pigmentation and melan-A positive intra-tumoral melanocytes. Melanocyte colonization and, to a lesser extent, p53 overexpression showed intraindividual heterogeneity in larger tumors. p53 overexpression, which is indicative of p53 mutations, was not correlated to melanocyte colonization of BCC. Sequencing of exon 5-8 of the p53 gene in selected BCC cases revealed that colonization by melanocytes and BCC pigmentation is neither ablated by p53 mutations nor generally present in BCCs with wild-type p53.

  9. Rab11b mediates melanin transfer between donor melanocytes and acceptor keratinocytes via coupled exo/endocytosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarafder, Abul K; Bolasco, Giulia; Correia, Maria S; Pereira, Francisco J C; Iannone, Lucio; Hume, Alistair N; Kirkpatrick, Niall; Picardo, Mauro; Torrisi, Maria R; Rodrigues, Inês P; Ramalho, José S; Futter, Clare E; Barral, Duarte C; Seabra, Miguel C

    2014-04-01

    The transfer of melanin from melanocytes to keratinocytes is a crucial process underlying maintenance of skin pigmentation and photoprotection against UV damage. Here, we present evidence supporting coupled exocytosis of the melanin core, or melanocore, by melanocytes and subsequent endocytosis by keratinocytes as a predominant mechanism of melanin transfer. Electron microscopy analysis of human skin samples revealed three lines of evidence supporting this: (1) the presence of melanocores in the extracellular space; (2) within keratinocytes, melanin was surrounded by a single membrane; and (3) this membrane lacked the melanosomal membrane protein tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1). Moreover, co-culture of melanocytes and keratinocytes suggests that melanin exocytosis is specifically induced by keratinocytes. Furthermore, depletion of Rab11b, but not Rab27a, caused a marked decrease in both keratinocyte-stimulated melanin exocytosis and transfer to keratinocytes. Thus, we propose that the predominant mechanism of melanin transfer is keratinocyte-induced exocytosis, mediated by Rab11b through remodeling of the melanosome membrane, followed by subsequent endocytosis by keratinocytes.

  10. Ultraviolet B, melanin and mitochondrial DNA: Photo-damage in human epidermal keratinocytes and melanocytes modulated by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markus Böhm

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH increases melanogenesis and protects from UV-induced DNA damage. However, its effect on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA damage is unknown. We have addressed this issue in a pilot study using human epidermal keratinocytes and melanocytes incubated with alpha-MSH and irradiated with UVB. Real-time touchdown PCR was used to quantify total and deleted mtDNA. The deletion detected encompassed the common deletion but was more sensitive to detection. There were 4.4 times more mtDNA copies in keratinocytes than in melanocytes. Irradiation alone did not affect copy numbers. Alpha-MSH slightly increased copy numbers in both cell types in the absence of UVB and caused a similar small decrease in copy number with dose in both cell types. Deleted copies were nearly twice as frequent in keratinocytes as in melanocytes. Alpha-MSH reduced the frequency of deleted copies by half in keratinocytes but not in melanocytes. UVB dose dependently led to an increase in the deleted copy number in alpha-MSH-treated melanocytes. UVB irradiation had little effect on deleted copy number in alpha-MSH-treated keratinocytes. In summary, alpha-MSH enhances mtDNA damage in melanocytes presumably by increased melanogenesis, while α-MSH is protective in keratinocytes, the more so in the absence of irradiation.

  11. Neurotized congenital melanocytic nevus resembling a pigmented neurofibroma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nidhi Singh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Neurotized congenital melanocytic nevus and pigmented neurofibroma (PNF are close mimics and pose a clinicopathological challenge. We present a case of pigmented hypertrichotic plaque over lumbosacral region and discuss the differential diagnosis and its clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemistry features which may aid in differentiation. We highlight the difficulties faced in differentiating neurotized congenital melanocytic nevus from pigmented neurofibroma.

  12. Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Bo Sonnich; Henriksen, Trine Foged; Kølle, Stig-Frederik Trojahn

    2015-01-01

    Giant congenital melanocytic nevi (GCMN) occur in 1:20,000 livebirths and are associated with increased risk of malignant transformation. The treatment of GCMN from 1981 to 2010 in a tertiary referral center was reviewed evaluating the modalities used, cosmetic results, associated complications...

  13. Pure culture response of ectomycorrhizal fungi to imposed water stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mark D. Coleman; Caroline S. Bledsoe; William Lopushinsky

    1989-01-01

    The ability of ectomycorrhizal fungal isolates to tolerate imposed water stress in pure culture was examined in 55 isolates of 18 species. Water potential treatments, adjusted with polyethylene glycol, were applied to Petri dish units. These units allowed colony diameter measurements of fungi grown on liquid media. Delayed growth initiation and inhibition of growth...

  14. Population-Based Analysis of Histologically Confirmed Melanocytic Proliferations Using Natural Language Processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lott, Jason P; Boudreau, Denise M; Barnhill, Ray L; Weinstock, Martin A; Knopp, Eleanor; Piepkorn, Michael W; Elder, David E; Knezevich, Steven R; Baer, Andrew; Tosteson, Anna N A; Elmore, Joann G

    2018-01-01

    Population-based information on the distribution of histologic diagnoses associated with skin biopsies is unknown. Electronic medical records (EMRs) enable automated extraction of pathology report data to improve our epidemiologic understanding of skin biopsy outcomes, specifically those of melanocytic origin. To determine population-based frequencies and distribution of histologically confirmed melanocytic lesions. A natural language processing (NLP)-based analysis of EMR pathology reports of adult patients who underwent skin biopsies at a large integrated health care delivery system in the US Pacific Northwest from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2012. Skin biopsy procedure. The primary outcome was histopathologic diagnosis, obtained using an NLP-based system to process EMR pathology reports. We determined the percentage of diagnoses classified as melanocytic vs nonmelanocytic lesions. Diagnoses classified as melanocytic were further subclassified using the Melanocytic Pathology Assessment Tool and Hierarchy for Diagnosis (MPATH-Dx) reporting schema into the following categories: class I (nevi and other benign proliferations such as mildly dysplastic lesions typically requiring no further treatment), class II (moderately dysplastic and other low-risk lesions that may merit narrow reexcision with skin biopsies, performed on 47 529 patients, were examined. Nearly 1 in 4 skin biopsies were of melanocytic lesions (23%; n = 18 715), which were distributed according to MPATH-Dx categories as follows: class I, 83.1% (n = 15 558); class II, 8.3% (n = 1548); class III, 4.5% (n = 842); class IV, 2.2% (n = 405); and class V, 1.9% (n = 362). Approximately one-quarter of skin biopsies resulted in diagnoses of melanocytic proliferations. These data provide the first population-based estimates across the spectrum of melanocytic lesions ranging from benign through dysplastic to malignant. These results may serve as a foundation for future

  15. The effect of simultaneous exposure of HEMn-DP and HEMn-LP melanocytes to nicotine and UV-radiation on the cell viability and melanogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delijewski, Marcin; Wrześniok, Dorota; Beberok, Artur; Rok, Jakub; Otręba, Michał; Buszman, Ewa

    2016-01-01

    Nicotine is a main compound of tobacco plants and may affect more than a billion people all over the world that are permanently exposed to nicotine from cigarettes, various forms of smoking cessation therapies, electronic cigarettes or second-hand smoke. It is known that nicotine forms complexes with melanin what may lead to accumulation of this alkaloid in tissues of living organisms containing the pigment. This may affect the viability of cells and process of melanin biosynthesis that takes place in melanocytes. Although UV radiation is known to be a particular inductor of melanin biosynthesis, its simultaneous effect with nicotine on this process as well as the viability of human cells containing melanin have not been assessed so far. The aim of this study was to examine the simultaneous impact of nicotine and UV radiation on viability and melanogenesis in cultured normal human melanocytes dark (HEMn-DP) and light (HEMn-LP) pigmented. Nicotine together with UV radiation induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. The higher cell loss was observed in dark pigmented melanocytes in comparison to light pigmented cells. Simultaneous exposure of cells to nicotine and UV radiation also caused changes in melanization process in both tested cell lines. The data suggest that simultaneous exposure of melanocytes to nicotine and UV radiation up-regulates melanogenesis and affects cell viability. Observed processes are more pronounced in dark pigmented cells. - Highlights: • Nicotine and UVA induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. • Nicotine and UVA modulated melanization process in melanocytes. • Changes in viability and melanization were more pronounced in dark pigmented cells.

  16. The effect of simultaneous exposure of HEMn-DP and HEMn-LP melanocytes to nicotine and UV-radiation on the cell viability and melanogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Delijewski, Marcin; Wrześniok, Dorota; Beberok, Artur; Rok, Jakub; Otręba, Michał; Buszman, Ewa, E-mail: ebuszman@sum.edu.pl

    2016-11-15

    Nicotine is a main compound of tobacco plants and may affect more than a billion people all over the world that are permanently exposed to nicotine from cigarettes, various forms of smoking cessation therapies, electronic cigarettes or second-hand smoke. It is known that nicotine forms complexes with melanin what may lead to accumulation of this alkaloid in tissues of living organisms containing the pigment. This may affect the viability of cells and process of melanin biosynthesis that takes place in melanocytes. Although UV radiation is known to be a particular inductor of melanin biosynthesis, its simultaneous effect with nicotine on this process as well as the viability of human cells containing melanin have not been assessed so far. The aim of this study was to examine the simultaneous impact of nicotine and UV radiation on viability and melanogenesis in cultured normal human melanocytes dark (HEMn-DP) and light (HEMn-LP) pigmented. Nicotine together with UV radiation induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. The higher cell loss was observed in dark pigmented melanocytes in comparison to light pigmented cells. Simultaneous exposure of cells to nicotine and UV radiation also caused changes in melanization process in both tested cell lines. The data suggest that simultaneous exposure of melanocytes to nicotine and UV radiation up-regulates melanogenesis and affects cell viability. Observed processes are more pronounced in dark pigmented cells. - Highlights: • Nicotine and UVA induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. • Nicotine and UVA modulated melanization process in melanocytes. • Changes in viability and melanization were more pronounced in dark pigmented cells.

  17. The relationship between Na+/H+ exchanger expression and tyrosinase activity in human melanocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Dustin R.; Spaulding, Deborah T.; Glenn, Hayden M.; Fuller, Bryan B.

    2004-01-01

    The activity of melanosome-associated tyrosinase in human melanocytes differs based on racial skin type. In melanocytes from Black skin, tyrosinase activity is high while in White melanocytes the activity of the enzyme is low. Recent studies suggest that low tyrosinase activity in White melanocytes may be due to an acidic pH environment within the melanosome. Because sodium/hydrogen (Na + /H + ) exchangers (NHEs) are known to regulate intracellular pH, melanocytes were treated with NHE inhibitors to determine what effect this inhibition might have on tyrosinase activity. Treatment of Black melanocytes with ethyl-isopropyl amiloride (EIPA) caused a rapid dose-dependent inhibition of tyrosinase activity. This inhibition was not due to either direct enzyme inhibition or to a decrease in tyrosinase abundance. In contrast, treatment of White melanocytes with EIPA, cimetidine, or clonidine resulted in little inhibition of tyrosinase activity. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis showed that both Black and White melanocytes expressed mRNA and protein for NHE-1, NHE-3, NHE-5, NHE-6, and NHE-7. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that NHE-7 and NHE-3 co-localized with the melanosomal protein, Tyrosinase Related Protein-1 (TRP-1). In addition, the vesicular proton pump, vesicular ATPase (V-ATPase), was found to be present in both White and Black melanosomes, indicating that organelles from both racial skin types are capable of being acidified. The results suggest that one or more NHEs may help regulate melanosome pH and tyrosinase activity in human melanocytes

  18. Melanocortin 1 receptor genotype: an important determinant of the damage response of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadekaro, Ana Luisa; Leachman, Sancy; Kavanagh, Renny J.; Swope, Viki; Cassidy, Pamela; Supp, Dorothy; Sartor, Maureen; Schwemberger, Sandy; Babcock, George; Wakamatsu, Kazumasa; Ito, Shosuke; Koshoffer, Amy; Boissy, Raymond E.; Manga, Prashiela; Sturm, Richard A.; Abdel-Malek, Zalfa A.

    2010-01-01

    The melanocortin 1 receptor gene is a main determinant of human pigmentation, and a melanoma susceptibility gene, because its variants that are strongly associated with red hair color increase melanoma risk. To test experimentally the association between melanocortin 1 receptor genotype and melanoma susceptibility, we compared the responses of primary human melanocyte cultures naturally expressing different melanocortin 1 receptor variants to α-melanocortin and ultraviolet radiation. We found that expression of 2 red hair variants abolished the response to α-melanocortin and its photoprotective effects, evidenced by lack of functional coupling of the receptor, and absence of reduction in ultraviolet radiation-induced hydrogen peroxide generation or enhancement of repair of DNA photoproducts, respectively. These variants had different heterozygous effects on receptor function. Microarray data confirmed the observed differences in responses of melanocytes with functional vs. nonfunctional receptor to α-melanocortin and ultraviolet radiation, and identified DNA repair and antioxidant genes that are modulated by α-melanocortin. Our findings highlight the molecular mechanisms by which the melanocortin 1 receptor genotype controls genomic stability of and the mutagenic effect of ultraviolet radiation on human melanocytes.—Kadekaro, A. L., Leachman, S., Kavanagh, R. J., Swope, V., Cassidy, P., Supp, D., Sartor, M., Schwemberger, S., Babcock, G., Wakamatsu, K., Ito, S., Koshoffer, A., Boissy, R. E., Manga, P., Sturm, R. A., Abdel-Malek, Z. A. Melanocortin 1 receptor genotype: an important determinant of the damage response of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation. PMID:20519635

  19. Melanocyte pigmentation inversely correlates with MCP-1 production and angiogenesis-inducing potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adini, Irit; Adini, Avner; Bazinet, Lauren; Watnick, Randolph S; Bielenberg, Diane R; D'Amato, Robert J

    2015-02-01

    The incidence of certain angiogenesis-dependent diseases is higher in Caucasians than in African Americans. Angiogenesis is amplified in wound healing and cornea models in albino C57 mice compared with black C57 mice. Moreover, mouse and human melanocytes with low pigmentation stimulate endothelial cell (EC) proliferation and migration in vitro more than melanocytes with high pigmentation. This effect is due, in part, to the secretion of an angiogenic protein called fibromodulin (FMOD) from lowly pigmented melanocytes. Herein, we expand upon the mechanism contributing to increased angiogenesis in lighter skin and report that monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is secreted by nonpigmented mouse melanocytes by 5- to 10-fold more than pigmented melanocytes. MCP-1 protein stimulates EC proliferation and migration in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo. Mechanistic studies determine that FMOD is upstream of MCP-1 and promotes its secretion from both melanocytes and activated ECs via stimulation of NF-κB activity. Mice injected with FMOD-neutralizing antibodies show 2.3-fold decreased levels of circulating MCP-1. Human studies confirmed that, on average, Caucasians have 2-fold higher serum levels of MCP-1 than African Americans. Taken together, this study implicates the FMOD/MCP-1 pathway in the regulation of angiogenesis by local melanocytes and suggests that melanogenic activity may protect against aberrant angiogenic diseases. © FASEB.

  20. Substrate interactions of benzene, toluene, and para-xylene during microbial degradation by pure cultures and mixed culture aquifer slurries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, P.J.J.; Vogel, T.M.

    1991-01-01

    Release of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment is a widespread occurrence. One particular concern is the contamination of drinking water sources by the toxic, water-soluble, and mobile petroleum components benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX). Benzene, toluene, and p-xylene (BTX) were degraded by indigenous mixed cultures in sandy aquifer material and by two pure cultures isolated from the same site. Although BTX compounds have a similar chemical structure, the fate of individual BTX compounds differed when the compounds were fed to each pure culture and mixed culture aquifer slurries. The identification of substrate interactions aided the understanding of this behavior. Beneficial substrate interactions included enhanced degradation of benzene-dependent degradation of toluene and p-xylene by Arthrobacter sp. strain HCB. Detrimental substrate interactions included retardation in benzene and toluene degradation by the presence of p-xylene in both aquifer slurries and Pseudomonas incubations. The catabolic diversity of microbes in the environment precludes generalizations about the capacity of individual BTX compounds to enhance or inhibit the degradation of other BTX compounds

  1. Protocol for culturing low density pure rat hippocampal neurons supported by mature mixed neuron cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Qian; Ke, Yini; Luo, Jianhong; Tang, Yang

    2017-02-01

    primary hippocampal neuron cultures allow for subcellular morphological dissection, easy access to drug treatment and electrophysiology analysis of individual neurons, and is therefore an ideal model for the study of neuron physiology. While neuron and glia mixed cultures are relatively easy to prepare, pure neurons are particular hard to culture at low densities which are suitable for morphology studies. This may be due to a lack of neurotrophic factors such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). In this study we used a two step protocol in which neuron-glia mixed cultures were initially prepared for maturation to support the growth of young neurons plated at very low densities. Our protocol showed that neurotrophic support resulted in physiologically functional hippocampal neurons with larger cell body, increased neurite length and decreased branching and complexity compared to cultures prepared using a conventional method. Our protocol provides a novel way to culture highly uniformed hippocampal neurons for acquiring high quality, neuron based data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. [Effect of Tribulus terrestris extract on melanocyte-stimulating hormone expression in mouse hair follicles].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Liu; Lu, Jian-wei; An, Jing; Jiang, Xuan

    2006-12-01

    To observe the effect of Tribulus terrestris extract on melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) expression in C57BL/6J mouse hair follicles, and investigate the role of Tribulus terrestris extract in activation, proliferation, epidermal migration of dormant hair follicle melanocytes. The aqueous extract of Tribulus terrestris was administered orally in specific pathogen-free C57BL/6J mouse at the daily dose equivalent to 1 g/1 kg in adult human, and the expression and distribution of MSH in the mouse hair follicles was observed with immunohistochemistry. The positivity rate of MSH expression in the hair follicle melanocytes was 75% in mice treated with the extract, significantly higher than the rate of only 18.75% in the control group (PTribulus terrestris can significantly increase MSH expression in the hair follicle melanocytes by activating tyrosinase activity and promoting melanocyte proliferation, melanine synthesis, and epidermal migration of dormant melanocytes.

  3. Molecular cytogenetics of cutaneous melanocytic lesions - diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic aspects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blokx, Willeke Am M.; van Dijk, Marcory C. R. F.; Ruiter, Dirk J.

    This review intends to update current knowledge regarding molecular cytogenetics in melanocytic tumours with a focus on cutaneous melanocytic lesions. Advantages and limitations of diverse, already established methods, such as (fluorescence) in situ hybridization and mutation analysis, to detect

  4. Molecular cytogenetics of cutaneous melanocytic lesions - diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic aspects.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blokx, W.A.M.; Dijk, M.C.R.F. van; Ruiter, D.J.

    2010-01-01

    This review intends to update current knowledge regarding molecular cytogenetics in melanocytic tumours with a focus on cutaneous melanocytic lesions. Advantages and limitations of diverse, already established methods, such as (fluorescence) in situ hybridization and mutation analysis, to detect

  5. Protective Effect of HemoHIM on Epidermal Melanocytes in Ultraviolet-B irradiated Mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hae June [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jong Choon; Moon, Chang Jong; Kim, Sung Ho [Chonnam National University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Jung, U Hee; Park, Hae Ran; Jo, Sung Kee [Jeongeup Campus of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of); Jang, Jong Sik; Kim, Tae Hwan [Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-06-15

    We induced the activation of melanocytes in the epidermis of C57BL/6 mice by ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation, and observed the effect of an herbal preparation (HemoHIM, HH) on the formation, and decrease of UV-B-induced epidermal melanocytes. C57BL/6 mice were irradiated by UV-B 80 mJ:cm{sup -2} (0.5 mW:sec{sup -1}) daily for 7 days, and HH was intraperitoneally, orally or topically applied pre- or post-irradiation. For the estimation of change of epidermal melanocytes, light microscopic observation with dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) stain was performed. Split epidermal sheets prepared from the ear of untreated mice exhibited 13∼15 melanocytes:mm{sup -2}, and one week after UV irradiation, the applied areas showed an increased number of strongly DOPA-positive melanocytes with stout dendrites. But intraperitoneal, oral or topical treatment with HH before each irradiation interrupted UV-B-induced pigmentation and resulted in a marked reduction in the number of epidermal melanocytes as compared to the number found in UV-B-irradiated, untreated control skin. The number and size of DOPA-positive epidermal melanocytes were also significantly decreased in intraperitoneally injected or topically applicated group after irradiation with HH at 3rd and 6th weeks after irradiation. The present study suggests the HH as inhibitor of UV-B-induced pigmentation, and depigmenting agent.

  6. Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klemp, Kristian; Kiilgaard, Jens Folke; Heegaard, Steffen

    2017-01-01

    cataract formation and uveal melanocytic tumours. The awareness and documentation of BDUMP has increased during the past decade, and the increasing amount of data collected demonstrates the effect of treatment with plasmapheresis and the value of diagnostic tools in BDUMP such as genetic and immunologic...

  7. Fermentative hydrogen production by Clostridium butyricum CWBI1009 and Citrobacter freundii CWBI952 in pure and mixed cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beckers, L.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the biohydrogen production by two mesophilic strains, a strict anaerobe (Clostridium butyricum CWBI1009 and a facultative anaerobe (Citrobacter freundii CWBI952. They were cultured in pure and mixed cultures in serum bottles with five different carbon sources. The hydrogen yields of pure C. freundii cultures ranged from 0.09 molH2.molhexose-1 (with sucrose to 0.24 molH2.molhexose-1 (with glucose. Higher yields were obtained by the pure cultures of Cl. butyricum ranging from 0.44 molH2.molhexose-1 (with sucrose to 0.69 molH2.molhexose-1 (with lactose. This strain also fermented starch whereas C. freundii did not. However, it consumed the other substrates faster and produced hydrogen earlier than Cl. butyricum. This ability has been used to promote the growth conditions of Cl. butyricum in co-culture with C. freundii, since Cl. butyricum is extremely sensitive to the presence of oxygen which strongly inhibits H2 production. This approach could avoid the addition of any expensive reducing agents in the culture media such as L-cysteine since C. freundii consumes the residual oxygen. Thereafter, co-cultures with glucose and starch were investigated: hydrogen yields decreased from 0.53 molH2.molhexose-1 for pure Cl. butyricum cultures to 0.38 molH2.molhexose-1 for mixed culture with glucose but slightly increased with starch (respectively 0.69 and 0.73 molH2.molhexose-1. After 48 h of fermentation, metabolites analysis confirmed with microbial observation, revealed that the cell concentration of C. freundii dramatically decreased or was strongly inhibited by the development of Cl. butyricum.

  8. FISH analysis for diagnostic evaluation of challenging melanocytic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmermann, A K; Hirschmann, A; Pfeiffer, D; Paredes, B E; Diebold, J

    2010-09-01

    The differential diagnosis of malignant melanomas and atypical melanocytic nevi is still a diagnostic challenge. The currently accepted morphologic criteria show substantial interobserver variability, likewise immunohistochemical studies are often not able to discriminate these lesions reliably. Techniques that support diagnostic accuracy are of the greatest importance considering the growing incidence of malignant melanomas and their increase in younger patients. In this study we analyzed the feasibility of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for the discrimination of malignant and benign melanocytic tumors. A panel of DNA probes was used to detect chromosomal aberrations of chromosomes 6 and 11. On a series of 5 clearly malignant and benign melanocytic tumors we confirmed the applicability of the test. Then we focused on examination of ambiguous melanocytic lesions, where atypical cells are often difficult to relocalize in the 4',6-Diamidino-2-phenylindol (DAPI)-fluorescence stain. FISH analyses were conducted on destained H&E-stained slides. By comparison of the DAPI-image with photos taken from the H&E stain, unambiguous assignment of the FISH results to the conspicuous groups of cells was possible. The results of FISH analysis were consistent with the conventional diagnosis in 11 of 14 small ambiguous lesions. Of the remaining 3 cases, 2 showed FISH-results close to the cut-off level. Comparison of FISH results on thin and thick sections revealed that the cut-off values have to be adapted for 2 microm destained sections. In conclusion, FISH analysis is a useful and applicable tool for assessment of even smallest melanocytic neoplasms, although there will remain unclear cases that cannot be solved even after additional FISH evaluation.

  9. Algal recycling enhances algal productivity and settleability in Pediastrum boryanum pure cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jason B K; Craggs, Rupert J; Shilton, Andy N

    2015-12-15

    Recycling a portion of gravity harvested algae (i.e. algae and associated bacteria biomass) has been shown to improve both algal biomass productivity and harvest efficiency by maintaining the dominance of a rapidly-settleable colonial alga, Pediastrum boryanum in both pilot-scale wastewater treatment High Rate Algal Ponds (HRAP) and outdoor mesocosms. While algal recycling did not change the relative proportions of algae and bacteria in the HRAP culture, the contribution of the wastewater bacteria to the improved algal biomass productivity and settleability with the recycling was not certain and still required investigation. P. boryanum was therefore isolated from the HRAP and grown in pure culture on synthetic wastewater growth media under laboratory conditions. The influence of recycling on the productivity and settleability of the pure P. boryanum culture was then determined without wastewater bacteria present. Six 1 L P. boryanum cultures were grown over 30 days in a laboratory growth chamber simulating New Zealand summer conditions either with (Pr) or without (Pc) recycling of 10% of gravity harvested algae. The cultures with recycling (Pr) had higher algal productivity than the controls (Pc) when the cultures were operated at both 4 and 3 d hydraulic retention times by 11% and 38% respectively. Furthermore, algal recycling also improved 1 h settleability from ∼60% to ∼85% by increasing the average P. boryanum colony size due to the extended mean cell residence time and promoted formation of large algal bio-flocs (>500 μm diameter). These results demonstrate that the presence of wastewater bacteria was not necessary to improve algal productivity and settleability with algal recycling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Association between melanocytic neoplasms and seborrheic keratosis: more than a coincidental collision?

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeFazio, Jennifer; Zalaudek, Iris; Busam, Klaus J.; Cota, Carlo; Marghoob, Ashfaq

    2012-01-01

    Clinical observations and an expanding knowledge of cell-to-cell communication have led us to speculate that the finding of a melanocytic nevus in conjunction with a seborrheic keratosis is more than a coincidental collision of two lesions. Here we present five cases demonstrating dermoscopic features of both melanocytic lesions and seborrheic keratoses with corresponding histology. Four cases demonstrate dermoscopic features of a melanocytic nevus and seborrheic keratosis, and the final case a melanoma arising in association with a seborrheic keratosis. PMID:23785597

  11. Tranexamic acid suppresses ultraviolet B eye irradiation-induced melanocyte activation by decreasing the levels of prohormone convertase 2 and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiramoto, Keiichi; Yamate, Yurika; Sugiyama, Daijiro; Takahashi, Yumi; Mafune, Eiichi

    2014-12-01

    Tranexamic acid (trans-4-aminomethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid) is a medicinal amino acid used in skin whitening care. This study examined the effects of tranexamic acid on the melanocyte activation of the skin induced by an ultraviolet (UV) B eye irradiation. The eye or ear was locally exposed to UVB at a dose of 1.0 kJ/m(2) using a 20SE sunlamp after covering the remaining body surface with aluminum foil. UVB eye irradiation induced melanocyte activation of the skin, similar to that observed following UVB ear irradiation, which was suppressed by the administration of tranexamic acid treatment. The plasma α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) content was increased by UVB irradiation of the eye; however, the increase in α-MSH was suppressed by tranexamic acid treatment. In addition, UVB eye irradiation induced the up-regulation of prohormone convertase (PC) 2 in the pituitary gland. Meanwhile, the increase in PC2 induced by UVB eye irradiation was suppressed by tranexamic acid treatment. These results clearly indicate that tranexamic acid decreases the expression of PC2, which cleavages from proopiomelanocortin to α-MSH in the pituitary gland, thereby suppressing melanocyte activation. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. The epidermal melanocyte system in individuals of Scandinavian origin, determined by DOPA-staining and TEM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drzewiecki, K T; Piltz-Drzewiecka, J

    1979-01-01

    The quantitative evaluation of DOPA-positive epidermal melanocytes in 16 patients of Scandinavian origin showed both individual and regional differences in the melanocyte count. Our data is in agreement with other published studies. The distribution in the number of melanocytes varies significant...

  13. Tissue culture-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations in rice pure-lines, F1 hybrids and polyploids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoran; Wu, Rui; Lin, Xiuyun; Bai, Yan; Song, Congdi; Yu, Xiaoming; Xu, Chunming; Zhao, Na; Dong, Yuzhu; Liu, Bao

    2013-05-05

    Genetic and epigenetic alterations can be invoked by plant tissue culture, which may result in heritable changes in phenotypes, a phenomenon collectively termed somaclonal variation. Although extensive studies have been conducted on the molecular nature and spectrum of tissue culture-induced genomic alterations, the issue of whether and to what extent distinct plant genotypes, e.g., pure-lines, hybrids and polyploids, may respond differentially to the tissue culture condition remains poorly understood. We investigated tissue culture-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations in a set of rice genotypes including two pure-lines (different subspecies), a pair of reciprocal F1 hybrids parented by the two pure-lines, and a pair of reciprocal tetraploids resulted from the hybrids. Using two molecular markers, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP), both genetic and DNA methylation alterations were detected in calli and regenerants from all six genotypes, but genetic alteration is more prominent than epigenetic alteration. While significant genotypic difference was observed in frequencies of both types of alterations, only genetic alteration showed distinctive features among the three types of genomes, with one hybrid (N/9) being exceptionally labile. Surprisingly, difference in genetic alteration frequencies between the pair of reciprocal F1 hybrids is much greater than that between the two pure-line subspecies. Difference also exists in the pair of reciprocal tetraploids, but is to a less extent than that between the hybrids. The steady-state transcript abundance of genes involved in DNA repair and DNA methylation was significantly altered in both calli and regenerants, and some of which were correlated with the genetic and/or epigenetic alterations. Our results, based on molecular marker analysis of ca. 1,000 genomic loci, document that genetic alteration is the major cause of somaclonal variation in rice

  14. Phototrophic hydrogen production from glucose by pure and co-cultures of Clostridium butyricum and Rhodobacter sphaeroides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fang, Herbert H.P.; Zhu, Heguang; Zhang, Tong [Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong (China)

    2006-12-15

    Phototrophic hydrogen production from glucose by pure and co-cultures of Clostridium butyricum and Rhodobacter sphaeroides was studied in batch experiments. Results showed that in all batches hydrogen was produced after a lag phase of about 10h; pure culture of R. sphaeroides produced hydrogen at rates substantially lower than C. butyricum. In co-culture systems, R. sphaeroides even with cell populations 5.9 times higher still could not compete with C. butyricum for glucose. In co-culture systems, R. sphaeroides syntrophically interacted with C. butyricum, using the acetate and butyrate produced by the latter as substrate for hydrogen production. Hydrogen production was ceased in all batches when the pH was lowered to the level of pH 6.5, resulting from the accumulation of fatty acids. It was also demonstrated in this study that fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was an effective means for the quantification of the relative abundance of individual bacteria in a co-culture system. (author)

  15. Aberrant expression of HMB-45 in traumatized melanocytic nevi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leleux, Todd M; Prieto, Victor G; Diwan, A Hafeez

    2012-09-01

    Assessment of histologic and immunohistochemical maturation (with HMB-45 and anti-Ki-67) may be helpful in differentiating benign melanocytic nevi (BMN) from malignant melanoma. Recently, we reported loss of maturation and aberrant immunohistochemical findings in melanocytic nevi after liquid nitrogen cryotherapy (Adeniran et al, J Am Acad Dermatol 2009;61:341-5). Herein we report a similar phenomenon identified in traumatized melanocytic nevi (TMN). We sought to evaluate the histologic and immunohistochemical findings in early and late stages of traumatized nevi. Twenty-four cases of TMN were retrieved from the pathology archives. These were then assessed by two pathologists (T.L. and A.H.D.) using HMB-45 and MIB-1 (for Ki-67) antibodies. TMN showed some of the following findings: epidermal changes (parakeratosis, ulceration, serum crust, flattening of the epidermis) and dermal changes including fibrosis and the presence of melanophages. In some cases, there was architectural disorder of the overlying melanocytes, with crowding in the basal layer, but without significant pagetoid spread. Occasionally, the dermal scar contained larger, more epithelioid-appearing melanocytes than those beneath the scar. Fifty-four percent of TMN lacked obvious immunohistochemical maturation with HMB-45, since nevus cells within the scar or directly beneath it were strongly labeled. None of the TMN showed appreciable labeling for Ki-67. The exact clinical duration between trauma and biopsy could not be determined. Loss of maturation with HMB-45 in TMN can be a diagnostic pitfall in challenging cases. Concurrent evaluation of MIB-1 expression, along with the characteristic histologic features of trauma, should allow the correct diagnosis to be reached. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Automated Estimation of Melanocytic Skin Tumor Thickness by Ultrasonic Radiofrequency Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrekute, Kristina; Valiukeviciene, Skaidra; Raisutis, Renaldas; Linkeviciute, Gintare; Makstiene, Jurgita; Kliunkiene, Renata

    2016-05-01

    High-frequency (>20-MHz) ultrasound (US) is a noninvasive preoperative tool for assessment of melanocytic skin tumor thickness. Ultrasonic melanocytic skin tumor thickness estimation is not always easy and is related to the experience of the clinician. In this article, we present an automated thickness measurement method based on time-frequency analysis of US radiofrequency signals. The study was performed on 52 thin (≤1-mm) melanocytic skin tumors (46 melanocytic nevi and 6 melanomas). Radiofrequency signals were obtained with a single-element focused transducer (fundamental frequency, 22 MHz; bandwidth, 12-28 MHz). The radiofrequency data were analyzed in the time-frequency domain to make the tumor boundaries more noticeable. The thicknesses of the tumors were evaluated by 3 different metrics: histologically measured Breslow thickness, manually measured US thickness, and automatically measured US thickness. The results showed a higher correlation coefficient between the automatically measured US thickness and Breslow thickness (r= 0.83; Pmeasured US thickness (r = 0.68; P measurement algorithm was 96.55%, and the specificity was 78.26% compared with histologic measurement. The sensitivity of the manually measured US thickness was 75.86%, and the specificity was 73.91%. The efficient automated tumor thickness measurement method developed could be used as a tool for preoperative assessment of melanocytic skin tumor thickness. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  17. PPARalpha/gamma expression and activity in mouse and human melanocytes and melanoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastham, Linda L; Mills, Caroline N; Niles, Richard M

    2008-06-01

    We examined the expression of PPARs and the effects of PPARalpha and PPARgamma agonists on growth of mouse and human melanocytes and melanoma cells. PPARalpha,beta, and PPARgamma mRNA qualitative expression in melan-a mouse melanocytes, B16 mouse melanoma, human melanocytes, and A375 and SK-mel28 human melanoma cells was determined by RT-PCR, while quantitative PPARalpha mRNA levels were determined by QuantiGene assay. PPARalpha and PPARgamma protein was assessed by Western blotting. The effect of natural and synthetic PPAR ligands on cell growth was determined by either hemocytometer counting or crystal violet assay. PPAR transcriptional activity was determined by a PPRE-reporter gene assay, while knockdown of PPARalpha expression was achieved by transient transfection of siRNA. Both mouse and human melanoma cells produced more PPARalpha and PPARgamma protein compared to melanocytes. PPARalpha mRNA levels were elevated in human melanoma cells, but not in mouse melanoma cells relative to melanocytes. Silencing of PPARalpha in human melanoma cells did not alter cell proliferation or morphology. PPARgamma-selective agonists inhibited the growth of both mouse and human melanoma cells, while PPARalpha-selective agonists had limited effects. Increased expression of PPARalpha in melanoma relative to melanocytes may be a common occurrence, however its biologic significance remains to be determined. PPARgamma agonists may be useful for arresting the growth of some melanomas.

  18. Oncogenic mutations in melanomas and benign melanocytic nevi of the female genital tract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Diane; Kim, Julie; Warrick, Andrea; Nelson, Dylan; Pukay, Marina; Beadling, Carol; Heinrich, Michael; Selim, Maria Angelica; Corless, Christopher L; Nelson, Kelly

    2014-08-01

    The genetic heterogeneity of melanomas and melanocytic nevi of the female genital tract is poorly understood. We aim to characterize the frequency of mutations of the following genes: BRAF, NRAS, KIT, GNA11, and GNAQ in female genital tract melanomas. We also characterize the frequency of BRAF mutations in female genital tract melanomas compared with melanocytic nevi. Mutational screening was performed on the following female genital tract melanocytic neoplasms: 25 melanomas, 7 benign melanocytic nevi, and 4 atypical melanocytic nevi. Of the 25 female genital tract melanoma specimens queried, KIT mutations were detected in 4 (16.0%), NRAS mutations in 4 (16.0%), and BRAF mutations in 2 (8.0%) samples. Two of the tumors with KIT mutations harbored double mutations in the same exon. No GNAQ or GNA11 mutations were identified among 11 melanomas screened. BRAF V600E mutations were detected in 7 of 7 benign melanocytic genital nevi (100%) and 3 of 4 atypical genital nevi (75%). Our study is limited by the small sample size of this rare subset of melanomas. KIT, NRAS, and BRAF mutations are found in a subset of female genital tract melanomas. Screening for oncogenic mutations is important for developing and applying clinical therapies for melanomas of the female genital tract. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Expression of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in melanocytes and its role as an antioxidant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ji Young; Shin, Jae Yong; Kim, Miri; Hann, Seung-Kyung; Oh, Sang Ho

    2012-02-01

    Cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent ICDH (IDPc) has an antioxidant effect as a supplier of NADPH to the cytosol, which is needed for the production of glutathione. To evaluate the expression of IDPc in melanocytes and to elucidate its role as an antioxidant. The knock-down of IDPc expression in immortalized mouse melanocyte cell lines (melan-a) was performed using the short interfering RNA (siRNA)-targeted gene silencing method. After confirming the silencing of IDPc expression with mRNA and protein levels, viability, apoptosis and necrosis, as well as ROS production in IDPc-silenced melanocytes were monitored under conditions of oxidative stress and non-stress. Also, the ratio of oxidized glutathione to total glutathione was examined, and whether the addition of glutathione recovered cell viability, decreased by oxidant stress, was checked. The expression of IDPc in both primary human melanocytes and melan-a cells was confirmed by Western blot and RT-PCR. The silencing of IDPc expression by transfecting IDPc siRNA in melan-a cells was observed by Western blotting and real-time RT-PCR. IDPc knock-down cells showed significantly decreased cell viability and an increased number of cells under apoptosis and necrosis. IDPc siRNA-treated melanocytes demonstrated a higher intensity of DCFDA after the addition of H(2)O(2) compared with scrambled siRNA-treated melanocytes, and a lower ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione were observed in IDPc siRNA transfected melanocytes. In addition, the addition of glutathione recovered cell viability, which was previously decreased after incubation with H(2)O(2). This study suggests that decreased IDPc expression renders melanocytes more vulnerable to oxidative stress, and IDPc plays an important antioxidant function in melanocytes. Copyright © 2011 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Oxidative stress-induced overexpression of miR-25: the mechanism underlying the degeneration of melanocytes in vitiligo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Q; Zhang, W; Guo, S; Jian, Z; Li, S; Li, K; Ge, R; Dai, W; Wang, G; Gao, T; Li, C

    2016-01-01

    Oxidative stress has a critical role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. However, the specific molecular mechanism involved in oxidative stress-induced melanocyte death is not well characterized. Given the powerful role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of cell survival as well as the fact that the generation of miRNAs can be affected by oxidative stress, we hypothesized that miRNAs may participate in vitiligo pathogenesis by modulating the expression of vital genes in melanocytes. In the present study, we initially found that miR-25 was increased in both serum and lesion samples from vitiligo patients, and its serum level was correlated with the activity of vitiligo. Moreover, restoration of miR-25 promoted the H2O2-induced melanocyte destruction and led to the dysfunction of melanocytes. Further experiments proved that MITF, a master regulator in melanocyte survival and function, accounted for the miR-25-caused damaging impact on melanocytes. Notably, other than the direct role on melanocytes, we observed that miR-25 inhibited the production and secretion of SCF and bFGF from keratinocytes, thus impairing their paracrine protective effect on the survival of melanocytes under oxidative stress. At last, we verified that oxidative stress could induce the overexpression of miR-25 in both melanocytes and keratinocytes possibly by demethylating the promoter region of miR-25. Taken together, our study demonstrates that oxidative stress-induced overexpression of miR-25 in vitiligo has a crucial role in promoting the degeneration of melanocytes by not only suppressing MITF in melanocytes but also impairing the paracrine protective effect of keratinocytes. Therefore, it is worthy to investigate the possibility of miR-25 as a potential drug target for anti-oxidative therapy in vitiligo. PMID:26315342

  1. High-definition optical coherence tomography imaging of melanocytic lesions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boone, Marc A L M; Norrenberg, Sarah; Jemec, Gregor B E

    2014-01-01

    and cytologic features of melanocytic lesions. All lesions were examined by one observer clinically and using dermoscopy. Cross-sectional HD-OCT images were compared with histopathology. En face HD-OCT images were compared with reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). Twenty-six melanocytic lesions of 26 patients...... with sufficient resolution and penetration depth to discriminate architectural patterns and cytologic features of pigmented cells in epidermis and dermis. The method appears to offer the possibility of additional three-dimensional structural information complementary to that of RCM, albeit at a slightly lower...

  2. Melanocyte biology and function with reference to oral melanin hyperpigmentation in HIV-seropositive subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feller, Liviu; Chandran, Rakesh; Kramer, Beverley; Khammissa, Razia A G; Altini, Mario; Lemmer, Johan

    2014-09-01

    The color of normal skin and of oral mucosa is not determined by the number of melanocytes in the epithelium but rather by their melanogenic activity. Pigmented biopolymers or melanins are synthesized in melanosomes. Tyrosinase is the critical enzyme in the biosynthesis of both brown/black eumelanin and yellow/red pheomelanin. The number of the melanosomes within the melanocytes, the type of melanin within the melanosomes, and the efficacy of the transfer of melanosomes from the melanocytes to the neighboring keratinocytes all play an important role in tissue pigmentation. Melanin production is regulated by locally produced factors including proopiomelanocortin and its derivative peptides, particularly alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), adrenergic and cholinergic agents, growth factors, cytokines, and nitric oxide. Both eumelanin and pheomelanin can be produced by the same melanocytes, and the proportion of the two melanin types is influenced by the degree of functional activity of the α-MSH/MC1R intracellular pathway. The cause of HIV oral melanosis is not fully understood but may be associated with HIV-induced cytokine dysregulation, with the medications commonly prescribed to HIV-seropositive persons, and with adrenocortical dysfunction, which is not uncommon in HIV-seropositive subjects with AIDS. The purpose of this article is to discuss some aspects of melanocyte biology and HIV-associated oral melanin hyperpigmentation.

  3. Melanocytic nevi and non-neoplastic hyperpigmentations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente, C

    2017-06-01

    This is the first of three chapters that will be progressively published on Pathologica as updating activity of the Italian Study Group of Dermatopathology (GISD), Italian Society of Pathology and Cytology (SIAPeC IAP). The first chapter concerns non-neoplastic hyperpigmented skin lesions and nevi, the second will address the topics of dysplastic nevus, borderline and low malignant potential melanocytic proliferations and the third melanoma in its variants and differential diagnoses with a supplement on the immunohistochemistry and molecular support to diagnostic and prognostic definition of nevi and melanomas. Although we believe that great advances were made in the application of ancillary genetic, immunohistochemical and molecular techniques, for the diagnosis and biological characterization of melanocytic tumors the morphology still remains the gold standard. These chapters are not intended as substitutes or even claim to be compared to the numerous and valuable texts that are also recently published, but they want to present, concisely and quickly available, all of those traits that we believe essential to the histopathological evaluation of a melanocytic lesion. No morphological parameter is exclusive and individually sufficient to make the correct diagnosis of nevus or melanoma but to reach a final conclusive and appropriate interpretation a set of morphological characters must be evaluated and compared. I was lucky enough to be able to examine several thousand cases and to draw lessons from each of these increasing my diagnostic experience. I had a great lesson by my teacher and good friend Prof. Martin C. Mihm Jr of Boston, dermato-pathologist with undisputed international reputation, who, with great passion, patience and friendship, transferred me much of his experience and knowledge and for which I always thank him. Special thanks I would like to address Dr. Agostino Crupi, dermatologist, skin-oncologist and brilliant dermatoscopist who taught me how the

  4. Coat-sleeve type giant congenital melanocytic nevus with intraoral blue nevus: A rare case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lata M Kale

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN are visible hyperpigmented (melanocytic, benign, tumor like proliferations in the skin resulting from faulty development of pigment cell precursors in the embryo, and are composed of an abnormal mixture of skin elements. Giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN is usually defined as a melanocytic lesion present at birth that will reach a larger size in adulthood. GCMN is a rare variety of CMN which is characterized by its size (diameter ≥20 cm and the potential for malignant transformation. It is infrequently associated with other findings, which makes the clinical picture complex. In this case, we report a rare association of GCMN with intraoral blue nevus in a 24-year-old male patient.

  5. Oral melanocytic nevi: Report of two cases with immunohistochemical elaboration of their probable origin and maturation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dipti Dutta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Oral melanocytic nevi are localized developmental tissue malformations of nevus cells in the oral mucosa. Relatively rare in occurrence compared to their dermal counterparts, considerable debate exists in the literature related to their origin, development and maturation, and their relationship to oral melanocytes.We report two cases of oral melanocytic nevi with classical clinical presentation. The histopathology was consistent with the known patterns of oral melanocytic nevi. Special stains such as Masson Fontana, further substantiated the observation. S-100 and HMB-45 were applied to immunohistochemically elaborate the cell population. Interestingly two distinct cell populations were detected in the lesions. "Type A" cells in the center of the lesion were S-100 positive, indicating a neural origin and immaturity in development, while peripheral "type B" cells stained positive with HMB-45, indicating melanocytic origin and mature development.

  6. Rubber gloves biodegradation by a consortium, mixed culture and pure culture isolated from soil samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawong, Chairat; Umsakul, Kamontam; Sermwittayawong, Natthawan

    2018-02-03

    An increasing production of natural rubber (NR) products has led to major challenges in waste management. In this study, the degradation of rubber latex gloves in a mineral salt medium (MSM) using a bacterial consortium, a mixed culture of the selected bacteria and a pure culture were studied. The highest 18% weight loss of the rubber gloves were detected after incubated with the mixed culture. The increased viable cell counts over incubation time indicated that cells used rubber gloves as sole carbon source leading to the degradation of the polymer. The growth behavior of NR-degrading bacteria on the latex gloves surface was investigated using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The occurrence of the aldehyde groups in the degradation products was observed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis. Rhodococcus pyridinivorans strain F5 gave the highest weight loss of rubber gloves among the isolated strain and posses latex clearing protein encoded by lcp gene. The mixed culture of the selected strains showed the potential in degrading rubber within 30 days and is considered to be used efficiently for rubber product degradation. This is the first report to demonstrate a strong ability to degrade rubber by Rhodococcus pyridinivorans. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.

  7. Automatic Classification of Specific Melanocytic Lesions Using Artificial Intelligence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaworek-Korjakowska, Joanna; Kłeczek, Paweł

    2016-01-01

    Given its propensity to metastasize, and lack of effective therapies for most patients with advanced disease, early detection of melanoma is a clinical imperative. Different computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems have been proposed to increase the specificity and sensitivity of melanoma detection. Although such computer programs are developed for different diagnostic algorithms, to the best of our knowledge, a system to classify different melanocytic lesions has not been proposed yet. In this research we present a new approach to the classification of melanocytic lesions. This work is focused not only on categorization of skin lesions as benign or malignant but also on specifying the exact type of a skin lesion including melanoma, Clark nevus, Spitz/Reed nevus, and blue nevus. The proposed automatic algorithm contains the following steps: image enhancement, lesion segmentation, feature extraction, and selection as well as classification. The algorithm has been tested on 300 dermoscopic images and achieved accuracy of 92% indicating that the proposed approach classified most of the melanocytic lesions correctly. A proposed system can not only help to precisely diagnose the type of the skin mole but also decrease the amount of biopsies and reduce the morbidity related to skin lesion excision.

  8. The unfolded protein response in melanocytes: activation in response to chemical stressors of the endoplasmic reticulum and tyrosinase misfolding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manga, Prashiela; Bis, Sabina; Knoll, Kristen; Perez, Beremis; Orlow, Seth J

    2010-10-01

    Accumulation of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR), comprising three signaling pathways initiated by Ire1, Perk and Atf6 respectively. Unfolded protein response activation was compared in chemically stressed murine wildtype melanocytes and mutant melanocytes that retain tyrosinase in the ER. Thapsigargin, an ER stressor, activated all pathways in wildtype melanocytes, triggering Caspase 12-mediated apoptosis at toxic doses. Albino melanocytes expressing mutant tyrosinase showed evidence of ER stress with increased Ire1 expression, but the downstream effector, Xbp1, was not activated even following thapsigargin treatment. Attenuation of Ire1 signaling was recapitulated in wildtype melanocytes treated with thapsigargin for 8 days, with diminished Xbp1 activation observed after 4 days. Atf6 was also activated in albino melanocytes, with no response to thapsigargin, while the Perk pathway was not activated and thapsigargin treatment elicited robust expression of the downstream effector CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein. Thus, melanocytes adapt to ER stress by attenuating two UPR pathways.

  9. Topography of Protein Kinase C βII in Benign and Malignant Melanocytic Lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krasagakis, Konstanin; Tsentelierou, Eleftheria; Chlouverakis, Gregory; Stathopoulos, Efstathios N

    2017-09-01

    Protein kinase C βII promotes melanogenesis and affects proliferation of melanocytic cells but is frequently absent or decreased in melanoma cells in vitro. To investigate PKC-βII expression and spatial distribution within a lesion in various benign and malignant melanocytic proliferations. Expression of PKC-βII was semiquantitatively assessed in the various existing compartments (intraepidermal [not nested], junctional [nested], and dermal) of benign (n = 43) and malignant (n = 28) melanocytic lesions by immunohistochemistry. Melanocytes in the basal layer of normal skin or in lentigo simplex stained strongly for PKC-βII. Common nevi lacked completely PKC-βII. All other lesions expressed variably PKC-βII, with cutaneous melanoma metastases displaying the lowest rate of positivity (14%). In the topographical analysis within a lesion, PKC-βII expression was largely retained in the intraepidermal and junctional part of all other lesions (dysplastic nevus, lentigo maligna, and melanoma). Reduced expression of PKC-βII was found in the dermal component of benign and malignant lesions ( P = .041 vs intraepidermal). PKC-βII expression in the various compartments did not differ significantly between benign and malignant lesions. The current study revealed a significant correlation between PKC-βII expression and spatial localization of melanocytes, with the lowest expression found in the dermal compartment and the highest in the epidermal compartment.

  10. Carbon nanotubes accelerate methane production in pure cultures of methanogens and in a syntrophic coculture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salvador, Andreia F.; Martins, Gilberto; Melle-Franco, Manuel; Serpa, Ricardo; Stams, Alfons J.M.; Cavaleiro, Ana J.; Pereira, M.A.; Alves, M.M.

    2017-01-01

    Carbon materials have been reported to facilitate direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between bacteria and methanogens improving methane production in anaerobic processes. In this work, the effect of increasing concentrations of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the activity of pure cultures of

  11. Cytoskeleton and pericellular matrix organization of pure adult human keratinocytes cultured from suction-blister roof epidermis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kariniemi, A L; Lehto, V P; Vartio, T; Virtanen, I

    1982-12-01

    Pure adult human keratinocyte cultures were raised from suction-blister roof epidermis and cultured in MCDB-151 medium. In primary culture the epidermal cells rapidly adhered, spread and began to proliferate on collagen-coated growth substrata but not on uncoated plastic or glass substrata. A fibrillar keratin-specific fluorescence, showing a typical cell-cell arrangement, was seen in all cells in indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, whereas only some cells also showed vimentin-specific staining. A fine fibrillar fibronectin-specific surface staining was seen at the margin of attaching cells and in marginal cells of spreading cell islands, whereas no fluorescence could be seen in epidermal cells, with antibodies against type IV collagen or laminin. Interestingly, the marginal cells also showed intracellular fibronectin. The synthesis of fibronectin in epidermal cell cultures could also be revealed by metabolic labelling experiments with [35S]methionine. In contrast to primary cultures, subcultivated keratinocytes also adhered to uncoated plastic and glass substrata. After subcultivation, keratin and surface fibronectin distribution remained unaltered but after some subcultivations, most of the cells also showed fibrillar vimentin and expressed fibronectin intracellularly. The results show that the suction-blister method provides an easy way to obtain pure epidermal cell cultures without contaminating mesenchymal cells. Our results also suggest a direct role for fibronectin but not for collagen type IV or laminin in adhesion and spreading of epidermal cells in vitro.

  12. A subpopulation of smooth muscle cells, derived from melanocyte-competent precursors, prevents patent ductus arteriosus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ichiro Yajima

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Patent ductus arteriosus is a life-threatening condition frequent in premature newborns but also present in some term infants. Current mouse models of this malformation generally lead to perinatal death, not reproducing the full phenotypic spectrum in humans, in whom genetic inheritance appears complex. The ductus arteriosus (DA, a temporary fetal vessel that bypasses the lungs by shunting the aortic arch to the pulmonary artery, is constituted by smooth muscle cells of distinct origins (SMC1 and SMC2 and many fewer melanocytes. To understand novel mechanisms preventing DA closure at birth, we evaluated the importance of cell fate specification in SMC that form the DA during embryonic development. Upon specific Tyr::Cre-driven activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling at the time of cell fate specification, melanocytes replaced the SMC2 population of the DA, suggesting that SMC2 and melanocytes have a common precursor. The number of SMC1 in the DA remained similar to that in controls, but insufficient to allow full DA closure at birth. Thus, there was no cellular compensation by SMC1 for the loss of SMC2. Mice in which only melanocytes were genetically ablated after specification from their potential common precursor with SMC2, demonstrated that differentiated melanocytes themselves do not affect DA closure. Loss of the SMC2 population, independent of the presence of melanocytes, is therefore a cause of patent ductus arteriosus and premature death in the first months of life. Our results indicate that patent ductus arteriosus can result from the insufficient differentiation, proliferation, or contractility of a specific smooth muscle subpopulation that shares a common neural crest precursor with cardiovascular melanocytes.

  13. A Subpopulation of Smooth Muscle Cells, Derived from Melanocyte-Competent Precursors, Prevents Patent Ductus Arteriosus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puig, Isabel; Champeval, Delphine; Kumasaka, Mayuko; Belloir, Elodie; Bonaventure, Jacky; Mark, Manuel; Yamamoto, Hiroaki; Taketo, Mark M.; Choquet, Philippe; Etchevers, Heather C.; Beermann, Friedrich; Delmas, Véronique; Monassier, Laurent; Larue, Lionel

    2013-01-01

    Background Patent ductus arteriosus is a life-threatening condition frequent in premature newborns but also present in some term infants. Current mouse models of this malformation generally lead to perinatal death, not reproducing the full phenotypic spectrum in humans, in whom genetic inheritance appears complex. The ductus arteriosus (DA), a temporary fetal vessel that bypasses the lungs by shunting the aortic arch to the pulmonary artery, is constituted by smooth muscle cells of distinct origins (SMC1 and SMC2) and many fewer melanocytes. To understand novel mechanisms preventing DA closure at birth, we evaluated the importance of cell fate specification in SMC that form the DA during embryonic development. Upon specific Tyr::Cre-driven activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling at the time of cell fate specification, melanocytes replaced the SMC2 population of the DA, suggesting that SMC2 and melanocytes have a common precursor. The number of SMC1 in the DA remained similar to that in controls, but insufficient to allow full DA closure at birth. Thus, there was no cellular compensation by SMC1 for the loss of SMC2. Mice in which only melanocytes were genetically ablated after specification from their potential common precursor with SMC2, demonstrated that differentiated melanocytes themselves do not affect DA closure. Loss of the SMC2 population, independent of the presence of melanocytes, is therefore a cause of patent ductus arteriosus and premature death in the first months of life. Our results indicate that patent ductus arteriosus can result from the insufficient differentiation, proliferation, or contractility of a specific smooth muscle subpopulation that shares a common neural crest precursor with cardiovascular melanocytes. PMID:23382837

  14. Melanocytes and melanin represent a first line of innate immunity against Candida albicans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapia, Cecilia V; Falconer, Maryanne; Tempio, Fabián; Falcón, Felipe; López, Mercedes; Fuentes, Marisol; Alburquenque, Claudio; Amaro, José; Bucarey, Sergio A; Di Nardo, Anna

    2014-07-01

    Melanocytes are dendritic cells located in the skin and mucosae that synthesize melanin. Some infections induce hypo- or hyperpigmentation, which is associated with the activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), especially TLR4. Candida albicans is an opportunist pathogen that can switch between blastoconidia and hyphae forms; the latter is associated with invasion. Our objectives in this study were to ascertain whether C. albicans induces pigmentation in melanocytes and whether this process is dependent on TLR activation, as well as relating this with the antifungal activity of melanin as a first line of innate immunity against fungal infections. Normal human melanocytes were stimulated with C. albicans supernatants or with crude extracts of the blastoconidia or hyphae forms, and pigmentation and TLR2/TLR4 expression were measured. Expression of the melanosomal antigens Melan-A and gp100 was examined for any correlation with increased melanin levels or antifungal activity in melanocyte lysates. Melanosomal antigens were induced earlier than cell pigmentation, and hyphae induced stronger melanization than blastoconidia. Notably, when melanocytes were stimulated with crude extracts of C. albicans, the cell surface expression of TLR2/TLR4 began at 48 h post-stimulation and peaked at 72 h. At this time, blastoconidia induced both TLR2 and TLR4 expression, whereas hyphae only induced TLR4 expression. Taken together, these results suggest that melanocytes play a key role in innate immune responses against C. albicans infections by recognizing pathogenic forms of C. albicans via TLR4, resulting in increased melanin content and inhibition of infection. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Fermentative capabilities and volatile compounds produced by Kloeckera/Hanseniaspora and Saccharomyces yeast strains in pure and mixed cultures during Agave tequilana juice fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Robles, Ivonne Wendolyne; Estarrón-Espinosa, Mirna; Díaz-Montaño, Dulce María

    2015-09-01

    The fermentative and aromatic capabilities of Kloeckera africana/Hanseniaspora vineae K1, K. apiculata/H. uvarum K2, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae S1 and S2 were studied in pure and mixed culture fermentations using Agave tequila juice as the culture medium. In pure and mixed cultures, Kloeckera/Hanseniaspora strains showed limited growth and sugar consumption, as well as low ethanol yield and productivity, compared to S. cerevisiae, which yielded more biomass, ethanol and viable cell concentrations. In pure and mixed cultures, S. cerevisiae presented a similar behaviour reaching high biomass production, completely consuming the sugar, leading to high ethanol production. Furthermore, the presence of S. cerevisiae strains in the mixed cultures promoted the production of higher alcohols, acetaldehyde and ethyl esters, whereas Kloeckera/Hanseniaspora strains stimulated the production of ethyl acetate and 2-phenyl ethyl acetate compounds.

  16. Melanoma and melanocytic nevi in decorative tattoos: three case reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varga, Erika; Korom, Irma; Varga, János; Kohán, József; Kemény, Lajos; Oláh, Judit

    2011-12-01

    In response to the demands of style and fashion, the number of decorative tattoos has been increasing worldwide. This has been paralleled by a rising incidence of melanocytic proliferations, including melanoma. The coincidence of various dermatological diseases and skin tumors with tattoos has been documented with some frequency, but reports of melanoma associated with tattoos are exceedingly rare. To date, only 13 cases have been documented in the English language literature. The possibility of an association between melanocytic proliferations and tattoos remains an area for further study. This report presents two cases of melanocytic nevi and one of melanoma occurring in association with a decorative tattoos. At present, the pathogenesis of melanoma developing in a tattoo is unknown. Mere coincidence cannot be ruled out. However, trauma, ultraviolet light exposure, a photoallergic effect, or an inflammatory reaction may promote malignant transformation. Clinicians and histopathologists should be aware of the clinical and pathological features if they are to make a correct diagnosis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  17. Influence of melanocytes in the ex-vivo reconstructed epidermal melanin unit following an acute UV irradiation; Role des melanocytes dans l'unite epidermique de melanisation reconstruite ex-vivo apres une irradiation UV aigue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cario-Andre, M

    2000-11-15

    Influence of melanocytes in skin pigmentation is well documented, however its photo-protective role has given rise to controversy. The role of melanocytes have been investigated on reconstructed epidermis with 100 % of keratinocytes or 95 % of keratinocytes and 5 % of melanocytes. In a first time, the effect of an acute UVB dose has been studied on both reconstructed epidermis, next we have investigated UVA and UVA+B effects on these epidermis. Following irradiation, the presence of melanocytes in reconstructed epidermis protects against apoptosis without protecting significantly against DNA damage formation (CPD, 6-4PP) and protects against UV-induced unbalance of the SOD/catalase ratio (antioxidants enzymes). On the contrary, the presence of melanocytes in reconstructed epidermis amplifies lipids and proteins oxidations but seems to protect against DNA oxidations. Melanocytes differ from keratinocytes by their melanin content and their more important concentration in polyunsaturated fatty acids. To evaluate what is the part of melanin and the part of polyunsaturated fatty acids in epidermal UV responses, reconstructed epidermis with keratinocytes have been supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acid. This study indicates that polyunsaturated fatty acids are responsible for lipids and proteins oxidations and that melanin protect against DNA oxidation induced by lipid peroxidation. All these studies demonstrate that, model of reconstructed epidermis and epidermis in-vivo have the same behaviour following UV irradiation. In the last part, sunscreens and antioxidants have been tested on reconstructed epidermis and have demonstrated that model of reconstructed epidermis is suitable for photo-protective molecules screening. (author)

  18. Lipid production by pure and mixed cultures of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa isolated in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyna-Martínez, Raúl; Gomez-Flores, Ricardo; López-Chuken, Ulrico J; González-González, Rosario; Fernández-Delgadillo, Sergio; Balderas-Rentería, Isaias

    2015-01-01

    Given the well-known environmental drawbacks of using fossil fuels, advances in the field of alternative energy have become a worldwide technological priority. Special interest has been focused on the production of biodiesel obtained from oleaginous microorganisms. In the present research, lipid production by two species, microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa and yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was assessed, independently and in mixed culture to evaluate a possible synergy. Fatty acid analysis was performed by gas chromatography. Among pure and mixed cultures of both strains and several culturing conditions, the highest biomass and lipid productivity was obtained by C. pyrenoidosa (8.05 and 1.62 g/L, respectively). The results of this study showed that both strains used are in fact oleaginous strains as they were found to reach up to 20 % of lipids, in addition, lipids in both pure and mixed cultures were mainly of triglycerides (>90 %), composed of fatty acid chains between 16 and 18 carbons.

  19. Aqueous humor tyrosinase activity is indicative of iris melanocyte toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahanty, Sarmistha; Kawali, Ankush A; Dakappa, Shruthi Shirur; Mahendradas, Padmamalini; Kurian, Mathew; Kharbanda, Varun; Shetty, Rohit; Setty, Subba Rao Gangi

    2017-09-01

    Antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones (FQLs) are commonly used to treat ocular infections but are also known to cause dermal melanocyte toxicity. The release of dispersed pigments from the iris into the aqueous humor has been considered a possible ocular side effect of the systemic administration of FQLs such as Moxifloxacin, and this condition is known as bilateral acute iris transillumination (BAIT). Bilateral acute depigmentation of iris (BADI) is a similar condition, with iris pigment released into the aqueous, but it has not been reported as a side effect of FQL. Iris pigments are synthesized by the melanogenic enzyme tyrosinase (TYR) and can be detected but not quantified by using slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The correlation between dispersed pigments in the aqueous and the extent of melanocyte toxicity due to topical antibiotics in vivo is not well studied. Here, we aimed to study the effect of topical FQLs on iris tissue, the pigment release in the aqueous humor and the development of clinically evident iris atrophic changes. We evaluated this process by measuring the activity of TYR in the aqueous humor of 82 healthy eyes undergoing cataract surgery following topical application of FQLs such as Moxifloxacin (27 eyes, preservative-free) or Ciprofloxacin (29 eyes, with preservative) or the application of non-FQL Tobramycin (26 eyes, with preservative) as a control. In addition, the patients were questioned and examined for ocular side effects in pre- and post-operative periods. Our data showed a significantly higher mean TYR activity in the aqueous humor of Ciprofloxacin-treated eyes compared to Moxifloxacin- (preservative free, p iris melanocytes. However, the reduced TYR activity in the aqueous of Moxifloxacin-treated eyes was possibly due to the presence of a higher drug concentration, which inhibits TYR activity. Consistently, immunoblotting analysis of the aqueous humor from both Ciprofloxacin- and Moxifloxacin-treated eyes showed the presence of soluble

  20. Automatic Classification of Specific Melanocytic Lesions Using Artificial Intelligence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Jaworek-Korjakowska

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Given its propensity to metastasize, and lack of effective therapies for most patients with advanced disease, early detection of melanoma is a clinical imperative. Different computer-aided diagnosis (CAD systems have been proposed to increase the specificity and sensitivity of melanoma detection. Although such computer programs are developed for different diagnostic algorithms, to the best of our knowledge, a system to classify different melanocytic lesions has not been proposed yet. Method. In this research we present a new approach to the classification of melanocytic lesions. This work is focused not only on categorization of skin lesions as benign or malignant but also on specifying the exact type of a skin lesion including melanoma, Clark nevus, Spitz/Reed nevus, and blue nevus. The proposed automatic algorithm contains the following steps: image enhancement, lesion segmentation, feature extraction, and selection as well as classification. Results. The algorithm has been tested on 300 dermoscopic images and achieved accuracy of 92% indicating that the proposed approach classified most of the melanocytic lesions correctly. Conclusions. A proposed system can not only help to precisely diagnose the type of the skin mole but also decrease the amount of biopsies and reduce the morbidity related to skin lesion excision.

  1. Progressive Increase in Telomerase Activity From Benign Melanocytic Conditions to Malignant Melanoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruben D. Ramirez

    1999-04-01

    Full Text Available The expression of telomerase activity and the in situ localization of the human telomerase RNA component (hTR in melanocytic skin lesions was evaluated in specimens from sixty-three patients. Specimens of melanocytic nevi, primary melanomas and subcutaneous metastases of melanoma were obtained from fifty-eight patients, whereas metastasized lymph nodes were obtained from five patients. Telomerase activity was determined in these specimens by using a Polymerase Chain Reaction—based assay (TRAP. High relative mean telomerase activity levels were detected in metastatic melanoma (subcutaneous metastasess = 54.5, lymph node metastasess = 56.5. Much lower levels were detected in primary melanomas, which increased with advancing levels of tumor cell penetration (Clark II = 0.02, Clark III = 1.1, and Clark IV = 1.9. Twenty-six formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded melanocytic lesions were sectioned and analyzed for telomerase RNA with a radioactive in situ hybridization assay. In situ hybridization studies with a probe to the template RNA component of telomerase confirmed that expression was almost exclusively confined to tumor cells and not infiltrating lymphocytes. These results indicate that levels of telomerase activity and telomerase RNA in melanocytic lesions correlate well with clinical stage and could potentially assist in the diagnosis of borderline lesions.

  2. Influence of melanocytes in the ex-vivo reconstructed epidermal melanin unit following an acute UV irradiation; Role des melanocytes dans l'unite epidermique de melanisation reconstruite ex-vivo apres une irradiation UV aigue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cario-Andre, M

    2000-11-15

    Influence of melanocytes in skin pigmentation is well documented, however its photo-protective role has given rise to controversy. The role of melanocytes have been investigated on reconstructed epidermis with 100 % of keratinocytes or 95 % of keratinocytes and 5 % of melanocytes. In a first time, the effect of an acute UVB dose has been studied on both reconstructed epidermis, next we have investigated UVA and UVA+B effects on these epidermis. Following irradiation, the presence of melanocytes in reconstructed epidermis protects against apoptosis without protecting significantly against DNA damage formation (CPD, 6-4PP) and protects against UV-induced unbalance of the SOD/catalase ratio (antioxidants enzymes). On the contrary, the presence of melanocytes in reconstructed epidermis amplifies lipids and proteins oxidations but seems to protect against DNA oxidations. Melanocytes differ from keratinocytes by their melanin content and their more important concentration in polyunsaturated fatty acids. To evaluate what is the part of melanin and the part of polyunsaturated fatty acids in epidermal UV responses, reconstructed epidermis with keratinocytes have been supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acid. This study indicates that polyunsaturated fatty acids are responsible for lipids and proteins oxidations and that melanin protect against DNA oxidation induced by lipid peroxidation. All these studies demonstrate that, model of reconstructed epidermis and epidermis in-vivo have the same behaviour following UV irradiation. In the last part, sunscreens and antioxidants have been tested on reconstructed epidermis and have demonstrated that model of reconstructed epidermis is suitable for photo-protective molecules screening. (author)

  3. Transmembrane potential of GlyCl-expressing instructor cells induces a neoplastic-like conversion of melanocytes via a serotonergic pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douglas Blackiston

    2011-01-01

    Understanding the mechanisms that coordinate stem cell behavior within the host is a high priority for developmental biology, regenerative medicine and oncology. Endogenous ion currents and voltage gradients function alongside biochemical cues during pattern formation and tumor suppression, but it is not known whether bioelectrical signals are involved in the control of stem cell progeny in vivo. We studied Xenopus laevis neural crest, an embryonic stem cell population that gives rise to many cell types, including melanocytes, and contributes to the morphogenesis of the face, heart and other complex structures. To investigate how depolarization of transmembrane potential of cells in the neural crest’s environment influences its function in vivo, we manipulated the activity of the native glycine receptor chloride channel (GlyCl. Molecular-genetic depolarization of a sparse, widely distributed set of GlyCl-expressing cells non-cell-autonomously induces a neoplastic-like phenotype in melanocytes: they overproliferate, acquire an arborized cell shape and migrate inappropriately, colonizing numerous tissues in a metalloprotease-dependent fashion. A similar effect was observed in human melanocytes in culture. Depolarization of GlyCl-expressing cells induces these drastic changes in melanocyte behavior via a serotonin-transporter-dependent increase of extracellular serotonin (5-HT. These data reveal GlyCl as a molecular marker of a sparse and heretofore unknown cell population with the ability to specifically instruct neural crest derivatives, suggest transmembrane potential as a tractable signaling modality by which somatic cells can control stem cell behavior at considerable distance, identify a new biophysical aspect of the environment that confers a neoplastic-like phenotype upon stem cell progeny, reveal a pre-neural role for serotonin and its transporter, and suggest a novel strategy for manipulating stem cell behavior.

  4. Image enhancement of optical images for binary system of melanocytes and keratinocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takanezawa, S.; Baba, A.; Sako, Y.; Ozaki, Y.; Date, A.; Toyama, K.; Morita, S.

    2013-05-01

    Automatic determination of the cell shapes of large numbers of melanocytes based on optical images of human skin models have been largely unsuccessful (the complexities introduced by dendrites and the melanin pigmentation over the keratinocytes to give unclear outlines). Here, we present an image enhancement procedure for enhancing the contrast of images with removing the non-uniformity of background. The brightness is normalized also for the non-uniform population density of melanocytes.

  5. Effect of norfloxacin and moxifloxacin on melanin synthesis and antioxidant enzymes activity in normal human melanocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beberok, Artur; Wrześniok, Dorota; Otręba, Michał; Miliński, Maciej; Rok, Jakub; Buszman, Ewa

    2015-03-01

    Fluoroquinolone antibiotics provide broad-spectrum coverage for a number of infectious diseases, including respiratory as well as urinary tract infections. One of the important adverse effects of these drugs is phototoxicity which introduces a serious limitation to their use. To gain insight the molecular mechanisms underlying the fluoroquinolones-induced phototoxic side effects, the impact of two fluoroquinolone derivatives with different phototoxic potential, norfloxacin and moxifloxacin, on melanogenesis and antioxidant enzymes activity in normal human melanocytes HEMa-LP was determined. Both drugs induced concentration-dependent loss in melanocytes viability. The value of EC50 for these drugs was found to be 0.5 mM. Norfloxacin and moxifloxacin suppressed melanin biosynthesis; antibiotics were shown to inhibit cellular tyrosinase activity and to reduce melanin content in melanocytes. When comparing the both analyzed fluoroquinolones, it was observed that norfloxacin possesses greater inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity in melanocytes than moxifloxacin. The extent of oxidative stress in cells was assessed by measuring the activity of antioxidant enzymes: SOD, CAT, and GPx. It was observed that norfloxacin caused higher depletion of antioxidant status in melanocytes when compared with moxifloxacin. The obtained results give a new insight into the mechanisms of fluoroquinolones toxicity directed to pigmented tissues. Moreover, the presented differences in modulation of biochemical processes in melanocytes may be an explanation for various phototoxic activities of the analyzed fluoroquinolone derivatives in vivo.

  6. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) antioxidant response promotes melanocyte viability and reduces toxicity of the vitiligo-inducing phenol monobenzone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arowojolu, Omotayo A; Orlow, Seth J; Elbuluk, Nada; Manga, Prashiela

    2017-07-01

    Vitiligo, characterised by progressive melanocyte death, can be initiated by exposure to vitiligo-inducing phenols (VIPs). VIPs generate oxidative stress in melanocytes and activate the master antioxidant regulator NRF2. While NRF2-regulated antioxidants are reported to protect melanocytes from oxidative stress, the role of NRF2 in the melanocyte response to monobenzone, a clinically relevant VIP, has not been characterised. We hypothesised that activation of NRF2 may protect melanocytes from monobenzone-induced toxicity. We observed that knockdown of NRF2 or NRF2-regulated antioxidants NQO1 and PRDX6 reduced melanocyte viability, but not viability of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, suggesting that melanocytes were preferentially dependent upon NRF2 activity for growth compared to other cutaneous cells. Furthermore, melanocytes activated the NRF2 response following monobenzone exposure and constitutive NRF2 activation reduced monobenzone toxicity, supporting NRF2's role in the melanocyte stress response. In contrast, melanocytes from individuals with vitiligo (vitiligo melanocytes) did not activate the NRF2 response as efficiently. Dimethyl fumarate-mediated NRF2 activation protected normal and vitiligo melanocytes against monobenzone-induced toxicity. Given the contribution of oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in vitiligo, modulation of this pathway may be of therapeutic interest. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Confocal laser scanning microscopy in vivo for diagnosing melanocytic skin neoplasms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Kubanova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The authors discuss the use of confocal laser scanning microscopy in vivo (CLSM for diagnosing melanocytic skin neoplasms and its value for early diagnostics of melanoma. CLSM is an innovation noninvasive visual examination method for real-time multiple and painless examinations of the patient’s skin without injuring the skin integument. The method ensures early diagnostics of skin melanomas with high sensitivity and specificity, which makes it possible to use CLSM for screening melanocytic skin neoplasms for the sake of the early onset of treatment to save patient life and health.

  8. MC1R and the response of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rouzaud, Francois; Kadekaro, Ana Luisa; Abdel-Malek, Zalfa A.; Hearing, Vincent J.

    2005-01-01

    The constitutive color of our skin plays a dramatic role in our photoprotection from solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that reaches the Earth and in minimizing DNA damage that gives rise to skin cancer. More than 120 genes have been identified and shown to regulate pigmentation, one of the key genes being melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) that encodes the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor expressed on the surface of melanocytes. Modulation of MC1R function regulates melanin synthesis by melanocytes qualitatively and quantitatively. The MC1R is regulated by the physiological agonists α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (αMSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and antagonist agouti signaling protein (ASP). Activation of the MC1R by binding of an agonist stimulates the synthesis of eumelanin primarily via activation of adenylate cyclase. The significance of cutaneous pigmentation lies in the photoprotective effect of melanin, particularly eumelanin, against sun-induced carcinogenesis. Epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes respond to UVR by increasing their expression of αMSH and ACTH, which up-regulate the expression of MC1R, and consequently enhance the response of melanocytes to melanocortins. Constitutive skin pigmentation dramatically affects the incidence of skin cancer. The pigmentary phenotype characterized by red hair, fair complexion, inability to tan and tendency to freckle is an independent risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma. The MC1R gene is highly polymorphic in human populations, and allelic variation at this locus accounts, to a large extent, for the variation in pigmentary phenotypes and skin phototypes (SPT) in humans. Several allelic variants of the MC1R gene are associated with the red hair and fair skin (RHC) phenotype, and carrying one of these variants is thought to diminish the ability of the epidermis to respond to DNA damage elicited by UVR. The MC1R gene is considered a

  9. MC1R and the response of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rouzaud, Francois [Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States); Kadekaro, Ana Luisa [Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267 (United States); Abdel-Malek, Zalfa A. [Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267 (United States); Hearing, Vincent J. [Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States)]. E-mail: hearingv@nih.gov

    2005-04-01

    The constitutive color of our skin plays a dramatic role in our photoprotection from solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that reaches the Earth and in minimizing DNA damage that gives rise to skin cancer. More than 120 genes have been identified and shown to regulate pigmentation, one of the key genes being melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) that encodes the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor expressed on the surface of melanocytes. Modulation of MC1R function regulates melanin synthesis by melanocytes qualitatively and quantitatively. The MC1R is regulated by the physiological agonists {alpha}-melanocyte-stimulating hormone ({alpha}MSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and antagonist agouti signaling protein (ASP). Activation of the MC1R by binding of an agonist stimulates the synthesis of eumelanin primarily via activation of adenylate cyclase. The significance of cutaneous pigmentation lies in the photoprotective effect of melanin, particularly eumelanin, against sun-induced carcinogenesis. Epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes respond to UVR by increasing their expression of {alpha}MSH and ACTH, which up-regulate the expression of MC1R, and consequently enhance the response of melanocytes to melanocortins. Constitutive skin pigmentation dramatically affects the incidence of skin cancer. The pigmentary phenotype characterized by red hair, fair complexion, inability to tan and tendency to freckle is an independent risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma. The MC1R gene is highly polymorphic in human populations, and allelic variation at this locus accounts, to a large extent, for the variation in pigmentary phenotypes and skin phototypes (SPT) in humans. Several allelic variants of the MC1R gene are associated with the red hair and fair skin (RHC) phenotype, and carrying one of these variants is thought to diminish the ability of the epidermis to respond to DNA damage elicited by UVR. The MC1R gene is

  10. Platelet lysate as a serum replacement for skin cell culture on biomimetic PCL nanofibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sovkova, Vera; Vocetkova, Karolina; Rampichova, Michala; Mickova, Andrea; Buzgo, Matej; Lukasova, Vera; Dankova, Jana; Filova, Eva; Necas, Alois; Amler, Evzen

    2018-06-01

    Platelets are a popular source of native growth factors for tissue engineering applications. The aim of the study was to verify the use of platelet lysate as a fetal bovine serum (FBS) replacement for skin cell culture. The cytokine content of the platelet lysate was characterized using the Bio-Plex system. The cells (fibroblasts, melanocytes, and keratinocytes) were cultured on PCL nanofibrous scaffolds to mimic their natural microenvironment. The cytokine content of the platelet lysate was determined, and to the cells, a medium containing platelet lysate or platelet lysate in combination with FBS was added. The results showed that 7% (v/v) platelet lysate was sufficient to supplement 10% (v/v) FBS in the culture of fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The combination of platelet lysate and FBS had a rather inhibitory effect on fibroblasts, in contrary to keratinocytes, where the effect was synergic. Platelet lysate did not sufficiently promote proliferation in melanocytes; however, the combination of FBS and platelet lysate yielded a better outcome and resulted in bipolar morphology of the cultured melanocytes. The data indicated that platelet lysate improved cell proliferation and metabolic activity and may be used as an additive to the cell culture media.

  11. UVA phototransduction drives early melanin synthesis in human melanocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wicks, Nadine L; Chan, Jason W; Najera, Julia A; Ciriello, Jonathan M; Oancea, Elena

    2011-11-22

    Exposure of human skin to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), a powerful carcinogen [1] comprising ~95% ultraviolet A (UVA) and ~5% ultraviolet B (UVB) at the Earth's surface, promotes melanin synthesis in epidermal melanocytes [2, 3], which protects skin from DNA damage [4, 5]. UVB causes DNA lesions [6] that lead to transcriptional activation of melanin-producing enzymes, resulting in delayed skin pigmentation within days [7]. In contrast, UVA causes primarily oxidative damage [8] and leads to immediate pigment darkening (IPD) within minutes, via an unknown mechanism [9, 10]. No receptor protein directly mediating phototransduction in skin has been identified. Here we demonstrate that exposure of primary human epidermal melanocytes (HEMs) to UVA causes calcium mobilization and early melanin synthesis. Calcium responses were abolished by treatment with G protein or phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors or by depletion of intracellular calcium stores. We show that the visual photopigment rhodopsin [11] is expressed in HEMs and contributes to UVR phototransduction. Upon UVR exposure, significant melanin production was measured within one hour; cellular melanin continued to increase in a retinal- and calcium-dependent manner up to 5-fold after 24 hr. Our findings identify a novel UVA-sensitive signaling pathway in melanocytes that leads to calcium mobilization and melanin synthesis and may underlie the mechanism of IPD in human skin. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Histomorphologic spectrum of BAP1 negative melanocytic neoplasms in a family with BAP1-associated cancer susceptibility syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marušić, Zlatko; Buljan, Marija; Busam, Klaus J

    2015-06-01

    Multiple BAP1 negative melanocytic neoplasms are a hallmark of familial cancer susceptibility syndrome caused by BAP1 germline mutation. The syndrome is characterized by increased incidence of renal cell carcinoma, mesothelioma, cholangiocarcinoma, cutaneous and uveal melanoma and some other neoplasms. We report histomorphologic characteristics of six cutaneous melanocytic neoplasms with loss of BAP1 expression in two members of a family with BAP1-associated cancer susceptibility syndrome. The neoplasms were dermal melanocytic nevi characterized by a proliferation of large epithelioid (spitzoid) melanocytes, and adipocytic metaplasia. Nuclear pseudoinclusions and multinucleated melanocytes were present in most neoplasms. In two of the cases, a nodular melanoma was found associated with a dermal nevus. None of the melanomas recurred or metastasized after 6 and 3 years of follow up. We report two new cases of melanoma arising in a BAP1-deficient melanocytic nevus in the setting of familial tumor predisposition syndrome. Adipocytic metaplasia and nuclear pseudoinclusions may be additional morphologic clues to a BAP1-deficient nevus. It remains to be seen whether these features are more common in familial than sporadic lesions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Melanocyte-secreted fibromodulin promotes an angiogenic microenvironment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adini, Irit; Ghosh, Kaustabh; Adini, Avner; Chi, Zai-Long; Yoshimura, Takeru; Benny, Ofra; Connor, Kip M; Rogers, Michael S; Bazinet, Lauren; Birsner, Amy E; Bielenberg, Diane R; D'Amato, Robert J

    2014-01-01

    Studies have established that pigmentation can provide strong, protective effects against certain human diseases. For example, angiogenesis-dependent diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration and infantile hemangioma are more common in light-skinned individuals of mixed European descent than in African-Americans. Here we found that melanocytes from light-skinned humans and albino mice secrete high levels of fibromodulin (FMOD), which we determined to be a potent angiogenic factor. FMOD treatment stimulated angiogenesis in numerous in vivo systems, including laser-induced choroidal neovascularization, growth factor-induced corneal neovascularization, wound healing, and Matrigel plug assays. Additionally, FMOD enhanced vascular sprouting during normal retinal development. Deletion of Fmod in albino mice resulted in a marked reduction in the amount of neovascularization induced by retinal vein occlusion, corneal growth factor pellets, and Matrigel plugs. Our data implicate the melanocyte-secreted factor FMOD as a key regulator of angiogenesis and suggest an underlying mechanism for epidemiological differences between light-skinned individuals of mixed European descent and African-Americans. Furthermore, inhibition of FMOD in humans has potential as a therapeutic strategy for treating angiogenesis-dependent diseases.

  14. [Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. From bench to bedside].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böhm, M; Luger, T A

    2010-06-01

    Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) is a tridecapeptide that is produced by the skin itself from the precursor proopiomelanocortin. It crucially mediates ultraviolet light-induced tanning after binding to melanocortin-1 receptors (MC-1R) expressed on the surface of epidermal melanocytes. The potent pigment-inducing and also cytoprotective actions of alpha-MSH are the rationale for the performance of first phase II clinical trials with Nle4-D-Phe7-alpha-MSH (NDP-alpha-MSH), a subcutaneously administered synthetic and superpotent alpha-MSH analogue, in patients with photodermatoses such as erythropoietic protoporphyria. Since alpha-MSH has shown promising anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties in numerous preclinical studies, it will be most interesting to evaluate these effects in further clinical pilot studies with NDP-alpha-MSH. In addition to alpha-MSH analogues, truncated tripeptides such as KDPT which do not bind to MC-1R but have sustained anti-inflammatory properties are currently emerging as another novel therapeutic strategy in dermatology.

  15. Influence of melanocytes in the ex-vivo reconstructed epidermal melanin unit following an acute UV irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cario-Andre, M.

    2000-11-01

    Influence of melanocytes in skin pigmentation is well documented, however its photo-protective role has given rise to controversy. The role of melanocytes have been investigated on reconstructed epidermis with 100 % of keratinocytes or 95 % of keratinocytes and 5 % of melanocytes. In a first time, the effect of an acute UVB dose has been studied on both reconstructed epidermis, next we have investigated UVA and UVA+B effects on these epidermis. Following irradiation, the presence of melanocytes in reconstructed epidermis protects against apoptosis without protecting significantly against DNA damage formation (CPD, 6-4PP) and protects against UV-induced unbalance of the SOD/catalase ratio (antioxidants enzymes). On the contrary, the presence of melanocytes in reconstructed epidermis amplifies lipids and proteins oxidations but seems to protect against DNA oxidations. Melanocytes differ from keratinocytes by their melanin content and their more important concentration in polyunsaturated fatty acids. To evaluate what is the part of melanin and the part of polyunsaturated fatty acids in epidermal UV responses, reconstructed epidermis with keratinocytes have been supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acid. This study indicates that polyunsaturated fatty acids are responsible for lipids and proteins oxidations and that melanin protect against DNA oxidation induced by lipid peroxidation. All these studies demonstrate that, model of reconstructed epidermis and epidermis in-vivo have the same behaviour following UV irradiation. In the last part, sunscreens and antioxidants have been tested on reconstructed epidermis and have demonstrated that model of reconstructed epidermis is suitable for photo-protective molecules screening. (author)

  16. G2 accumulation and melanin overproduction in malignant melanocytes treated with a new nitrosourea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchdahl, C; Papon, J; Communal, Y; Bourges, M; Madelmont, J C

    1998-12-01

    Cystemustine (N'-(2-chloroethyl)-N-(2-(methylsulphonyl)ethyl)-N'-nitrosourea), a new anticancer chloroethylnitrosourea (CENU) is being tested in a phase II clinical trial of disseminated melanoma. The antitumour effect of this drug is mainly due to DNA damage in malignant melanocytes. Recently, we have shown that this damage can induce apoptosis in some melanoma cell lines. In others, apoptosis is not clearly observed, although there is a strong cytostatic effect. In this paper, we have characterized the cytological effect of cystemustine on murine malignant melanocytes (B16 cell line) which are resistant to apoptosis induced by this CENU. The results show that 3 days after cystemustine treatment, these melanocytes had accumulated in phase G2 of the cell cycle. There was then a strong morphological modification during a long cytostatic phase up to 30 days after treatment. During this cytostatic phase, there was uncontrolled DNA synthesis and marked swelling. Also, tyrosinase activity, melanin content and the number of mature melanosomes were greatly increased. These results suggest that when malignant melanocytes are not able to undergo apoptosis after treatment with CENU, they accumulate in G2 and this is followed by enhancement of melanogenesis.

  17. Immunopolarization of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells to type-1-like is associated with melanocyte loss in human vitiligo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wańkowicz-Kalińska, Anna; van den Wijngaard, René M. J. G. J.; Tigges, Bert J.; Westerhof, Wiete; Ogg, Graham S.; Cerundolo, Vincenzo; Storkus, Walter J.; Das, Pranab K.

    2003-01-01

    Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition characterized by loss of epidermal melanocytes. High frequencies of melanocyte-reactive cytotoxic T cells in the peripheral blood of vitiligo patients and the observed correlation between perilesional T-cell infiltration and melanocyte loss in situ suggest the

  18. Effects of Arsenite Resistance on the Growth and Functional Gene Expression of Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans in Pure Culture and Coculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huidan Jiang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The response of iron-oxidizing Leptospirillum ferriphilum YSK and sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans A01 to arsenite under pure culture and coculture was investigated based on biochemical characterization (concentration of iron ion and pH value and related gene expression. L. ferriphilum YSK and At. thiooxidans A01 in pure culture could adapt up to 400 mM and 800 mM As(III after domestication, respectively, although arsenite showed a negative effect on both strains. The coculture showed a stronger sulfur and ferrous ion oxidation activity when exposed to arsenite. In coculture, the pH value showed no significant difference when under 500 mM arsenite stress, and the cell number of At. thiooxidans was higher than that in pure culture benefiting from the interaction with L. ferriphilum. The expression profile showed that the arsenic efflux system in the coculture was more active than that in pure culture, indicating that there is a synergetic interaction between At. thiooxidans A01 and L. ferriphilum YSK. In addition, a model was proposed to illustrate the interaction between arsenite and the ars operon in L. ferriphilum YSK and At. thiooxidans A01. This study will facilitate the effective application of coculture in the bioleaching process by taking advantage of strain-strain communication and coordination.

  19. Ultraviolet Radiation and the Slug Transcription Factor Induce Proinflammatory and Immunomodulatory Mediator Expression in Melanocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie H. Shirley

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite extensive investigation, the precise contribution of the ultraviolet radiation (UVR component of sunlight to melanoma etiology remains unclear. UVR induces keratinocytes to secrete proinflammatory and immunomodulatory mediators that promote inflammation and skin tumor development; expression of the slug transcription factor in keratinocytes is required for maximal production of these mediators. In the present studies we examined the possibility that UVR-exposed melanocytes also produce proinflammatory mediators and that Slug is important in this process. Microarray studies revealed that both UVR exposure and Slug overexpression altered transcription of a variety of proinflammatory mediators by normal human melanocytes; some of these mediators are also known to stimulate melanocyte growth and migration. There was little overlap in the spectra of cytokines produced by the two stimuli. However IL-20 was similarly induced by both stimuli and the NFκB pathway appeared to be important in both circumstances. Further exploration of UVR-induced and Slug-dependent pathways of cytokine induction in melanocytes may reveal novel targets for melanoma therapy.

  20. Sema4D, the ligand for Plexin B1, suppresses c-Met activation and migration and promotes melanocyte survival and growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soong, Joanne; Chen, Yulin; Shustef, Elina M; Scott, Glynis A

    2012-04-01

    Semaphorins are secreted and membrane-bound proteins involved in neural pathfinding, organogenesis, and tumor progression, through Plexin and neuropilin receptors. We recently reported that Plexin B1, the Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) receptor, is a tumor-suppressor protein for melanoma, which functions, in part, through inhibition of the oncogenic c-Met tyrosine kinase receptor. In this report, we show that Sema4D is a protective paracrine factor for normal human melanocyte survival in response to UV irradiation, and that it stimulates proliferation and regulates the activity of the c-Met receptor. c-Met receptor signaling stimulates melanocyte migration, partly through downregulation of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. Sema4D suppressed activation of c-Met in response to its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and partially blocked the suppressive effects of HGF on E-cadherin expression in melanocytes and HGF-dependent migration. These data demonstrate a role for Plexin B1 in maintenance of melanocyte survival and proliferation in the skin, and suggest that Sema4D and Plexin B1 act cooperatively with HGF and c-Met to regulate c-Met-dependent effects in human melanocytes. Because our data show that Plexin B1 is profoundly downregulated by UVB in melanocytes, loss of Plexin B1 may accentuate HGF-dependent effects on melanocytes, including melanocyte migration.

  1. Childhood malignant blue nevus of the ear associated with two intracranial melanocytic tumors-metastases or neurocutaneous melanosis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popović, Mara; Dolenc-Strazar, Zvezdana; Anzic, Jozica; Luzar, Bostjan

    2004-10-01

    Blue nevus is an uncommon pigmented tumor of dermal melanocytes that has traditionally been classified into common and cellular variant. It is usually a skin tumor in adults but can become apparent in early childhood or even be present at birth. Malignant blue nevus is a rare melanocytic tumor of the skin arising from a preexisting cellular blue nevus. We report a multinodular blue nevus of the left ear in an 11-year-old girl who also had 2 intracranial melanocytic lesions. Differential diagnosis between metastases from malignant blue nevus and neurocutaneous melanosis is discussed.

  2. Molecular effects of 1-naphthyl-methylcarbamate and solar radiation exposures on human melanocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrucio, Bianca; Tiago, Manoela; Fannin, Richard D; Liu, Liwen; Gerrish, Kevin; Maria-Engler, Silvya Stuchi; Paules, Richard S; Barros, Silvia Berlanga de Moraes

    2017-02-01

    Carbaryl (1-naphthyl-methylcarbamate), a broad-spectrum insecticide, has recently been associated with the development of cutaneous melanoma in an epidemiological cohort study with U.S. farm workers also exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the main etiologic factor for skin carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that carbaryl exposure may increase deleterious effects of UV solar radiation on skin melanocytes. This study aimed to characterize human melanocytes after individual or combined exposure to carbaryl (100μM) and solar radiation (375mJ/cm 2 ). In a microarray analysis, carbaryl, but not solar radiation, induced an oxidative stress response, evidenced by the upregulation of antioxidant genes, such as Hemeoxygenase-1 (HMOX1), and downregulation of Microphtalmia-associated Transcription Factor (MITF), the main regulator of melanocytic activity; results were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Carbaryl and solar radiation induced a gene response suggestive of DNA damage and cell cycle alteration. The expression of CDKN1A, BRCA1/2 and MDM2 genes was notably more intense in the combined treatment group, in a synergistic manner. Flow cytometry assays demonstrated S-phase cell cycle arrest, reduced apoptosis levels and faster induction of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) lesions in carbaryl treated groups. Our data suggests that carbaryl is genotoxic to human melanocytes, especially when associated with solar radiation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Antimelanogenic Efficacy of Melasolv (3,4,5-Trimethoxycinnamate Thymol Ester) in Melanocytes and Three-Dimensional Human Skin Equivalent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, John Hwan; Lee, Eun-Soo; Bae, Il-Hong; Hwang, Jeong-Ah; Kim, Se-Hwa; Kim, Dae-Yong; Park, Nok-Hyun; Rho, Ho Sik; Kim, Yong Jin; Oh, Seong-Geun; Lee, Chang Seok

    2017-01-01

    Excessive melanogenesis often causes unaesthetic hyperpigmentation. In a previous report, our group introduced a newly synthesized depigmentary agent, Melasolv™ (3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate thymol ester). In this study, we demonstrated the significant whitening efficacy of Melasolv using various melanocytes and human skin equivalents as in vitro experimental systems. The depigmentary effect of Melasolv was tested in melan-a cells (immortalized normal murine melanocytes), α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16 murine melanoma cells, primary normal human melanocytes (NHMs), and human skin equivalent (MelanoDerm). The whitening efficacy of Melasolv was further demonstrated by photography, time-lapse microscopy, Fontana-Masson (F&M) staining, and 2-photon microscopy. Melasolv significantly inhibited melanogenesis in the melan-a and α-MSH-stimulated B16 cells. In human systems, Melasolv also clearly showed a whitening effect in NHMs and human skin equivalent, reflecting a decrease in melanin content. F&M staining and 2-photon microscopy revealed that Melasolv suppressed melanin transfer into multiple epidermal layers from melanocytes as well as melanin synthesis in human skin equivalent. Our study showed that Melasolv clearly exerts a whitening effect on various melanocytes and human skin equivalent. These results suggest the possibility that Melasolv can be used as a depigmentary agent to treat pigmentary disorders as well as an active ingredient in cosmetics to increase whitening efficacy. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. The gender differences in the inhibitory action of UVB-induced melanocyte activation by the administration of tranexamic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiramoto, Keiichi; Yamate, Yurika; Sugiyama, Daijiro; Takahashi, Yumi; Mafune, Eiichi

    2016-05-01

    Tranexamic acid has an inhibitory action on ultraviolet (UV) B-induced melanocyte activation. This study examined the sex differences in the inhibitory action of tranexamic acid on UVB-induced melanocyte activation. We irradiated the eye and ear of male and female mice with UVB at a dose of 1.0 kJ/m(2) using a 20SE sunlamp. We orally administered tranexamic acid (750 mg/kg/day) at 30 min before UVB exposure. Tranexamic acid inhibited the UVB-induced epidermal melanocyte activation, and the effect was more remarkable under UVB eye irradiation than under UVB ear irradiation. Furthermore, the melanocyte activity suppression effect was stronger in female mice than in male mice. Following the administration of tranexamic acid, the female displayed increased blood levels of β-endorphin and μ-opioid receptor and estradiol receptor β expression in comparison with the male. Furthermore, the effect of melanocyte activity suppression in the female mice was decreased by the administration of tamoxifen (antagonist of estrogen receptor) or naltrexone (antagonist of μ-opioid receptor). These results suggest that the suppression by tranexamic acid of the UVB-induced melanocyte activation (UVB sensitivity) is stronger in female mice than in male mice and that female hormones and β-endorphin play an important role in this sex difference. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Expression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 in oral and ocular canine melanocytic tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimoyama, Y; Akihara, Y; Kirat, D; Iwano, H; Hirayama, K; Kagawa, Y; Ohmachi, T; Matsuda, K; Okamoto, M; Kadosawa, T; Yokota, H; Taniyama, H

    2007-07-01

    Solid tumors are composed of a heterogeneous population of cells surviving in various concentrations of oxygen. In a hypoxic environment, tumor cells generally up-regulate glycolysis and, therefore, generate more lactate that must be expelled from the cell through proton transporters to prevent intracellular acidosis. Monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) is a major proton transporter in mammalian cells that transports monocarboxylates, such as lactate and pyruvate, together with a proton across the plasma membrane. Melanocytic neoplasia occurs frequently in dogs, but the prognosis is highly site-dependent. In this study, 50 oral canine melanomas, which were subdivided into 3 histologic subtypes, and 17 ocular canine melanocytic neoplasms (14 melanocytomas and 3 melanomas) were used to examine and compare MCT1 expression. Immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal chicken anti-rat MCT1 antibody showed that most oral melanoma exhibited cell membrane staining, although there were no significant differences observed among the 3 histologic subtypes. In contrast, the majority of ocular melanocytic tumors were not immunoreactive. Additionally, we documented the presence of a 45-kDa band in cell membrane protein Western blots, and sequencing of a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction band of expected size confirmed its identity as a partial canine MCT1 transcript in 3 oral tumors. Increased MCT1 expression in oral melanomas compared with ocular melanocytic tumors may reflect the very different biology between these tumors in dogs. These results are the first to document canine MCT1 expression in canine tumors and suggest that increased MCT1 expression may provide a potential therapeutic target for oral melanoma.

  6. Radio sensibility of listeria monocytogenes in pure culture and frozen contaminated shrimps and stored them at -18 deg C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubio M V, T.; Espinoza, J.; L Sanchez, M.V.

    1997-01-01

    Full text: Listeria monocytogenes has been recognized for a number of years as a food pathogen bacteria. Ionizing radiation is a new technology and an excellent method to eliminate this microorganism form frozen food. The sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 01 and 04 to irradiation, in pure culture and frozen shrimps was investigated. The D 10 values were of 0,26-0,37 kGy in pure culture and frozen shrimps, respectively. The D 10 founded were similar to those reported by the literature under similar conditions. Doses of 6 kGy were enough to eliminate a contamination of 10 6 -10 7 ufc/ml of L. Monocytogenes in frozen shrimps and storage them during 200 days at 18 deg C

  7. Evaluation of the Melanocytic Pathology Assessment Tool and Hierarchy for Diagnosis (MPATH-Dx) classification scheme for diagnosis of cutaneous melanocytic neoplasms: Results from the International Melanoma Pathology Study Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lott, Jason P; Elmore, Joann G; Zhao, Ge A; Knezevich, Stevan R; Frederick, Paul D; Reisch, Lisa M; Chu, Emily Y; Cook, Martin G; Duncan, Lyn M; Elenitsas, Rosalie; Gerami, Pedram; Landman, Gilles; Lowe, Lori; Messina, Jane L; Mihm, Martin C; van den Oord, Joost J; Rabkin, Michael S; Schmidt, Birgitta; Shea, Christopher R; Yun, Sook Jung; Xu, George X; Piepkorn, Michael W; Elder, David E; Barnhill, Raymond L

    2016-08-01

    Pathologists use diverse terminology when interpreting melanocytic neoplasms, potentially compromising quality of care. We sought to evaluate the Melanocytic Pathology Assessment Tool and Hierarchy for Diagnosis (MPATH-Dx) scheme, a 5-category classification system for melanocytic lesions. Participants (n = 16) of the 2013 International Melanoma Pathology Study Group Workshop provided independent case-level diagnoses and treatment suggestions for 48 melanocytic lesions. Individual diagnoses (including, when necessary, least and most severe diagnoses) were mapped to corresponding MPATH-Dx classes. Interrater agreement and correlation between MPATH-Dx categorization and treatment suggestions were evaluated. Most participants were board-certified dermatopathologists (n = 15), age 50 years or older (n = 12), male (n = 9), based in the United States (n = 11), and primary academic faculty (n = 14). Overall, participants generated 634 case-level diagnoses with treatment suggestions. Mean weighted kappa coefficients for diagnostic agreement after MPATH-Dx mapping (assuming least and most severe diagnoses, when necessary) were 0.70 (95% confidence interval 0.68-0.71) and 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.71-0.73), respectively, whereas correlation between MPATH-Dx categorization and treatment suggestions was 0.91. This was a small sample size of experienced pathologists in a testing situation. Varying diagnostic nomenclature can be classified into a concise hierarchy using the MPATH-Dx scheme. Further research is needed to determine whether this classification system can facilitate diagnostic concordance in general pathology practice and improve patient care. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Agreement Between Cytology and Histopathology for Regional Lymph Node Metastasis in Dogs With Melanocytic Neoplasms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimes, Janet A; Matz, Brad M; Christopherson, Pete W; Koehler, Jey W; Cappelle, Kelsey K; Hlusko, Katelyn C; Smith, Annette

    2017-07-01

    Melanocytic neoplasms are common in dogs and frequently occur within the oral cavity or in haired skin. The behavior of melanocytic neoplasms is variable and depends on tumor location, size, and histopathologic features. This study compared cytopathology and histopathology of 32 lymph nodes from 27 dogs diagnosed with melanocytic neoplasms. Agreement between the original cytology report, cytology slide review, original histopathology report, and histopathology slide review was determined for each lymph node. A subset of lymph nodes was subjected to immunohistochemistry (Melan-A) and additional histochemical stains/techniques (Prussian blue, bleach) to assist in differentiation of melanocytes and melanophages. Agreement ranged from slight to fair for each of the variables evaluated with weighted kappa (κ w ) or kappa (κ) analysis (original cytology vs cytology review κ w = 0.24; original cytology vs original histopathology κ w = 0.007; original cytology vs histopathology review κ w = 0.23; cytology review vs original histopathology κ w = 0.008; cytology review vs histopathology review κ w = 0.006; and original histopathology vs histopathology review κ = 0.18). The diagnoses (metastatic, equivocal, or negative for metastasis) of the original report and slide review for both cytology and histopathology were not significantly correlated with survival in this population of patients. Overall, agreement between cytology and histopathology was poor even with a single clinical or anatomic pathologist performing slide review. Consensus between routine cytology and histopathology for staging of lymph nodes in patients with melanocytic neoplasms is poor and does not correlate with survival.

  9. Ultraviolet Radiation and the Slug Transcription Factor Induce Pro inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Mediator Expression in Melanocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shirley, S. H.; Kusewitt, D. F.; Grimm, E. A.

    2012-01-01

    Despite extensive investigation, the precise contribution of the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) component of sunlight to melanoma etiology remains unclear. UVR induces keratinocytes to secrete pro inflammatory and immunomodulatory mediators that promote inflammation and skin tumor development; expression of the slug transcription factor in keratinocytes is required for maximal production of these mediators. In the present studies we examined the possibility that UVR-exposed melanocytes also produce pro inflammatory mediators and that Slug is important in this process. Micro array studies revealed that both UVR exposure and Slug overexpression altered transcription of a variety of pro inflammatory mediators by normal human melanocytes; some of these mediators are also known to stimulate melanocyte growth and migration. There was little overlap in the spectra of cytokines produced by the two stimuli. However IL-20 was similarly induced by both stimuli and the NFκB pathway appeared to be important in both circumstances. Further exploration of UVR-induced and Slug-dependent pathways of cytokine induction in melanocytes may reveal novel targets for melanoma therapy.

  10. Development of a PCR test for identification of Haemophilus somnus in pure and mixed cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Angen, Øystein; Ahrens, Peter; Tegtmeier, Conny

    1998-01-01

    a single colony of H. somnus in the presence of 10(9) CFU of P. multocida even after 2 days of incubation. In conclusion, the present PCR test has been shown to represent a specific test for identification of H. somnus both in pure and mixed cultures. It represents a quick, sensitive and reliable method...... rise to an amplicon in the PCR test. The performance of the test on mixed cultures was evaluated by adding P. multocida to serial dilutions of H. somnus and incubating the agarplates for 1 and 2 days. This showed that the PCR test applied to the harvest from an agarplate can be expected to detect...

  11. Overexpression of hepatoma-derived growth factor in melanocytes does not lead to oncogenic transformation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sedlmaier, Angela; Wernert, Nicolas; Gallitzendörfer, Rainer; Abouzied, Mekky M; Gieselmann, Volkmar; Franken, Sebastian

    2011-01-01

    HDGF is a growth factor which is overexpressed in a wide range of tumors. Importantly, expression levels were identified as a prognostic marker in some types of cancer such as melanoma. To investigate the presumed oncogenic/transforming capacity of HDGF, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing HDGF in melanocytes. These mice were bred with mice heterozygous for a defective copy of the Ink4a tumor suppressor gene and were exposed to UV light to increase the risk for tumor development both genetically and physiochemically. Mice were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Furthermore, primary melanocytes were isolated from different strains created. Transgenic animals overexpressed HDGF in hair follicle melanocytes. Interestingly, primary melanocytes isolated from transgenic animals were not able to differentiate in vitro whereas cells isolated from wild type and HDGF-deficient animals were. Although, HDGF -/- /Ink4a +/- mice displayed an increased number of epidermoid cysts after exposure to UV light, no melanomas or premelanocytic alterations could be detected in this mouse model. The results therefore provide no evidence that HDGF has a transforming capacity in tumor development. Our results in combination with previous findings point to a possible role in cell differentiation and suggest that HDGF promotes tumor progression after secondary upregulation and may represent another protein fitting into the concept of non-oncogene addiction of tumor tissue

  12. Diagnosis and staging of female genital tract melanocytic lesions using pump-probe microscopy (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robles, Francisco E.; Selim, Maria A.; Warren, Warren S.

    2016-02-01

    Melanoma of the vulva is the second most common type of malignancy afflicting that organ. This disease caries poor prognosis, and shows tendencies to recur locally and develop distant metastases through hematogenous dissemination. Further, there exists significant clinical overlap between early-stage melanomas and melanotic macules, benign lesions that are believed to develop in about 10% of the general female population. In this work we apply a novel nonlinear optical method, pump-probe microscopy, to quantitatively analyze female genitalia tract melanocytic lesions. Pump-probe microscopy provides chemical information of endogenous pigments by probing their electronic excited state dynamics, with subcellular resolution. Using unstained biopsy sections from 31 patients, we find significant differences between melanin type and structure in tissue regions with invasive melanoma, melanoma in-situ and non-malignant melanocytic proliferations (e.g., nevi, melanocytic macules). The molecular images of non-malignant lesion have a well-organized structure, with relatively homogenous pigment chemistry, most often consistent with that of eumelanin with large aggregate size or void of metals, such as iron. On the other hand, pigment type and structure observed in melanomas in-situ and invasive melanomas is typically much more heterogeneous, with larger contributions from pheomelanin, melanins with larger metal content, and/or melanins with smaller aggregate size. Of most significance, clear differences can be observed between melanocytic macules and vulvar melanoma in-situ, which, as discussed above, can be difficult to clinically distinguish. This initial study demonstrates pump-probe microscopy's potential as an adjuvant diagnostic tool by revealing systematic chemical and morphological differences in melanin pigmentation among invasive melanoma, melanoma in-situ and non-malignant melanocytic lesions.

  13. Keratinocyte-Melanocyte graft technique followed by PUVA therapy for stable vitiligo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kachhawa Dilip

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Various surgical procedures for correcting stable vitiligo exist but these have their own limitations. Autologous, non-cultured, non-trypsinized, melanocyte plus keratinocyte grafting is a new and simple method of vitiligo surgery. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate efficacy of a new grafting technique in vitiligo patches. Methods: Eighteen vitiligo patches underwent this procedure. The upper layer of epidermis was removed by superficial dermabrasion using a dermabrader micromotor until the epidermis appeared wet and shiny. Then, antibiotic ointment was applied and dermabrasion was continued up to the whitish area of the upper dermis. The paste-like material (ointment with entangled epidermal particles was collected and spread over the dermabraded recipient site. Results: Pigmentation usually started at 4-6 weeks. Complete uniform pigmentation took 16-20 weeks. Conclusion: For smaller vitiligo patches this method gives cosmetically acceptable results. It is easy to perform and does not require specific laboratory setup.

  14. Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus (GCMN - A New Hope for Targeted Therapy?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgi Tchernev

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available We present a 6-month-old male patient, who was consulted with dermatologist by his parents, because of a pigmented lesion, present since birth, covering almost the all skin of the back and buttocks.  A sharply bordered, unequally coloured congenital pigmented nevus, measuring approximately 21 cm in diameter was observed in the whole body skin examination. The lesion was affecting the lower 2/3 of the skin of the back and the top half of the gluteus area, extending to the lateral part of the tors, forward the abdomen and the upper lateral part of the hips, composed by multiple darker-pigmented nests and several lighter areas, with single depigmented zones, hairy surface, irregularly infiltrated on palpation. Congenital melanocytic nevi are presented in approximately 1% of newborns, while giant congenital melanocytic nevi (GCMN are the most uncommon subtype of them; with occurrence rate 1 in 50,000 births. They affect 2% of a total body surface or presenting in a diameter larger than 20 cm in older children. Although not common, the possible malignant transformation remains one of the most important considerations related to them, as the related lifetime risk of melanoma is 4% to 10%. Treatment recommendations include non-surgical methods as dermabrasion only within the first two weeks of life, for prevention the possible melanocytic deeper migration, while serial surgical excisions or tissue expanders could be useful treatment tool even in later stages. Nevertheless, cosmetic result is not always satisfactory, and the risk of malignant changes remains, in cases of previous melanocytic migration in deeper layer. Recent article suggests the potential role in the treatment of GCMN with NRAS inhibitor trametinib, approved for treatment of advanced melanoma, associated with underlying NRAS mutations. Although promising, the drug could be useful in paediatric patients, only with associated NRAS gene mutation. It is still unclear whether it could be

  15. Asymmetry and irregularity border as discrimination factor between melanocytic lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sbrissa, David; Pratavieira, Sebastião.; Salvio, Ana Gabriela; Kurachi, Cristina; Bagnato, Vanderlei Salvadori; Costa, Luciano Da Fontoura; Travieso, Gonzalo

    2015-06-01

    Image processing tools have been widely used in systems supporting medical diagnosis. The use of mobile devices for the diagnosis of melanoma can assist doctors and improve their diagnosis of a melanocytic lesion. This study proposes a method of image analysis for melanoma discrimination from other types of melanocytic lesions, such as regular and atypical nevi. The process is based on extracting features related with asymmetry and border irregularity. It were collected 104 images, from medical database of two years. The images were obtained with standard digital cameras without lighting and scale control. Metrics relating to the characteristics of shape, asymmetry and curvature of the contour were extracted from segmented images. Linear Discriminant Analysis was performed for dimensionality reduction and data visualization. Segmentation results showed good efficiency in the process, with approximately 88:5% accuracy. Validation results presents sensibility and specificity 85% and 70% for melanoma detection, respectively.

  16. Malignant melanoma arising in congenital melanocytic nevi: clinical and dermoscopic challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma Pelin Cengiz

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN are visible pigmented lesions in the skin that are present at birth. CMN are benign malformations resulting from defective development of melanocyte precursors in the embryo. Six MMs from six patients were analyzed by clinical and dermoscopic examination. Of the patients, 33.3% were female (N = 2 and 66.6% were male (N = 4. Of the MMs, four (66.6% were superficial spreading MM and two (33.3 % were in situ MM. A reticular pattern was present in the MMs of three patients (50%, a homogeneous pattern was present in the other patients (50% at the base of the MMs. Superficial spreading melanomas and in situ melanomas with atypical dots and globules and a blue-white veil were the most common dermoscopic features of MMs found in CMN.

  17. Integrated genomic classification of melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system using mutation analysis, copy number alterations and DNA methylation profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griewank, Klaus; Koelsche, Christian; van de Nes, Johannes A P; Schrimpf, Daniel; Gessi, Marco; Möller, Inga; Sucker, Antje; Scolyer, Richard A; Buckland, Michael E; Murali, Rajmohan; Pietsch, Torsten; von Deimling, Andreas; Schadendorf, Dirk

    2018-06-11

    In the central nervous system, distinguishing primary leptomeningeal melanocytic tumors from melanoma metastases and predicting their biological behavior solely using histopathologic criteria can be challenging. We aimed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of integrated molecular analysis. Targeted next-generation-sequencing, array-based genome-wide methylation analysis and BAP1 immunohistochemistry was performed on the largest cohort of central nervous system melanocytic tumors analyzed to date, incl. 47 primary tumors of the central nervous system, 16 uveal melanomas. 13 cutaneous melanoma metastasis and 2 blue nevus-like melanomas. Gene mutation, DNA-methylation and copy-number profiles were correlated with clinicopathological features. Combining mutation, copy-number and DNA-methylation profiles clearly distinguished cutaneous melanoma metastases from other melanocytic tumors. Primary leptomeningeal melanocytic tumors, uveal melanomas and blue nevus-like melanoma showed common DNA-methylation, copy-number alteration and gene mutation signatures. Notably, tumors demonstrating chromosome 3 monosomy and BAP1 alterations formed a homogeneous subset within this group. Integrated molecular profiling aids in distinguishing primary from metastatic melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system. Primary leptomeningeal melanocytic tumors, uveal melanoma and blue nevus-like melanoma share molecular similarity with chromosome 3 and BAP1 alterations markers of poor prognosis. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

  18. Effect of Cell-to-matrix Ratio in Polyvinyl Alcohol Immobilized Pure and Mixed Cultures on Atrazine Degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siripattanakul, Sumana; Wirojanagud, Wanpen; McEvoy, John; Khan, Eakalak

    2008-01-01

    Atrazine biodegradation by immobilized pure and mixed cultures was examined. A pure atrazine-degrading culture, Agrobacterium radiobacter J14a (J14a), and a mixed culture (MC), isolated from an atrazine-contaminated crop field, were immobilized using phosphorylated-polyvinyl alcohol (PPVA). An existing cell immobilization procedure was modified to enhance PPVA matrix stability. The results showed that the matrices remained mechanically and chemically stable after shaking with glass beads over 15 days under various salt solutions and pH values. The immobilization process had a slight effect on cell viability. With the aid of scanning electron microscopy, a suitable microstructure of PPVA matrices for cell entrapment was observed. There were two porous layers of spherical gel matrices, the outside having an encapsulation property and the inside containing numerous pores for bacteria to occupy. J14a and MC were immobilized at three cell-to-matrix ratios of 3.5, 6.7, and 20 mg dry cells/mL matrix. The atrazine biodegradation tests were conducted in an aerobic batch system, which was inoculated with cells at 2,000 mg/L. The tests were also conducted using free (non-immobilized) J14a and MC for comparative purpose. The cell-to-matrix ratio of 3.5 mg/mL provided the highest atrazine removal efficiency of 40-50% in 120 h for both J14a and MC. The free cell systems, for both cultures, presented much lower atrazine removal efficiencies compared to the immobilized cell systems at the same level of inoculation

  19. Vitiligo inducing phenols activate the unfolded protein response in melanocytes resulting in upregulation of IL6 and IL8

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toosi, Siavash; Orlow, Seth J.; Manga, Prashiela

    2012-01-01

    Vitiligo is characterized by depigmented skin patches due to loss of epidermal melanocytes. Oxidative stress may play a role in vitiligo onset, while autoimmunity contributes to disease progression. In this study we sought to identify mechanisms that link disease triggers and spreading of lesions. A hallmark of melanocytes at the periphery of vitiligo lesions is dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We hypothesized that oxidative stress results in redox disruptions that extend to the ER, causing accumulation of misfolded peptides, which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). We used 4-tertiary butyl phenol (4-TBP) and monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), known triggers of vitiligo. We show that expression of key UPR components, including the transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), are increased following exposure of melanocytes to phenols. XBP1 activation increases production of immune mediators interleukin-6 (IL6) and IL8. Co-treatment with XBP1 inhibitors reduced IL6 and IL8 production induced by phenols, while over-expression of XBP1 alone increased their expression. Thus, melanocytes themselves produce cytokines associated with activation of an immune response following exposure to chemical triggers of vitiligo. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying melanocyte loss in vitiligo and pathways linking environmental stressors and autoimmunity. PMID:22696056

  20. Vitiligo-inducing phenols activate the unfolded protein response in melanocytes resulting in upregulation of IL6 and IL8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toosi, Siavash; Orlow, Seth J; Manga, Prashiela

    2012-11-01

    Vitiligo is characterized by depigmented skin patches caused by loss of epidermal melanocytes. Oxidative stress may have a role in vitiligo onset, while autoimmunity contributes to disease progression. In this study, we sought to identify mechanisms that link disease triggers and spreading of lesions. A hallmark of melanocytes at the periphery of vitiligo lesions is dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We hypothesized that oxidative stress results in redox disruptions that extend to the ER, causing accumulation of misfolded peptides, which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). We used 4-tertiary butyl phenol and monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone, known triggers of vitiligo. We show that expression of key UPR components, including the transcription factor X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1), is increased following exposure of melanocytes to phenols. XBP1 activation increases production of immune mediators IL6 and IL8. Co-treatment with XBP1 inhibitors reduced IL6 and IL8 production induced by phenols, while overexpression of XBP1 alone increased their expression. Thus, melanocytes themselves produce cytokines associated with activation of an immune response following exposure to chemical triggers of vitiligo. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying melanocyte loss in vitiligo and pathways linking environmental stressors and autoimmunity.

  1. Gene expression analysis of zebrafish melanocytes, iridophores, and retinal pigmented epithelium reveals indicators of biological function and developmental origin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles W Higdon

    Full Text Available In order to facilitate understanding of pigment cell biology, we developed a method to concomitantly purify melanocytes, iridophores, and retinal pigmented epithelium from zebrafish, and analyzed their transcriptomes. Comparing expression data from these cell types and whole embryos allowed us to reveal gene expression co-enrichment in melanocytes and retinal pigmented epithelium, as well as in melanocytes and iridophores. We found 214 genes co-enriched in melanocytes and retinal pigmented epithelium, indicating the shared functions of melanin-producing cells. We found 62 genes significantly co-enriched in melanocytes and iridophores, illustrative of their shared developmental origins from the neural crest. This is also the first analysis of the iridophore transcriptome. Gene expression analysis for iridophores revealed extensive enrichment of specific enzymes to coordinate production of their guanine-based reflective pigment. We speculate the coordinated upregulation of specific enzymes from several metabolic pathways recycles the rate-limiting substrate for purine synthesis, phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate, thus constituting a guanine cycle. The purification procedure and expression analysis described here, along with the accompanying transcriptome-wide expression data, provide the first mRNA sequencing data for multiple purified zebrafish pigment cell types, and will be a useful resource for further studies of pigment cell biology.

  2. MicroRNA expression in melanocytic nevi: the usefulness of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material for miRNA microarray profiling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Glud, M.; Klausen, M.; Gniadecki, R.

    2009-01-01

    surgical specimens are formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE). To explore whether FFPE material would be suitable for miRNA profiling in melanocytic lesions, we compared miRNA expression patterns in FFPE versus fresh frozen samples, obtained from 15 human melanocytic nevi. Out of microarray data, we...

  3. Acral melanocytic lesions in the United States: Prevalence, awareness, and dermoscopic patterns in skin-of-color and non-Hispanic white patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madankumar, Reshmi; Gumaste, Priyanka V; Martires, Kathryn; Schaffer, Panta R; Choudhary, Sonal; Falto-Aizpurua, Leyre; Arora, Harleen; Kallis, Penelope J; Patel, Shailee; Damanpour, Shadi; Sanchez, Margaret I; Yin, Natalie; Chan, Aegean; Sanchez, Miguel; Polsky, David; Kanavy, Holly; Grichnik, James M; Stein, Jennifer A

    2016-04-01

    Acral lentiginous melanoma has increased mortality compared with other melanoma subtypes and disproportionately affects ethnic minorities. Acral melanocytic lesions have not been well studied in diverse populations of the United States. We sought to assess the prevalence, awareness, and dermoscopic patterns of acral melanocytic lesions in skin-of-color and non-Hispanic white patients. We prospectively examined the palms and soles of 1052 patients presenting to dermatology clinics in New York, NY, and Miami, FL, from October 2013 to April 2015. Acral melanocytic lesions were observed in 36% of our cohort. Skin-of-color patients were more likely to have acral melanocytic lesions than non-Hispanic white patients (P < .01). Acral melanocytic lesions correlated with increased mole counts, particularly on non-Hispanic white patients. The majority of lesions demonstrated benign dermoscopic patterns. We observed 2 lesions with the parallel ridge pattern in our cohort, both found to be atypical nevi on biopsy specimen. Patients often lacked awareness of the presence of their lesions. Interobserver variability in assessing dermoscopic patterns is a limitation. Melanocytic lesions of the palms and soles are common, particularly in a cohort of multiple ethnicities from the United States. Dermoscopy of acral lesions is an important clinical tool for diagnosis and management of these lesions. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. A case of melanocytic cervical adenosquamous carcinoma complicated with Cushing's syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y; Zhang, Y; Wang, L; Yang, X

    2017-01-01

    To date, cervical carcinoma complicated with Cushing's syndrome were all diagnosed as small cell carcinoma histo- logically, but not adenosquamous carcinoma. Here the authors present the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of a case of melanocytic cervical adenosquamous carcinoma complicated with Cushing's syndrome. A 28-year-old woman was admitted with the chief complaint of post-coital bleeding for one month. Gynecological examination revealed a nodular yellowish-pigmented vegetation (6x5 cm) on the cervix. Laboratory findings proved the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. Histopathological diagnosis showed the adenosquamous carcinoma with melanoma differentiation. Immunohistochemical stainings for melanoma A and anti- adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were positive in the majority of the tumor cells, which indicated that this melanocytic cervical carcinoma lesion was the source of ectopic ACTH production resulting in Cushing's syndrome. This is a unique case of a rare type of cervical carcinoma.

  5. Fermentation of glycolate by a pure culture of a strictly anaerobic gram-positive bacterium belonging to the family Lachnospiraceae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janssen, Peter H; Hugenholtz, Philip

    2003-05-01

    The component bacteria of a three-membered mixed culture able to ferment glycolate to acetate, propionate and CO(2) were isolated in pure culture. All three strains were strict anaerobes that, on the basis of comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, belonged to the order Clostridiales in the phylum Firmicutes (low G+C gram-positive bacteria). Two of the strains were not involved in glycolate metabolism. The third, the glycolate-fermenting strain 19gly4 (DSM 11261), was related to members of the family Lachnospiraceae. The cells of strain 19gly4 were oval- to lemon-shaped, 0.85 microm long and 0.65 microm in diameter, occurring singly, in pairs, or in chains of up to 30 cells. Strain 19gly4 fermented glycolate or fumarate to acetate, succinate, and CO(2). Hydrogen was not formed, and strain 19gly4 was able to grow on glycolate in pure culture without any syntrophic hydrogen transfer and without the use of an external electron acceptor. There was no evidence for homoacetogenic metabolism. This bacterium therefore differs in metabolism from previously reported glycolate-utilising anaerobes.

  6. Comparative cytogenetic characterization of primary canine melanocytic lesions using array CGH and fluorescence in situ hybridization

    OpenAIRE

    Poorman, Kelsey; Borst, Luke; Moroff, Scott; Roy, Siddharth; Labelle, Philippe; Motsinger-Reif, Alison; Breen, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    Melanocytic lesions originating from the oral mucosa or cutaneous epithelium are common in the general dog population, with up to 100,000 diagnoses each year in the USA. Oral melanoma is the most frequent canine neoplasm of the oral cavity, exhibiting a highly aggressive course. Cutaneous melanocytomas occur frequently, but rarely develop into a malignant form. Despite the differential prognosis, it has been assumed that subtypes of melanocytic lesions represent the same disease. To address t...

  7. Simplified non-cultured non-trypsinised epidermal cell graft technique followed by psoralen and ultraviolet a light therapy for stable vitiligo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilip Kachhawa

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: Stable vitiligo can be treated by various surgical procedures. Non-cultured melanocyte grafting techniques were developed to overcome the time-consuming process of culture while at the same time providing acceptable results. All the techniques using non-cultured melanocyte transfer involve trypsinisation as an integral step. Jodhpur technique used by the author is autologous, non-cultured, non-trypsinised, epidermal cell grafting. Settings and Design: The study was conducted on patients visiting the dermatology outpatient department of a tertiary health centre in Western Rajasthan. Materials and Methods: At the donor site, mupirocin ointment was applied and dermabrasion was done with the help of micromotor dermabrader till pinpoint bleeding was seen. The paste-like material obtained by this procedure containing melanocytes and keratinocytes admixed with the ointment base was harvested with spatula and was subsequently spread over the recipient area. Recipient site was prepared in the same manner by dermabrasion. After 10 days, dressing at both sites was removed taking utmost care at the recipient site as there was a theoretical risk of dislodging epidermal cells. Results: In a study of 437 vitiligo patches, more than 75% re-pigmentation (excellent improvement was seen in 41% of the patches. Lesions on thigh (100%, face (75% and trunk (50% showed maximal excellent improvement, whereas patches on joints and acral areas did not show much improvement. Conclusions: This technique is a simplified, cost effective, less time-consuming alternative to other techniques which involve tryspsinisation of melanocytes and at the same time provides satisfactory uniform pigmentation.

  8. Intracranial melanocytic meningeal tumours and melanosis oculi: case report and literature review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doglietto, Francesco; Colosimo, Cesare; Lauriola, Libero; Balducci, Mario; De Bonis, Pasquale; Montano, Nicola; Zadeh, Gelareh; Maira, Giulio; Pallini, Roberto

    2012-01-01

    Melanocytic meningeal tumours are rare extra-axial neoplasms of the nervous system, with only three reported cases in the cavernous sinus. Herein we describe for the first time the association of ocular melanosis and multiple intracranial melanocytic meningeal tumours, with the presenting lesion being in the cavernous sinus. The importance of this association is discussed together with the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of the case. A 20-year-old man presented with a left sixth cranial nerve deficit; general examination documented only congenital melanosis of the homolateral eye. MRI examination showed a space occupying lesion in the left cavernous sinus, which was followed conservatively for 2 years, until a new space occupying lesion was evident at the level of the right frontal convexity: both lesions presented with neuroradiological characteristics suggestive of melanin content. The frontal convexity lesion was removed: intraoperatively the dura was markedly and diffusely melanotic. Histological examination documented a melanocytic meningeal tumour, with a proliferative index of 3 %. The patient underwent 3D-Conformal Radiation Therapy on the lesion of the cavernous sinus (total dose 5040 cGy), with initial tumour reduction. Three years later, due to a symptomatic growth, he underwent partial removal of the lesion in the cavernous sinus. Histological examination was unchanged. He then received adjuvant Temozolomide with Low Dose Fractionated Radiation Therapy (LD-FRT). Due to further disease progression cisplatin plus fotemustine were administered, concomitant with LD-FRT: after two cycles MRI documented significant disease regression. After a period of apparent disease control, the patient presented with persistent cough and evidence of multiple thoracic metastases, which lead to his death, seven years after presentation. Intracranial melanocytic meningeal tumours are challenging lesions, both from a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view; though rare

  9. Loss of Oca2 disrupts the unfolded protein response and increases resistance to endoplasmic reticulum stress in melanocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Tsing; Orlow, Seth J; Manga, Prashiela

    2013-11-01

    Accumulation of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) typically induces stress and initiates the unfolded protein response (UPR) to facilitate recovery. If homeostasis is not restored, apoptosis is induced. However, adaptation to chronic UPR activation can increase resistance to subsequent acute ER stress. We therefore investigated adaptive mechanisms in Oculocutaneous albinism type 2 (Oca2)-null melanocytes where UPR signaling is arrested despite continued tyrosinase accumulation leading to resistance to the chemical ER stressor thapsigargin. Although thapsigargin triggers UPR activation, instead of Perk-mediated phosphorylation of eIF2α, in Oca2-null melanocytes, eIF2α was rapidly dephosphorylated upon treatment. Dephosphorylation was mediated by the Gadd34-PP1α phosphatase complex. Gadd34-complex inhibition blocked eIF2α dephosphorylation and significantly increased Oca2-null melanocyte sensitivity to thapsigargin. Thus, Oca2-null melanocytes adapt to acute ER stress by disruption of pro-apoptotic Perk signaling, which promotes cell survival. This is the first study to demonstrate rapid eIF2α dephosphorylation as an adaptive mechanism to ER stress. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Behandling og håndtering af kongenitte melanocytære naevi

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahn, Kamille-Amalie; Hædersdal, Merete; Schmidt, Grethe

    2016-01-01

    Congenital melanocytic naevi (CMN) appear in approximately 2.6% of Caucasians. There is a major demand for treatment but no vital indication. Laser therapy, curettage and excision are available treatment modalities, but there is no ideal treatment with documented long-term effect and without side...

  11. Giant melanocytic nevus with malignant melanoma: a rare disorder in a black African child.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katibi, Oludolapo Sherifat; Ogunbiyi, Adebola; Brown, Biobele Jotham; Adeyemi, Oyedeji Oladele

    2014-10-01

    Giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN) is rare in babies of African descent. Unfortunately, it has an increased potential for malignant transformation. A 3-year-old female child presented with a 6-month history of multiple nodules on an existing giant congenital melanocytic nevus and swelling in the right axilla of four weeks duration. Skin biopsy of the nodular skin lesions was in keeping with a metastatic malignant melanoma (Clark stage 4). She completed a full course of chemotherapy but subsequently died four months after presentation. Patients with large GCMN should be counseled and followed up appropriately to improve and prolong life. © 2014 The International Society of Dermatology.

  12. Ocular Albinism Type 1 Regulates Melanogenesis in Mouse Melanocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tianzhi Chen

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available To investigate whether ocular albinism type 1 (OA1 is differentially expressed in the skin of mice with different coat colors and to determine its correlation with coat color establishment in mouse, the expression patterns and tissue distribution characterization of OA1 in the skin of mice with different coat colors were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that OA1 mRNA was expressed in all mice skin samples tested, with the highest expression level in brown skin, a moderate expression level in black skin and the lowest expression level in gray skin. Positive OA1 protein bands were also detected in all skin samples by Western blot analysis. The relative expression levels of OA1 protein in both black and brown skin were significantly higher than that in gray skin, but there was no significant difference between black and brown mice. Immunofluorescence assays revealed that OA1 was mainly expressed in the hair follicle matrix, the inner and outer root sheath in the skin tissues with different coat colors. To get further insight into the important role of OA1 in the melanocytes’ pigmentation, we transfected the OA1 into mouse melanocytes and then detected the relative expression levels of pigmentation-related gene. Simultaneously, we tested the melanin content of melanocytes. As a result, the overexpression of OA1 significantly increased the expression levels of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF, tyrosinase (TYR, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1 and premelanosome protein (PMEL. However, the tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2 level was attenuated. By contrast, the level of glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein b (GPNMB was unaffected by OA1 overexpression. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in melanin content in mouse melanocyte transfected OA1. Therefore, we propose that OA1 may

  13. Aspirin reduces serum anti-melanocyte antibodies and soluble interleukin-2 receptors in vitiligo patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zailaie, Mohamad Z.

    2005-01-01

    Increased serum levels of certain immunologic markers including immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-melanocyte/ vitiligo antibodies (V-IgG) and soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R) are associated with augmented humoral and cellular immunity involved in melanocyte cytotoxicity during the active phase of non-segmental vitiligo. Recent reports have shown that, aspirin possesses a wide range of immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of long-term treatment of vitiligo patients with low-dose oral aspirin on serum V-IgG activity and sIL-2R concentration. The present study was carried out at the Vitiligo Unit, King Abdul-Aziz University Medical Center, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between March and October 2003. Eighteen female and 14 male patients with a recent onset of non-segmental vitiligo were divided into 2 equal groups. One group received a daily single dose of oral aspirin (300 mg) and the second group received only placebo for a period of 12 weeks. Serum V-IgG activity and sIL-2R concentration were determined before and at the end of treatment period. The V-IgG activity was measured using cellular enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) following incubation of IgG antibodies with an adult cultured melanocytes. Serum sIL-2R concentration was measured using the highly sensitive quantitative sandwich ELISA utilizing a commercially available kit. As expected, the serum V-IgG activity and sIL-2R concentration of the active vitiligo patients (0.81 +/- 0.23 optical density (O.D.), 1428 +/- 510 pg/ml) were significantly increased compared with that of controls (0.27 +/- 0.1 O.D., 846 +/- 312 pg/ml; p<0.05, p<0.01). Aspirin-treated vitiligo patients showed significant decrease in serum V-IgG activity and sIL-2R concentration (0.32 +/- 0.08 O.D., 756 +/- 216 pg/ml) compared with that of placebo-treated patients (0.83 +/- 0.19 O.D., 1327 +/- 392 pg/ml; p<0.01). Low-dose oral aspirin treatment of

  14. Significance of the Melanocortin 1 and Endothelin B Receptors in Melanocyte Homeostasis and Prevention of Sun-Induced Genotoxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zalfa A. Abdel-Malek

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The membrane bound melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R, and the endothelin B receptor (ENDBR are two G-protein coupled receptors that play important roles in constitutive regulation of melanocytes and their response to ultraviolet radiation (UVR, the main etiological factor for melanoma. The human MC1R is a Gs protein-coupled receptor, which is activated by its agonists α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-melanocortin; α-MSH and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH. The ENDBR is a Gq coupled-receptor, which is activated by Endothelin (ET-3 during embryonic development, and ET-1 postnatally. Pigmentation and the DNA repair capacity are two major factors that determine the risk for melanoma. Activation of the MC1R by its agonists stimulates the synthesis of eumelanin, the dark brown photoprotective pigment. In vitro studies showed that α-MSH and ET-1 interact synergistically in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF to stimulate human melanocyte proliferation and melanogenesis, and to inhibit UVR-induced apoptosis. An important function of the MC1R is reduction of oxidative stress and activation of DNA repair pathways. The human MC1R is highly polymorphic, and MC1R variants, particularly those that cause loss of function of the expressed receptor, are associated with increased melanoma risk independently of pigmentation. These variants compromise the DNA repair and antioxidant capacities of human melanocytes. Recently, activation of ENDBR by ET-1 was reported to reduce the induction and enhance the repair of UVR-induced DNA photoproducts. We conclude that α-MSH and ET-1 and their cognate receptors MC1R and ENDBR reduce the risk for melanoma by maintaining genomic stability of melanocytes via modulating the DNA damage response to solar UVR. Elucidating the response of melanocytes to UVR should improve our understanding of the process of melanomagenesis, and lead to effective melanoma chemoprevention, as well as therapeutic strategies.

  15. Loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine correlates with increasing morphologic dysplasia in melanocytic tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Allison R; Dresser, Karen A; Zhan, Qian; Lezcano, Cecilia; Woda, Bruce A; Yosufi, Benafsha; Thompson, John F; Scolyer, Richard A; Mihm, Martin C; Shi, Yujiang G; Murphy, George F; Lian, Christine Guo

    2014-07-01

    DNA methylation is the most well-studied epigenetic modification in cancer biology. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine is an epigenetic mark that can be converted from 5-methylcytosine by the ten-eleven translocation gene family. We recently reported the loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in melanoma compared with benign nevi and suggested that loss of this epigenetic marker is correlated with tumor virulence based on its association with a worse prognosis. In this study, we further characterize the immunoreactivity patterns of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the full spectrum of melanocytic lesions to further validate the potential practical application of this epigenetic marker. One hundred and seventy-five cases were evaluated: 18 benign nevi, 20 dysplastic nevi (10 low-grade and 10 high-grade lesions), 10 atypical Spitz nevi, 20 borderline tumors, 5 melanomas arising within nevi, and 102 primary melanomas. Progressive loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine from benign dermal nevi to high-grade dysplastic nevi to borderline melanocytic neoplasms to melanoma was observed. In addition, an analysis of the relationship of nuclear diameter with 5-hydroxymethylcytosine staining intensity within lesional cells revealed a significant correlation between larger nuclear diameter and decreased levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. Furthermore, borderline lesions uniquely exhibited a diverse spectrum of staining of each individual case. This study further substantiates the association of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine loss with dysplastic cytomorphologic features and tumor progression and supports the classification of borderline lesions as a biologically distinct category of melanocytic lesions.

  16. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 Stimulate Melanogenesis in Human Epidermal Melanocytes via PKA/CREB/MITF Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mao Lin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Reduced or defective melanin skin pigmentation may cause many hypopigmentation disorders and increase the risk of damage to the skin triggered by UV irradiation. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 have many molecular targets including the cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB, which is involved in melanogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 on melanogenesis in human melanocytes and their related mechanisms. The effects of Rb1 and Rg1 on cell viability, tyrosinase activity, cellular melanin content and protein levels of tyrosinase, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF, and activation of CREB in melanocytes were assessed. Results showed that Rb1 or Rg1 significantly increased cellular melanin content and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. By contrast, the cell viability of melanocytes remained unchanged. After exposure to Rb1 or Rg1, the protein levels of tyrosinase, MITF, and phosphorylated CREB were significantly increased. Furthermore, pretreatment with the selective PKA inhibitor H-89 significantly blocked the Rb1- or Rg1-induced increase of melanin content. These findings indicated that Rb1 and Rg1 increased melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity in human melanocytes, which was associated with activation of PKA/CREB/MITF signaling. The effects and mechanisms of Rb1 or Rg1 on skin pigmentation deserve further study.

  17. Label-Free Imaging of Female Genital Tract Melanocytic Lesions With Pump-Probe Microscopy: A Promising Diagnostic Tool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robles, Francisco E; Deb, Sanghamitra; Fischer, Martin C; Warren, Warren S; Selim, Maria Angelica

    2017-04-01

    Melanomas of the female genital tract present a unique clinical challenge. Not only are these lesions in an anatomically sensitive area, but also they tend to be multifocal and have high recurrence rates. Furthermore, several benign melanocytic proliferations resemble early-stage melanoma clinically and/or histopathologically. Thus, there is a significant need for additional tools that can help correctly diagnose and stage these lesions. Here, we quantitatively and nondestructively analyze the chemical composition of melanin in excised pigmented lesions of the female genital tract using pump-probe microscopy, a high-resolution optical imaging technique that is sensitive to many biochemical properties of melanin. Thirty-one thin (~5 μm) tissue sections previously excised from female genital tract melanocytic lesions were imaged with pump-probe microscopy and analyzed. We find significant quantitative differences in melanin type and structure between melanoma and nonmalignant melanocytic proliferations. Our analysis also suggests a link between the molecular signatures of melanins and lesion-specific genetic mutations. Finally, significant differences are found between metastatic and nonmetastatic melanomas. The limitations of this work include the fact that molecular information is restricted to melanin pigment and the sample size is relatively small. Pump-probe microscopy provides unique information regarding the biochemical composition of genital tract melanocytic lesions, which can be used to improve the diagnosis and staging of vulvar melanomas.

  18. NEAR-INFRARED AUTOFLUORESCENCE IN BILATERAL DIFFUSE UVEAL MELANOCYTIC PROLIFERATION ASSOCIATED WITH ESOPHAGEAL CARCINOMA AND CHOROIDAL METASTASIS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golshahi, Azadeh; Bornfeld, Norbert; Weinitz, Silke; Kellner, Ulrich

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the advantage of near-infrared autofluorescence (787 nm) for the detection of melanocytic lesions in a patient with bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation in association with esophageal carcinoma complicated by most likely unilateral choroidal metastasis. In this retrospective case report, a 55-year-old woman referred for the evaluation of sudden visual loss underwent normal ophthalmological evaluation and, in addition, was examined with near-infrared reflectance, near-infrared autofluorescence, fundus autofluorescence (Heidelberg Retina Angiograph II [HRA2; Heidelberg Engineering]), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis OCT; Heidelberg Engineering), and multifocal electroretinography (RetiScan; Roland Consult). The patient had been diagnosed with esophageal carcinoma 3 months before the onset of visual symptoms. The visual acuity was 20/40 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Bilateral patchy melanocytic proliferation was detected on ophthalmoscopy. The extent of lesions was best detected with near-infrared reflectance and near-infrared autofluorescence, whereas fundus autofluorescence and spectral domain optical coherence tomography did not reveal alterations of the outer retina or retinal pigment epithelium in this early stage of bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation. The right eye showed in addition to the findings on the left eye choroidal folds in the fovea and an elevated lesion inferotemporal of the fovea suspicious of a choroidal metastasis. In the B-scan ultrasonography, a homogenous lesion was seen. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography demonstrated a mild accumulation of subretinal fluid adjacent to and over the choroidal metastasis. Transretinal biopsy of this elevated lesion revealed a low differentiated carcinoma of squamous epithelium, compatible with choroidal metastasis of the esophageal carcinoma. The choroidal metastasis increased within 3 months after the first visit. The

  19. Infrared A radiation promotes survival of human melanocytes carrying ultraviolet radiation-induced DNA damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimeswenger, Susanne; Schwarz, Agatha; Födinger, Dagmar; Müller, Susanne; Pehamberger, Hubert; Schwarz, Thomas; Jantschitsch, Christian

    2016-06-01

    The link between solar radiation and melanoma is still elusive. Although infrared radiation (IR) accounts for over 50% of terrestrial solar energy, its influence on human skin is not well explored. There is increasing evidence that IR influences the expression patterns of several molecules independently of heat. A previous in vivo study revealed that pretreatment with IR might promote the development of UVR-induced non-epithelial skin cancer and possibly of melanoma in mice. To expand on this, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of IR on UVR-induced apoptosis and DNA repair in normal human epidermal melanocytes. The balance between these two effects is a key factor of malignant transformation. Human melanocytes were exposed to physiologic doses of IR and UVR. Compared to cells irradiated with UVR only, simultaneous exposure to IR significantly reduced the apoptotic rate. However, IR did not influence the repair of UVR-induced DNA damage. IR partly reversed the pro-apoptotic effects of UVR via modification of the expression and activity of proteins mainly of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, IR enhances the survival of melanocytes carrying UVR-induced DNA damage and thereby might contribute to melanomagenesis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Relative contributions of decay accelerating factor (DAF), membrane cofactor protein (MCP) and CD59 in the protection of melanocytes from homologous complement

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Venneker, G. T.; Vodegel, R. M.; Okada, N.; Westerhof, W.; Bos, J. D.; Asghar, S. S.

    1998-01-01

    Complement regulatory molecules, membrane cofactor protein (MCP), decay accelerating factor (DAF) and CD59, protect body cells from autologous complement. They have wide tissue distribution but nothing is known about the expression of these molecules on human melanocytes. Since melanocytes are lysed

  1. Using Pure Cultures to Define the Site Preference of Nitrous Oxide Produced by Microbial Nitrification and Denitrification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutka, R. L.; Breznak, J. A.; Ostrom, N. E.; Ostrom, P. H.; Gandhi, H.

    2004-12-01

    Defining the site preference of nitrous oxide (N2O) produced in pure culture studies is crucial to interpreting field data. We have previously demonstrated that the intramolecular distribution of nitrogen isotopes (isotopomers) can be used to differentiate N2O produced by nitrifier denitrification and nitrification in cultures of Nitrosomonas europaea. Here, we have expanded on our initial results and evaluated the isotopomeric composition of N2O produced during nitrification and nitrifier denitrification with cultures of Nitrosospira multiformis. In addition, we have analyzed N2O produced during methanotrophic nitrification, denitrification, and fungal denitrification. To evaluate N2O production during nitrification and nitrifier denitrification, we compared the site preference of N2O formed as a result of nitrite reduction and hydroxylamine oxidation with Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrosospira multiformis. The average site preference of N2O produced by hydroxylamine oxidation was similar for Nitrosomonas europaea (33.0 ± 3.5 ‰ ) and Nitrosospira multiformis (33.1 ± 4.2 ‰ ). Nitrous oxide produced by nitrifier-denitrification by Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrosospira multiformis had a similar site preference of - 1.4 ± 4.4 ‰ and - 1.1 ± 2.6 ‰ respectively. The results indicate that it is possible to differentiate between N2O produced by nitrite reduction and hydroxylamine oxidation by ammonia oxidizing bacteria. Methanotrophic nitrification was evaluated by analyzing the N2O produced during hydroxylamine oxidation in concentrated cell suspensions of two methane oxidizing bacteria. The site preference of N2O produced by the two methane oxidizers, Methylococcus capsulatus Bath and Methylosinus trichosporium was 31.8 ± 4.7 ‰ and 33.0 ± 4.5 ‰ respectively. The results indicate that a site preference of 33 ‰ is applicable for nitrification regardless of whether a methane oxidizer or ammonia oxidizer is involved in the reaction. To determine the site

  2. Blood Supply--Susceptible Formation of Melanin Pigment in Hair Bulb Melanocytes of Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shogo Maeda, MD

    2015-03-01

    Conclusions: Melanin pigment formation in the hair bulb melanocytes appeared to be susceptible to the blood supply, and melanocytosis was promoted in the follicles and in the epidermis of Kitl-Tg C57BL/6 mice.

  3. UVB-Stimulated TNFα Release from Human Melanocyte and Melanoma Cells Is Mediated by p38 MAPK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Visalini Muthusamy

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Ultraviolet (UV radiation activates cell signaling pathways in melanocytes. As a result of altered signaling pathways and UV-induced cellular damage, melanocytes can undergo oncogenesis and develop into melanomas. In this study, we investigated the effect of UV-radiation on p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase, JNK and NFκB pathways to determine which plays a major role in stimulating TNFα secretion in human HEM (melanocytes and MM96L (melanoma cells. MM96L cells exhibited 3.5-fold higher p38 activity than HEM cells at 5 min following UVA + B radiation and 1.6-fold higher JNK activity at 15–30 min following UVB+A radiation, while NFκB was minimally activated in both cells. Irradiated HEM cells had the greatest fold of TNFα secretion (UVB: 109-fold, UVA + B: 103-fold & UVB+A: 130-fold when co-exposed to IL1α. The p38 inhibitor, SB202190, inhibited TNFα release by 93% from UVB-irradiated HEM cells. In the UVB-irradiated MM96L cells, both SB202190 and sulfasalazine (NFκB inhibitor inhibited TNFα release by 52%. Although, anisomycin was a p38 MAPK activator, it inhibited TNFα release in UV-irradiated cells. This suggests that UV-mediated TNFα release may occur via different p38 pathway intermediates compared to those stimulated by anisomycin. As such, further studies into the functional role p38 MAPK plays in regulating TNFα release in UV-irradiated melanocyte-derived cells are warranted.

  4. Aging and senescence of skin cells in culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rattan, Suresh

    2015-01-01

    Studying age-related changes in the physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of isolated skin cell populations in culture has greatly expanded the understanding of the fundamental aspects of skin aging. The three main cell types that have been studied extensively with respect to cellular...... aging in vitro are dermal fibroblasts, epidermal keratinocytes, and melanocytes. Serial subcultivation of normal diploid skin cells can be performed only a limited number of times, and the emerging senescent phenotype can be categorized into structural, physiological, biochemical, and molecular...... phenotypes, which can be used as biomarkers of cellular aging in vitro. The rate and phenotype of aging are different in different cell types. There are both common features and specific features of aging of skin fibroblasts, keratinocytes, melanocytes, and other cell types. A progressive accumulation...

  5. MicroRNA expression in melanocytic nevi: the usefulness of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material for miRNA microarray profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glud, Martin; Klausen, Mikkel; Gniadecki, Robert; Rossing, Maria; Hastrup, Nina; Nielsen, Finn C; Drzewiecki, Krzysztof T

    2009-05-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules that regulate cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. MiRNAs are expressed in a developmentally regulated and tissue-specific manner. Aberrant expression may contribute to pathological processes such as cancer, and miRNA may therefore serve as biomarkers that may be useful in a clinical environment for diagnosis of various diseases. Most miRNA profiling studies have used fresh tissue samples. However, in some types of cancer, including malignant melanoma, fresh material is difficult to obtain from primary tumors, and most surgical specimens are formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE). To explore whether FFPE material would be suitable for miRNA profiling in melanocytic lesions, we compared miRNA expression patterns in FFPE versus fresh frozen samples, obtained from 15 human melanocytic nevi. Out of microarray data, we identified 84 miRNAs that were expressed in both types of samples and represented an miRNA profile of melanocytic nevi. Our results showed a high correlation in miRNA expression (Spearman r-value of 0.80) between paired FFPE and fresh frozen material. The data were further validated by quantitative RT-PCR. In conclusion, FFPE specimens of melanocytic lesions are suitable as a source for miRNA microarray profiling.

  6. Spontaneous regression of a congenital melanocytic nevus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amiya Kumar Nath

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN may rarely regress which may also be associated with a halo or vitiligo. We describe a 10-year-old girl who presented with CMN on the left leg since birth, which recently started to regress spontaneously with associated depigmentation in the lesion and at a distant site. Dermoscopy performed at different sites of the regressing lesion demonstrated loss of epidermal pigments first followed by loss of dermal pigments. Histopathology and Masson-Fontana stain demonstrated lymphocytic infiltration and loss of pigment production in the regressing area. Immunohistochemistry staining (S100 and HMB-45, however, showed that nevus cells were present in the regressing areas.

  7. Melanocytes from patients affected by Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy and Bethlem myopathy have dysfunctional mitochondria that can be rescued with cyclophilin inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra eZulian

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy and Bethlem myopathy are caused by mutations in collagen VI genes, which encode an extracellular matrix protein; yet mitochondria play a major role in disease pathogenesis through a short circuit caused by inappropriate opening of the permeability transition pore, a high conductance channel which causes a shortage in ATP production. We find that melanocytes do not produce collagen VI yet they bind it at the cell surface, suggesting that this protein may play a trophic role and that its absence may cause lesions similar to those seen in skeletal muscle. We show that mitochondria in melanocytes of Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy and Bethlem myooathy patients display increased size, reduced matrix density and disrupted cristae, findings that suggest a functional impairment. In keeping with this hypothesis, mitochondria (i underwent anomalous depolarization after inhibition of the F-ATP synthase with oligomycin, and (ii displayed decreased respiratory reserve capacity. The non-immunosuppressive cyclophilin inhibitor NIM811 prevented mitochondrial depolarization in response to oligomycin in melanocytes from both Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy and Bethlem myopathy patients, and partially restored the respiratory reserve of melanocytes from one Bethlem myopathy patient. These results match our recent findings on melanocytes from patients affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Pellegrini et al., 2013 Melanocytes--a novel tool to study mitochondrial dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J Cell Physiol 228, 1323-1331, and suggest that skin biopsies may represent a minimally invasive tool to investigate mitochondrial dysfunction and to evaluate drug efficacy in collagen VI-related myopathies and possibly in other muscle wasting conditions like aging sarcopenia.

  8. Identifying yeast isolated from spoiled peach puree and assessment of its batch culture for invertase production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcela Vega FERREIRA

    Full Text Available Abstract The identification of yeasts isolated from spoiled Jubileu peach puree using the API 20C AUX method and a commercial yeast as witness were studied. Subsequently, the yeast’s growth potential using two batch culture treatments were performed to evaluate number of colonies (N, reducing sugar concentration (RS, free-invertase (FI, and culture-invertase activity (CI. Stock cultures were maintained on potato dextrose agar (PDA slants at 4 °C and pH 5 for later use for batch-culture (150 rpm at 30°C for 24 h, then they were stored at 4 °C for subsequent invertase extraction. The FI extract was obtained using NaHCO3 as autolysis agent, and CI activity was determined on the supernatant after batch-cultured centrifugation. The activity was followed by an increase in absorbance at 490 nm using the acid 3,5-DNS method with glucose standard. Of the four yeasts identified, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was chosen for legal reasons. It showed logarithmic growth up to 18 h of fermentation with positive correlation CI activity and inverse with RS. FI showed greater activity by the end of the log phase and an inverse correlation with CI activity. Finally, it was concluded that treatment “A” is more effective than “B” to produce invertase (EC 3.2.1.26.

  9. Gene Duplication of the zebrafish kit ligand and partitioning of melanocyte development functions to kit ligand a.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith A Hultman

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The retention of particular genes after the whole genome duplication in zebrafish has given insights into how genes may evolve through partitioning of ancestral functions. We examine the partitioning of expression patterns and functions of two zebrafish kit ligands, kit ligand a (kitla and kit ligand b (kitlb, and discuss their possible coevolution with the duplicated zebrafish kit receptors (kita and kitb. In situ hybridizations show that kitla mRNA is expressed in the trunk adjacent to the notochord in the middle of each somite during stages of melanocyte migration and later expressed in the skin, when the receptor is required for melanocyte survival. kitla is also expressed in other regions complementary to kita receptor expression, including the pineal gland, tail bud, and ear. In contrast, kitlb mRNA is expressed in brain ventricles, ear, and cardinal vein plexus, in regions generally not complementary to either zebrafish kit receptor ortholog. However, like kitla, kitlb is expressed in the skin during stages consistent with melanocyte survival. Thus, it appears that kita and kitla have maintained congruent expression patterns, while kitb and kitlb have evolved divergent expression patterns. We demonstrate the interaction of kita and kitla by morpholino knockdown analysis. kitla morphants, but not kitlb morphants, phenocopy the null allele of kita, with defects for both melanocyte migration and survival. Furthermore, kitla morpholino, but not kitlb morpholino, interacts genetically with a sensitized allele of kita, confirming that kitla is the functional ligand to kita. Last, we examine kitla overexpression in embryos, which results in hyperpigmentation caused by an increase in the number and size of melanocytes. This hyperpigmentation is dependent on kita function. We conclude that following genome duplication, kita and kitla have maintained their receptor-ligand relationship, coevolved complementary expression patterns, and that

  10. Topical application of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene results in the generation of multiple melanocytic nevi in C3H/HeN mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elmets, Craig A.; Yusuf, Nabiha; Hamza, Sate; Iranikakh, Nasser; Smith, Jeffrey; Volk, Andrea L.; Skelton, Henry; Smith, Kathy

    2004-01-01

    Melanocytic nevi are a common dermatological problem for which there are few in vivo models. It has been postulated that environmental factors contribute to their development. Experiments were therefore conducted to determine whether application of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to the skin of mice would result in the development of melanocytic nevi. One hundred microliters of a 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1.0% solution of DMBA was applied to the dorsal skin of C3H/HeN mice. The mice were then observed for the appearance of pigmented lesions. Histological examination revealed perifollicular accumulations of nevus cells, which were S-100-protein and HMB-45-positive, confirming their melanocytic origin. Pigmented lesions did not occur in animals treated with vehicle alone. Dose response studies revealed both greater numbers of nevi and lesions with larger diameters as the dose of DMBA was increased from 0.1% to 0.5%. In no instance was an invasive melanoma observed even after 40 weeks. The fact that melanocytic nevi can be produced by topical application of DMBA suggests that xenobiotics may play a previously unrecognized role in the development of this common benign neoplasm. Because this is one of the only animal models for melanocytic nevi, further examination of this model may facilitate identification of the molecular and biochemical mechanisms that lead to the development of pigmented nevi and the factors that promote their evolution into invasive melanomas

  11. Melanosomes are transferred from melanocytes to keratinocytes through the processes of packaging, release, uptake, and dispersion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ando, Hideya; Niki, Yoko; Ito, Masaaki; Akiyama, Kaoru; Matsui, Mary S; Yarosh, Daniel B; Ichihashi, Masamitsu

    2012-04-01

    Recent studies have described the role of shedding vesicles as physiological conveyers of intracellular components between neighboring cells. Here we report that melanosomes are one example of shedding vesicle cargo, but are processed by a previously unreported mechanism. Pigment globules were observed to be connected to the filopodia of melanocyte dendrites, which have previously been shown to be conduits for melanosomes. Pigment globules containing multiple melanosomes were released from various areas of the dendrites of normal human melanocytes derived from darkly pigmented skin. The globules were then captured by the microvilli of normal human keratinocytes, also derived from darkly pigmented skin, which incorporated them in a protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2)-dependent manner. After the pigment globules were ingested by the keratinocytes, the membrane that surrounded each melanosome cluster was gradually degraded, and the individual melanosomes then spread into the cytosol and were distributed primarily in the perinuclear area of each keratinocyte. These results suggest a melanosome transfer pathway wherein melanosomes are transferred from melanocytes to keratinocytes via the shedding vesicle system. This packaging system generates pigment globules containing multiple melanosomes in a unique manner.

  12. Pseudomelanocytic nests mimicking atypical melanocytic proliferations: first reported cases in the oral cavity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boros, Audrey L; Handlers, Janice P; Melrose, Raymond J

    2014-10-01

    The concept of pseudomelanocytic nests has been recently described in the dermatology literature. To our knowledge, this entity has yet to be published in the oral pathology literature. We report 2 cases with features of pseudomelanocytic nests. In both instances, nests of cells suspicious for melanocytes were observed. Interpretation of melan-A was negative. Both cases showed strong and diffuse immunoreactivity of the nested cells to CD68. This immunohistochemical staining pattern is most consistent with a melanophage identity. Pseudomelanocytic nests are a recently described entity that represents a potential diagnostic pitfall. Distinguishing pseudomelanocytic nests from an authentic atypical melanocytic proliferation can be challenging and is important for appropriate patient management. Clinicopathologic correlation with cautious interpretation of immunohistochemistry may be necessary to arrive at the correct diagnosis. These cases represent the first reports of pseudomelanocytic nests in the oral pathology literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Analytical validation of a melanoma diagnostic gene signature using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded melanocytic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warf, M Bryan; Flake, Darl D; Adams, Doug; Gutin, Alexander; Kolquist, Kathryn A; Wenstrup, Richard J; Roa, Benjamin B

    2015-01-01

    These studies were to validate the analytical performance of a gene expression signature that differentiates melanoma and nevi, using RNA expression from 14 signature genes and nine normalization genes that generates a melanoma diagnostic score (MDS). Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded melanocytic lesions were evaluated in these studies. The overall SD of the assay was determined to be 0.69 MDS units. Individual amplicons within the signature had an average amplification efficiency of 92% and a SD less than 0.5 CT. The MDS was reproducible across a 2000-fold dilution range of input RNA. Melanin, an inhibitor of PCR, does not interfere with the signature. These studies indicate this signature is robust and reproducible and is analytically validated on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded melanocytic lesions.

  14. Abundance of the benign melanocytic universe: Dermoscopic-histopathological correlation in nevi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woltsche, Nora; Schmid-Zalaudek, Karin; Deinlein, Teresa; Rammel, Katrin; Hofmann-Wellenhof, Rainer; Zalaudek, Iris

    2017-05-01

    The broad universe of "melanocytic nevi" includes a variety of different subtypes, which can be classified either due to their morphology, epidemiology, genetic alterations or risk for developing melanoma. Regarding morphology, on the one hand macroscopic/clinical and on the other hand histopathological appearance were used to subdivide in the past, often resulting in confusion and poor interobserver agreement, while nowadays dermoscopy presents the clinician's precious bridge between naked-eye examination and histopathological diagnostics, allowing prediction of the lesions' histopathology, follow up and monitoring over time without need of excision. The non-invasive dermoscopic examination relies on the assessment of colors, patterns and the distribution of both within a cutaneous lesion. Until today, the correspondence of certain dermoscopic colors and patterns to certain histopathological correlates has been reported for a huge amount of different cutaneous lesions. Moreover, the correspondence of certain dermoscopic features to certain body sites, age groups and pigmentary traits, but also to specific genetic alterations in lesions, has been broadly investigated. Dermoscopy has led us to a new understanding of melanocytic nevi's biology and evolution and, last but not least, to a new classification system, which we want to present herein. © 2017 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  15. Constitutive activation of the ERK pathway in melanoma and skin melanocytes in Grey horses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Lin; Campagne, Cécile; Sundström, Elisabeth; Sousa, Pedro; Imran, Saima; Seltenhammer, Monika; Pielberg, Gerli; Olsson, Mats J; Egidy, Giorgia; Andersson, Leif; Golovko, Anna

    2014-11-21

    Constitutive activation of the ERK pathway, occurring in the vast majority of melanocytic neoplasms, has a pivotal role in melanoma development. Different mechanisms underlie this activation in different tumour settings. The Grey phenotype in horses, caused by a 4.6 kb duplication in intron 6 of Syntaxin 17 (STX17), is associated with a very high incidence of cutaneous melanoma, but the molecular mechanism behind the melanomagenesis remains unknown. Here, we investigated the involvement of the ERK pathway in melanoma development in Grey horses. Grey horse melanoma tumours, cell lines and normal skin melanocytes were analyzed with help of indirect immunofluorescence and immunoblotting for the expression of phospho-ERK1/2 in comparison to that in non-grey horse and human counterparts. The mutational status of BRAF, RAS, GNAQ, GNA11 and KIT genes in Grey horse melanomas was determined by direct sequencing. The effect of RAS, RAF and PI3K/AKT pathways on the activation of the ERK signaling in Grey horse melanoma cells was investigated with help of specific inhibitors and immunoblotting. Individual roles of RAF and RAS kinases on the ERK activation were examined using si-RNA based approach and immunoblotting. We found that the ERK pathway is constitutively activated in Grey horse melanoma tumours and cell lines in the absence of somatic activating mutations in BRAF, RAS, GNAQ, GNA11 and KIT genes or alterations in the expression of the main components of the pathway. The pathway is mitogenic and is mediated by BRAF, CRAF and KRAS kinases. Importantly, we found high activation of the ERK pathway also in epidermal melanocytes, suggesting a general predisposition to melanomagenesis in these horses. These findings demonstrate that the presence of the intronic 4.6 kb duplication in STX17 is strongly associated with constitutive activation of the ERK pathway in melanocytic cells in Grey horses in the absence of somatic mutations commonly linked to the activation of this

  16. Human Adipose Mesenchymal Cells Inhibit Melanocyte Differentiation and the Pigmentation of Human Skin via Increased Expression of TGF-β1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klar, Agnes S; Biedermann, Thomas; Michalak, Katarzyna; Michalczyk, Teresa; Meuli-Simmen, Claudia; Scherberich, Arnaud; Meuli, Martin; Reichmann, Ernst

    2017-12-01

    There is accumulating evidence that interactions between epidermal melanocytes and stromal cells play an important role in the regulation of skin pigmentation. In this study we established a pigmented dermo-epidermal skin model, melDESS, of human origin to investigate the effects of distinct stromal cells on melanogenesis. melDESS is a complex, clinically relevant skin equivalent composed of an epidermis containing both melanocytes and keratinocytes. Its dermal compartment consists either of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells, dermal fibroblasts (Fbs), or a mixture of both cell types. These skin substitutes were transplanted for 5 weeks on the backs of immuno-incompetent rats and analyzed. Gene expression and Western blot analyses showed a significantly higher expression of transforming growth factor-β1 by adipose tissue-derived stromal cells compared with dermal Fbs. In addition, we showed that melanocytes responded to the increased levels of transforming growth factor-β1 by down-regulating the expression of key melanogenic enzymes such as tyrosinase. This caused decreased melanin synthesis and, consequently, greatly reduced pigmentation of melDESS. The conclusions are of utmost clinical relevance, namely that adipose tissue-derived stromal cells derived from the hypodermis fail to appropriately interact with epidermal melanocytes, thus preventing the sustainable restoration of the patient's native skin color in bioengineered skin grafts. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Melanogenesis through p-ERK and p-SAPK/JNK Pathways in Human Melanocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Mi Kim

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study evaluated frequency-dependent effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs on melanogenesis by melanocytes in vitro. Melanocytes were exposed to 2 mT EMFs at 30–75 Hz for 3 days before melanogenesis was examined. Exposure to ELF-EMFs at 50 and 60 Hz induced melanogenic maturation without cell damage, without changing cell proliferation and mitochondrial activity. Melanin content and tyrosinase activity of cells exposed to 50 Hz were higher than in controls, and mRNA expression of tyrosinase-related protein-2 was elevated relative to controls at 50 Hz. Phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein (p-CREB levels were higher than controls in cells exposed to ELF-EMFs at 50–75 Hz. Immunohistochemical staining showed that melanocyte-specific markers (HMB45, Melan-A were strongly expressed in cells exposed to EMFs at 50 and 60 Hz compared to controls. Thus, exposure to ELF-EMFs at 50 Hz could stimulate melanogenesis in melanocytes, through activation of p-CREB and p-p38 and inhibition of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and phosphorylated stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase. The results may form the basis of an appropriate anti-gray hair treatment or be applied in a therapeutic device for inducing repigmentation in the skin of vitiligo patients.

  18. Comparative in vitro biocompatibility of nickel-titanium, pure nickel, pure titanium, and stainless steel: genotoxicity and atomic absorption evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assad, M; Lemieux, N; Rivard, C H; Yahia, L H

    1999-01-01

    The genotoxicity level of nickel-titanium (NiTi) was compared to that of its pure constituents, pure nickel (Ni) and pure titanium (Ti) powders, and also to 316L stainless steel (316L SS) as clinical reference material. In order to do so, a dynamic in vitro semiphysiological extraction was performed with all metals using agitation and ISO requirements. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were then cultured in the presence of all material extracts, and their comparative genotoxicity levels were assessed using electron microscopy-in situ end-labeling (EM-ISEL) coupled to immunogold staining. Cellular chromatin exposition to pure Ni and 316L SS demonstrated a significantly stronger gold binding than exposition to NiTi, pure Ti, or the untreated control. In parallel, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was also performed on all extraction media. The release of Ni atoms took the following decreasing distribution for the different resulting semiphysiological solutions: pure Ni, 316L SS, NiTi, Ti, and controls. Ti elements were detected after elution of pure titanium only. Both pure titanium and nickel-titanium specimens obtained a relative in vitro biocompatibility. Therefore, this quantitative in vitro study provides optimistic results for the eventual use of nickel-titanium alloys as surgical implant materials.

  19. A rare case of unilateral diffuse melanocytic proliferation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guruprasad Ayachit

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available A 67-year-old woman presented with metamorphopsia in the right eye. Leopard mottling was seen temporal to the fovea oculus dexter with corresponding hyper- and hypo-autofluorescent lesions on fundus autofluorescence. Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography revealed hyperreflective dots in the retinal pigment epithelium and choroid with subretinal fluid (SRF. Intravitreal bevacizumab was administered with which SRF resolved, albeit with increase in the areas of mottling. The patient was diagnosed to have metastatic ductal carcinoma of the right breast. It is important to bear in mind that the well-known entity of bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation can rarely present unilaterally.

  20. Pure and Public, Popular and personal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksson, Birgit

    2013-01-01

    In the article I reexamine the traditional aesthetical and political critiques of popular culture and reevaluate the social and communicative potential of bestselling cultural artifacts such as highly popular television series. First, I sketch the alleged aesthetic and social problems of popular...... and the exclusions of the public sphere. I argue that the ideals of a pure aesthetic and a public sphere neglect issues that are crucial to the type of commonality at stake in popular cultural artifacts: personal issues, social conflicts, and what is pleasurable to the senses or has to do with emotions. Third, I...

  1. Mutations in c10orf11, a melanocyte-differentiation gene, cause autosomal-recessive albinism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grønskov, Karen; Dooley, Christopher M; Østergaard, Elsebet; Kelsh, Robert N; Hansen, Lars; Levesque, Mitchell P; Vilhelmsen, Kaj; Møllgård, Kjeld; Stemple, Derek L; Rosenberg, Thomas

    2013-03-07

    Autosomal-recessive albinism is a hypopigmentation disorder with a broad phenotypic range. A substantial fraction of individuals with albinism remain genetically unresolved, and it has been hypothesized that more genes are to be identified. By using homozygosity mapping of an inbred Faroese family, we identified a 3.5 Mb homozygous region (10q22.2-q22.3) on chromosome 10. The region contains five protein-coding genes, and sequencing of one of these, C10orf11, revealed a nonsense mutation that segregated with the disease and showed a recessive inheritance pattern. Investigation of additional albinism-affected individuals from the Faroe Islands revealed that five out of eight unrelated affected persons had the nonsense mutation in C10orf11. Screening of a cohort of autosomal-recessive-albinism-affected individuals residing in Denmark showed a homozygous 1 bp duplication in C10orf11 in an individual originating from Lithuania. Immunohistochemistry showed localization of C10orf11 in melanoblasts and melanocytes in human fetal tissue, but no localization was seen in retinal pigment epithelial cells. Knockdown of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) homolog with the use of morpholinos resulted in substantially decreased pigmentation and a reduction of the apparent number of pigmented melanocytes. The morphant phenotype was rescued by wild-type C10orf11, but not by mutant C10orf11. In conclusion, we have identified a melanocyte-differentiation gene, C10orf11, which when mutated causes autosomal-recessive albinism in humans. Copyright © 2013 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Stimulation of cyclic GMP efflux in human melanocytes by hypergravity generated by centrifugal acceleration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ivanova, Krassimira; Zadeh, Nahid Hamidi; Block, Ingrid; Das, Pranab K.; Gerzer, Rupert

    2004-01-01

    Gravity alteration (micro- and hypergravity) is known to influence cell functions. As guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) plays an important role in human melanocyte functions and different guanylyl cyclase isoforms are responsible for cGMP synthesis in human non-metastatic and metastatic

  3. Mutations in c10orf11, a melanocyte-differentiation gene, cause autosomal-recessive albinism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grønskov, Karen; Dooley, Christopher M; Østergaard, Elsebet

    2013-01-01

    in an individual originating from Lithuania. Immunohistochemistry showed localization of C10orf11 in melanoblasts and melanocytes in human fetal tissue, but no localization was seen in retinal pigment epithelial cells. Knockdown of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) homolog with the use of morpholinos resulted...

  4. Essential oils have different effects on human pathogenic and commensal bacteria in mixed faecal fermentations compared with pure cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thapa, Dinesh; Louis, Petra; Losa, Riccardo; Zweifel, Béatrice; Wallace, R John

    2015-02-01

    A static batch culture system inoculated with human faeces was used to determine the influence of essential oil compounds (EOCs) on mixed faecal microbiota. Bacteria were quantified using quantitative PCR of 16S rRNA genes. Incubation for 24 h of diluted faeces from six individuals caused enrichment of Bifidobacterium spp., but proportions of other major groups were unaffected. Thymol and geraniol at 500 p.p.m. suppressed total bacteria, resulting in minimal fermentation. Thymol at 100 p.p.m. had no effect, nor did eugenol or nerolidol at 100 or 500 p.p.m. except for a slight suppression of Eubacterium hallii. Methyl isoeugenol at 100 or 500 p.p.m. suppressed the growth of total bacteria, accompanied by a large fall in the molar proportion of propionate formed. The relative abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was unaffected except with thymol at 500 p.p.m. The ability of EOCs to control numbers of the pathogen Clostridium difficile was investigated in a separate experiment, in which the faecal suspensions were amended by the addition of pure culture of C. difficile. Numbers of C. difficile were suppressed by thymol and methyl isoeugenol at 500 p.p.m. and to a lesser extent at 100 p.p.m. Eugenol and geraniol gave rather similar suppression of C. difficile numbers at both 100 and 500 p.p.m. Nerolidol had no significant effect. It was concluded from these and previous pure-culture experiments that thymol and geraniol at around 100 p.p.m. could be effective in suppressing pathogens in the small intestine, with no concern for beneficial commensal colonic bacteria in the distal gut. © 2015 The Authors.

  5. Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Cytogenetic Damage in White, Hispanic and Black Skin Melanocytes: A Risk for Cutaneous Melanoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dasgupta, Amrita [Hampton University Skin of Color Research Institute, Hampton, VA 23668 (United States); Katdare, Meena, E-mail: mkatdare@gmail.com [Hampton University Skin of Color Research Institute, Hampton, VA 23668 (United States); Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507 (United States)

    2015-08-14

    Cutaneous Melanoma (CM) is a leading cause of cancer deaths, with reports indicating a rising trend in the incidence rate of melanoma among Hispanics in certain U.S. states. The level of melanin pigmentation in the skin is suggested to render photoprotection from the DNA-damaging effects of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR). UVR-induced DNA damage leads to cytogenetic defects visualized as the formation of micronuclei, multinuclei and polymorphic nuclei in cells, and a hallmark of cancer risk. The causative relationship between Sun exposure and CM is controversial, especially in Hispanics and needs further evaluation. This study was initiated with melanocytes from White, Hispanic and Black neonatal foreskins which were exposed to UVR to assess their susceptibility to UVR-induced modulation of cellular growth, cytogenetic damage, intracellular and released melanin. Our results show that White and Hispanic skin melanocytes with similar levels of constitutive melanin are susceptible to UVR-induced cytogenetic damage, whereas Black skin melanocytes are not. Our data suggest that the risk of developing UVR-induced CM in a skin type is correlated with the level of cutaneous pigmentation and its ethnic background. This study provides a benchmark for further investigation on the damaging effects of UVR as risk for CM in Hispanics.

  6. Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Cytogenetic Damage in White, Hispanic and Black Skin Melanocytes: A Risk for Cutaneous Melanoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dasgupta, Amrita; Katdare, Meena

    2015-01-01

    Cutaneous Melanoma (CM) is a leading cause of cancer deaths, with reports indicating a rising trend in the incidence rate of melanoma among Hispanics in certain U.S. states. The level of melanin pigmentation in the skin is suggested to render photoprotection from the DNA-damaging effects of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR). UVR-induced DNA damage leads to cytogenetic defects visualized as the formation of micronuclei, multinuclei and polymorphic nuclei in cells, and a hallmark of cancer risk. The causative relationship between Sun exposure and CM is controversial, especially in Hispanics and needs further evaluation. This study was initiated with melanocytes from White, Hispanic and Black neonatal foreskins which were exposed to UVR to assess their susceptibility to UVR-induced modulation of cellular growth, cytogenetic damage, intracellular and released melanin. Our results show that White and Hispanic skin melanocytes with similar levels of constitutive melanin are susceptible to UVR-induced cytogenetic damage, whereas Black skin melanocytes are not. Our data suggest that the risk of developing UVR-induced CM in a skin type is correlated with the level of cutaneous pigmentation and its ethnic background. This study provides a benchmark for further investigation on the damaging effects of UVR as risk for CM in Hispanics

  7. Rhododenol and raspberry ketone impair the normal proliferation of melanocytes through reactive oxygen species-dependent activation of GADD45.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Minjeong; Baek, Heung Soo; Lee, Miri; Park, Hyeonji; Shin, Song Seok; Choi, Dal Woong; Lim, Kyung-Min

    2016-04-01

    Rhododenol or rhododendrol (RD, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol) occurs naturally in many plants along with raspberry ketone (RK, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone), a ketone derivative, which include Nikko maple tree (Acer nikoense) and white birch (Betula platyphylla). De-pigmenting activity of RD was discovered and it was used as a brightening ingredient for the skin whitening cosmetics. Recently, cosmetics containing RD were withdrawn from the market because a number of consumers developed leukoderma, inflammation and erythema on their face, neck and hands. Here, we explored the mechanism underlying the toxicity of RD and RK against melanocytes using B16F10 murine melanoma cells and human primary epidermal melanocytes. Treatment with RD or RK resulted in the decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner which appeared from cell growth arrest. Consistently, ROS generation was significantly increased by RD or RK as determined by DCF-enhanced fluorescence. An antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase was depleted as well. In line with ROS generation, oxidative damages and the arrest of normal cell proliferation, GADD genes (Growth Arrest and DNA Damage) that include GADD45 and GADD153, were significantly up-regulated. Prevention of ROS generation with an anti-oxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) significantly rescued RD and RK-suppressed melanocyte proliferation. Consistently, up-regulation of GADD45 and GADD153 was significantly attenuated by NAC, suggesting that increased ROS and the resultant growth arrest of melanocytes may contribute to RD and RK-induced leukoderma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Bringing Planctomycetes into pure culture

    OpenAIRE

    Lage, Olga M.; Bondoso, Joana

    2012-01-01

    Planctomycetes have been known since the description of Planctomyces bekefii by Gimesi at the beginning of the twentieth century (1924), although the first axenic cultures were only obtained in the 1970s. Since then, 11 genera with 14 species have been validly named and five candidatus genera belonging to the anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox bacteria have also been discovered. However, Planctomycetes diversity is much broader than these numbers indicate, as shown by environmental molecul...

  9. Bringing Planctomycetes into pure culture

    OpenAIRE

    Olga Maria Lage; Olga Maria Lage; Joana eBondoso; Joana eBondoso

    2012-01-01

    Planctomycetes have been known since the description of Planctomyces bekefii by Gimesi at the beginning of the twentieth century (1924), although the first axenic cultures were only obtained in the 1970s. Since then, eleven genera with fourteen species have been validly named and five candidatus genera belonging to the anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox bacteria have also been discovered. However, Planctomycetes diversity is much broader than these numbers indicate, as shown by environment...

  10. Clinical and histological responses of congenital melanocytic nevi after single treatment with Q-switched lasers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grevelink, JM; vanLeeuwen, RL; Anderson, RR; Byers, HR

    Background: Laser irradiation of congenital melanocytic nevi is a controversial treatment. Recurrence of lesions after laser treatment appears to be the rule, and the effects of laser irradiation on cellular biological behavior and the possible mutagenic responses of nevomelanocytes that have

  11. Silencing of GPNMB by siRNA Inhibits the Formation of Melanosomes in Melanocytes in a MITF-Independent Fashion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Cansheng; Yuan, Xiaoying; Li, Dongguang; Gu, Weijie; Ma, Huimin; Xie, Xin; Gao, Tianwen

    2012-01-01

    Background Melanosomes are specialized membrane-surrounded organelles, which are involved in the synthesis, storage and transport of melanin. Glycoprotein (transmembrane) non-metastatic melanoma protein b (GPNMB), a melanosome-specific structural protein, shares significant amino acid sequence homology with Pmel-17. Proteomic analysis demonstrated that GPNMB is present in all stages (I-IV) of melanosomes. However, little is known about the role of GPNMB in melanosomes. Methodology/Principal Findings Using real-time quantitative PCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis, we demonstrated that the expression of GPNMB in PIG1 melanocytes was up-regulated by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the total number of melanosomes in PIG1 melanocytes was sharply reduced by GPNMB-siRNA transfection. Simultaneously, the expression levels of tyrosinase (Tyr), tyrosinase related protein 1 (Trp1), Pmel17/gp100 and ocular albinism type 1 protein (OA1) were all significantly attenuated. But the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) was up-regulated. Intriguingly, in GPNMB silenced PIG1 melanocytes, UVB radiation sharply reduced MITF expression. Conclusion Our present work revealed that the GPNMB was critical for the formation of melanosomes. And GPNMB expression down-regulation attenuated melanosome formation in a MITF-independent fashion. PMID:22912767

  12. Refractometry of melanocyte cell nuclei using optical scatter images recorded by digital Fourier microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seet, Katrina Y T; Nieminen, Timo A; Zvyagin, Andrei V

    2009-01-01

    The cell nucleus is the dominant optical scatterer in the cell. Neoplastic cells are characterized by cell nucleus polymorphism and polychromism-i.e., the nuclei exhibits an increase in the distribution of both size and refractive index. The relative size parameter, and its distribution, is proportional to the product of the nucleus size and its relative refractive index and is a useful discriminant between normal and abnormal (cancerous) cells. We demonstrate a recently introduced holographic technique, digital Fourier microscopy (DFM), to provide a sensitive measure of this relative size parameter. Fourier holograms were recorded and optical scatter of individual scatterers were extracted and modeled with Mie theory to determine the relative size parameter. The relative size parameter of individual melanocyte cell nuclei were found to be 16.5+/-0.2, which gives a cell nucleus refractive index of 1.38+/-0.01 and is in good agreement with previously reported data. The relative size parameters of individual malignant melanocyte cell nuclei are expected to be greater than 16.5.

  13. N-terminal fatty acylated His-dPhe-Arg-Trp-NH(2) tetrapeptides: influence of fatty acid chain length on potency and selectivity at the mouse melanocortin receptors and human melanocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todorovic, Aleksandar; Holder, Jerry Ryan; Bauzo, Rayna M; Scott, Joseph Walker; Kavanagh, Renny; Abdel-Malek, Zalfa; Haskell-Luevano, Carrie

    2005-05-05

    The melanocortin system is involved in the regulation of a diverse number of physiologically important pathways including pigmentation, feeding behavior, weight and energy homeostasis, inflammation, and sexual function. All the endogenous melanocortin agonist ligands possess the conserved His-Phe-Arg-Trp tetrapeptide sequence that is postulated to be important for melanocortin receptor molecular recognition and stimulation. Previous studies by our laboratory resulted in the discovery that increasing alkyl chain length at the N-terminal "capping" region of the His-dPhe-Arg-Trp-NH(2) tetrapeptide resulted in a 100-fold increased melanocortin receptor agonist potency. This study was undertaken to systematically evaluate the pharmacological effects of increasing N-capping alkyl chain length of the CH(3)(CH(2))(n)CO-His-dPhe-Arg-Trp-NH(2) (n = 6-16) tetrapeptide template. Twelve analogues were synthesized and pharmacologically characterized at the mouse melanocortin receptors MC1R and MC3R-MC5R and human melanocytes known to express the MC1R. These peptides demonstrated melanocortin receptor selectivity profiles different from those of previously published tetrapeptides. The most notable results of enhanced ligand potency (20- to 200-fold) and receptor selectivity were observed at the MC1R. Tetrapeptides that possessed greater than nine alkyl groups were superior to alpha-MSH in terms of the stimulation of human melanocyte tyrosinase activity. Additionally, the n-pentadecanoyl derivative had a residual effect on tyrosinase activity that existed for at least 4 days after the peptide was removed from the human melanocyte culture medium. These data demonstrate the utility, potency, and residual effect of melanocortin tetrapeptides by adding N-terminal fatty acid moieties.

  14. Premalignant quiescent melanocytic nevi do not express the MHC class I chain-related protein A

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mercedes B. Fuertes

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The MHC class I chain-related protein A (MICA is an inducible molecule almost not expressed by normal cells but strongly up-regulated in tumor cells. MICA-expressing cells are recognized by natural killer (NK cells, CD8+ aßTCR and ?dTCR T lymphocytes through the NKG2D receptor. Engagement of NKG2D by MICA triggers IFN-? secretion and cytotoxicity against malignant cells. Although most solid tumors express MICA and this molecule is a target during immune surveillance against tumors, it has been observed that high grade tumors from different histotypes express low amounts of cell surface MICA due to a metalloprotease- induced shedding. Also, melanomas develop after a complex process of neotransformation of normal melanocytes. However, the expression of MICA in premalignant stages (primary human quiescent melanocytic nevi remains unknown. Here, we assessed expression of MICA by flow cytometry using cell suspensions from 15 primary nevi isolated from 11 patients. When collected material was abundant, cell lysates were prepared and MICA expression was also analyzed by Western blot. We observed that MICA was undetectable in the 15 primary nevi (intradermic, junction, mixed, lentigo and congenital samples as well as in normal skin, benign lesions (seborrheic keratosis, premalignant lesions (actinic keratosis and benign basocellular cancer. Conversely, a primary recently diagnosed melanoma showed intense cell surface MICA. We conclude that the onset of MICA expression is a tightly regulated process that occurs after melanocytes trespass the stage of malignant transformation. Thus, analysis of MICA expression in tissue sections of skin samples may constitute a useful marker to differentiate between benign and malignant nevi.

  15. Effect of Novel Marine Nutraceuticals on IL-1α-Mediated TNF-α Release from UVB-Irradiated Human Melanocyte-Derived Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Visalini Muthusamy

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available UV-induced inflammation and reactive oxygen species formation are involved in the development of melanoma. Natural products like 5β-scymnol and CO2-supercritical fluid extract (CO2-SFE of mussel oil contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may aid in reducing the deleterious effects of UV radiation. Therefore, their effect on the release of the proinflammatory cytokine, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, from UVB-irradiated human melanocytic cells was examined. Human epidermal melanocytes (HEM and MM96L melanoma cells were exposed to UVB radiation and IL-1α. Cell viability and TNF-α levels were determined 24 hours after-irradiation while p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK activation was observed at 15 min after-irradiation. When α-tocopherol, CO2-SFE mussel oil, and 5β-scymnol were added to the UVB-irradiated HEM cells treated with IL-1α, TNF-α levels fell by 53%, 65%, and 76%, respectively, while no inhibition was evident in MM96L cells. This effect was not due to inhibition of the intracellular p38 MAPK signalling pathway. These compounds may be useful in preventing inflammation-induced damage to normal melanocytes.

  16. Comparative cytogenetic characterization of primary canine melanocytic lesions using array CGH and fluorescence in situ hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poorman, Kelsey; Borst, Luke; Moroff, Scott; Roy, Siddharth; Labelle, Philippe; Motsinger-Reif, Alison; Breen, Matthew

    2015-06-01

    Melanocytic lesions originating from the oral mucosa or cutaneous epithelium are common in the general dog population, with up to 100,000 diagnoses each year in the USA. Oral melanoma is the most frequent canine neoplasm of the oral cavity, exhibiting a highly aggressive course. Cutaneous melanocytomas occur frequently, but rarely develop into a malignant form. Despite the differential prognosis, it has been assumed that subtypes of melanocytic lesions represent the same disease. To address the relative paucity of information about their genomic status, molecular cytogenetic analysis was performed on the three recognized subtypes of canine melanocytic lesions. Using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis, highly aberrant distinct copy number status across the tumor genome for both of the malignant melanoma subtypes was revealed. The most frequent aberrations included gain of dog chromosome (CFA) 13 and 17 and loss of CFA 22. Melanocytomas possessed fewer genome wide aberrations, yet showed a recurrent gain of CFA 20q15.3-17. A distinctive copy number profile, evident only in oral melanomas, displayed a sigmoidal pattern of copy number loss followed immediately by a gain, around CFA 30q14. Moreover, when assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), copy number aberrations of targeted genes, such as gain of c-MYC (80 % of cases) and loss of CDKN2A (68 % of cases), were observed. This study suggests that in concordance with what is known for human melanomas, canine melanomas of the oral mucosa and cutaneous epithelium are discrete and initiated by different molecular pathways.

  17. Altered expression of versican and hyaluronan in melanocytic tumors of dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Docampo, María-José; Rabanal, Rosa M; Miquel-Serra, Laia; Hernández, Daniel; Domenzain, Clelia; Bassols, Anna

    2007-12-01

    To analyze the expression of versican and hyaluronan in melanocytomas and malignant melanomas of dogs, to correlate their expression with expression of the hyaluronan receptor CD44, and to identify enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of hyaluronan in canine dermal fibroblasts and canine melanoma cell lines. 35 biopsy specimens from melanocytic tumors of dogs, canine primary dermal fibroblasts, and 3 canine melanoma cell lines. Versican, hyaluronan, and CD44 were detected in tumor samples by use of histochemical or immunohistochemical methods. Expression of hyaluronan-metabolizing enzymes was analyzed with a reverse transcriptase-PCR assay. Versican was found only in some hair follicles and around some blood vessels in normal canine skin, whereas hyaluronan was primarily found within the dermis. Hyaluronan was found in connective tissue of the oral mucosa. Versican and, to a lesser extent, hyaluronan were significantly overexpressed in malignant melanomas, compared with expression in melanocytomas. No significant difference was found between malignant tumors from oral or cutaneous origin. The expression of both molecules was correlated, but hyaluronan had a more extensive distribution than versican. Versican and hyaluronan were mainly associated with tumor stroma. Canine fibroblasts and melanoma cell lines expressed hyaluronan synthase 2 and 3 (but not 1) and hyaluronidase 1 and 2. Versican may be useful as a diagnostic marker for melanocytic tumors in dogs. Knowledge of the enzymes involved in hyaluronan metabolism could reveal new potential therapeutic targets.

  18. Regulation of pigmentation by substrate elasticity in normal human melanocytes and melanotic MNT1 human melanoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hyunjung; Kim, Mina; Ahn, Song Ih; Cho, Eun-Gyung; Lee, Tae Ryong; Shin, Jennifer H

    2014-03-01

    The elasticity of the cellular microenvironment is a key regulator of cellular physiology in many cell types. To investigate the effects of substrate stiffness on the pigmentation process, we cultured normal human melanocytes (NHM) and MNT1 melanoma cells on laminin-coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates of different stiffness. The dendricity of NHM and MNT1 cells was reduced as the substrate stiffness decreased, and the degree of melanosome transfer from NHM or MNT1 cells to normal human keratinocytes was decreased on softer substrates with the reduced dendricity. Gene and protein expressions of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP2, and gp100/PMEL17 exhibited a consistent decreasing trend with the decreasing stiffness. Because the stiffness sensing is mediated by focal adhesion complex through integrin receptors, we checked laminin specific integrin alpha 6 and p-FAK for MNT1 cells to observe that the substrate adhesion was weakened as the substrate stiffness decreased. Weaker adhesion on a softer substrate was accompanied by dynamic shape changes in MNT1 cells with higher speed and larger scattering. Dendritic MNT1 cells cultured on a stiffer substrate exhibited lower migration with smaller root mean squared displacement. These results demonstrate the possibility that skin pigmentation can be influenced by mechanical properties of the cellular microenvironment and can increase when the skin becomes stiff. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Usefulness of confocal microscopy in distinguishing between basal cell carcinoma and intradermal melanocytic nevus on the face.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamo, R; Floristan, U; Pampín, A; Caro, D; Pinedo, F; López-Estebaranz, J L

    2015-10-01

    The clinical distinction between basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and intradermal melanocytic nevus lesions on the face can be difficult, particularly in young patients or patients with multiple nevi. Dermoscopy is a useful tool for analyzing characteristic dermoscopic features of BCC, such as cartwheel structures, maple leaf-like areas, blue-gray nests and dots, and ulceration. It also reveals arborizing telangiectatic vessels and prominent curved vessels, which are typical of BCC, and comma vessels, which are typical of intradermal melanocytic nevi. It is, however, not always easy to distinguish between these 2 conditions, even when dermoscopy is used. We describe 2 facial lesions that posed a clinical and dermoscopic challenge in two 38-year-old patients; confocal microscopy showed separation between tumor nests and stroma and polarized nuclei, which are confocal microscopy features of basal cell carcinoma. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y AEDV. All rights reserved.

  20. Aberrant Cx43 Expression and Mislocalization in Metastatic Human Melanomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaga, Katanya C; Crawford, Melissa; Dagnino, Lina; Laird, Dale W

    2017-01-01

    At present, it is unclear if melanocytes contain Cx43 gap junctions and whether Cx43 expression is regulated in melanoma onset and progression. To this end, we cultured pure populations of mouse melanocytes and found that they had no detectable Cx43 and exhibited an inability for dye transfer indicating they were devoid of functional gap junctions. Given the evidence that melanomas acquire the expression of other connexin isoforms during tumor progression, we assessed if Cx43 was also expressed and assembled into gap junctions at any stage of human melanoma onset and progression to distant metastases. Nearly all primary melanomas within the epidermis lacked Cx43. In contrast, nodal metastases expressed low levels of Cx43 which was markedly higher in distant metastases that had invaded vital organs. Importantly, in all stages of melanoma progression, Cx43 could be detected in intracellular compartments but was rarely assembled into gap junctions indicative of functional gap junction channels. Overall, these studies suggest that melanocytes do not form Cx43 homocellular gap junctions and even though Cx43 levels increase during melanoma progression, this connexin rarely assembles into gap junction structures.

  1. Parameterization using Fourier series expansion of the diffuse reflectance of human skin to vary the concentration of the melanocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narea, J. Freddy; Muñoz, Aarón A.; Castro, Jorge; Muñoz, Rafael A.; Villalba, Caroleny E.; Martinez, María. F.; Bravo, Kelly D.

    2013-11-01

    Human skin has been studied in numerous investigations, given the interest in knowing information about physiology, morphology and chemical composition. These parameters can be determined using non invasively optical techniques in vivo, such as the diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The human skin color is determined by many factors, but primarily by the amount and distribution of the pigment melanin. The melanin is produced by the melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. This research characterize the spectral response of the human skin using the coefficients of Fourier series expansion. Simulating the radiative transfer equation for the Monte Carlo method to vary the concentration of the melanocytes (fme) in a simplified model of human skin. It fits relating the Fourier series coefficient a0 with fme. Therefore it is possible to recover the skin biophysical parameter.

  2. Melan-A/Mart-1- or HMB-45-positive melanocytes are not present in calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors (calcifying odontogenic cysts): a study in 13 Caucasian patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosios, Konstantinos I; Prountzos, Nikolaos; Katsoulas, Nikolaos; Koutlas, Ioannis G; Sklavounou-Andrikopoulou, Alexandra

    2012-03-01

    Melanin pigment and melanocytes may be found in odontogenic cysts and tumors, particularly calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (CCOT). In the present study we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of the Melan-A/Mart-1 and HMB-45 antigens in 13 Caucasians patients with CCOT. Melan-A/Mart-1- and HMB-45-positive melanocytes were not seen in any of the cases. Our findings are in agreement with the assumption that pigmentation in odontogenic lesions may be a racial phenomenon.

  3. Protein improvement in Gari by the use of pure cultures of microorganisms involved in the natural fermentation process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahaotu, I; Ogueke, C C; Owuamanam, C I; Ahaotu, N N; Nwosu, J N

    2011-10-15

    The ability of microorganisms involved in cassava mash fermentation to produce and improve protein value by these microorganisms during fermentation was studied. Standard microbiological procedures were used to isolate, identify and determine the numbers of the organisms. Alcaligenes faecalis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, Leuconostoc cremoris, Aspergillus niger, A. tamari, Geotrichum candidum and Penicillium expansum were isolated and identified from cassava waste water while standard analytical methods were used to determine the ability of the isolates to produce linamarase and the proximate composition, pH and titrable acidity of the fermenting mash. The linamarase activity of the isolates ranged from 0.0416 to 0.2618 micromol mL(-1) nmol(-1). Bacillus subtilis, A. niger, A. tamari and P. expansum did not express any activity for the enzyme. Protein content of mash fermented with mixed fungal culture had the highest protein value (15.4 mg/g/dry matter) while the raw cassava had the least value (2.37 mg/g/dry matter). The naturally fermented sample had the least value for the fermented samples (3.2 mg/g/dry matter). Carbohydrate and fat contents of naturally fermented sample were higher than values obtained from the other fermented samples. Microbial numbers of the sample fermented with mixed bacterial culture was highest and got to their peak at 48 h (57 x 10(8) cfu g(-1)). pH decreased with increase in fermentation time with the mash fermented by the mixed culture of fungi having the lowest pH of 4.05 at the end of fermentation. Titrable acidity increased with increase in fermentation time with the highest value of 1.32% at 96 h of fermentation produced by the mixed culture of fungi. Thus fermentation with the pure cultures significantly increased the protein content of mash.

  4. alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating-hormone precursors in the pig pituitary

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fenger, M

    1986-01-01

    The occurrence of intermediates from the processing of ACTH-(1-39) [adrenocorticotropic hormone-(1-39)] to alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone was investigated in normal pig pituitaries by the use of sensitive and specific radioimmunoassays for ACTH-(1-13), ACTH-(1-14), ACTH-(1-13)-NH2 and ACTH-(1......) were detected in lower amounts in both the intermediate lobe and the anterior lobe. ACTH-(1-17), ACTH-(1-13) and their acetylated analogues could not be detected in the anterior lobe or the intermediate lobe. The results suggest that an endopeptidase initially cleaves ACTH-(1-39) at the Lys-16-Arg-17...... bond. ACTH-(1-16) is then processed by a pituitary carboxypeptidase to ACTH-(1-14) and ACTH-(17-39) by the aminopeptidase to ACTH-(18-39)....

  5. Organizational culture

    OpenAIRE

    Schein, Edgar H.

    1988-01-01

    Cultural orientations of an organization can be its greatest strength, providing the basis for problem solving, cooperation, and communication. Culture, however, can also inhibit needed changes. Cultural changes typically happen slowly – but without cultural change, many other organizational changes are doomed to fail. The dominant culture of an organization is a major contributor to its success. But, of course, no organizational culture is purely one type or another. And the existence of sec...

  6. Cutaneous lasers and skin camouflage make-up: a useful alternative intervention for periorbital hairy congenital melanocytic naevus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townley, William A; Bragg, Thomas W H; Wright, Philip A; Cole, Richard P

    2013-12-01

    Periorbital congenital melanocytic naevi can be very disfiguring and difficult to treat effectively. Although surgical excision and reconstruction is the most widely accepted treatment strategy, we describe a case in which cutaneous lasers treatment followed by the application of cosmetic skin camouflage make-up provided an alternative solution delivering a good cosmetic improvement.

  7. Resolution of vitiligo following excision of halo congenital melanocytic nevus: a rare case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai; Wang, Zhi; Huang, Weiqing

    2016-05-01

    Halo congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN) associated with vitiligo is rare, especially with regard to CMN excision. Only two reports of excision of halo CMN following repigmentation of vitiligo are found in the literature. We present a case of a girl with halo CMN and periorbital vitiligo. The halo CMN was excised and followed by spontaneous improvement of vitiligo. The result suggests excision of the inciting lesion may be a promising way to control vitiligo. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. HGF/SF increases number of skin melanocytes but does not alter quality or quantity of follicular melanogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Wolnicka-Glubisz

    Full Text Available Melanins are an important factor determining the vulnerability of mammalian skin to UV radiation and thus to UV-induced skin cancers. Transgenic mice overexpressing hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF have extra-follicular dermal melanocytes, notably in the papillary upper dermis, and are susceptible to UV-induced melanoma. Pigmented HGF/SF neonatal mice are more susceptible than albino HGF/SF animals to UVA -induced melanoma, indicating an involvement of melanin in melanoma formation. This raises the question of the effect of transgenic HGF/SF on melanization. We developed a methodology to accurately quantitate both the production of melanin and the efficiency of melanogenesis in normal, and HGF/SF transgenic mice in vivo. Skin and hair shafts of 5 day old and adult (3 week old C57BL/6-HGF/SF and corresponding C57BL/6 wild type mice were investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR to quantitate melanin, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM for the presence of melanosomes, and by standard histology and by Western blotting and zymography to determine the expression and activity of melanogenesis-related proteins. Eumelanin but no phaeomelanin was detected in transgenic C57BL/6-HGF and C57BL/6 wild type mice. Transgenic HGF/SF overexpression did not change the type of melanin produced in the skin or hair, did not affect the terminal content of melanin production in standard samples of hair and did not influence hair cycle/morphogenesis-related changes in skin thickness. No melanocytes were found in the epidermis and no melanosomes were found in epidermal keratinocytes. HGF/SF transgenic mice thus lack the epidermal melanin UV-protection found in constitutively dark human skin. We conclude that melanocytes in the HGF/SF transgenic mouse, particularly in the papillary dermis, are vulnerable to UVA which interacts with eumelanin but not phaeomelanin to induce melanoma.

  9. Cellular grafts in management of leucoderma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mysore Venkataram

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Cellular grafting methods constitute important advances in the surgical management of leucoderma. Different methods such as noncultured epidermal suspensions, melanocyte cultures, and melanocyte-keratinocyte cultures have all been shown to be effective. This article reviews these methods.

  10. Generation of a double binary transgenic zebrafish model to study myeloid gene regulation in response to oncogene activation in melanocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenyon, Amy; Gavriouchkina, Daria; Zorman, Jernej; Chong-Morrison, Vanessa; Napolitani, Giorgio; Cerundolo, Vincenzo; Sauka-Spengler, Tatjana

    2018-04-06

    A complex network of inflammatory genes is closely linked to somatic cell transformation and malignant disease. Immune cells and their associated molecules are responsible for detecting and eliminating cancer cells as they establish themselves as the precursors of a tumour. By the time a patient has a detectable solid tumour, cancer cells have escaped the initial immune response mechanisms. Here, we describe the development of a double binary zebrafish model that enables regulatory programming of the myeloid cells as they respond to oncogene-activated melanocytes to be explored, focussing on the initial phase when cells become the precursors of cancer. A hormone-inducible binary system allows for temporal control of expression of different Ras oncogenes ( NRas Q61K , HRas G12V and KRas G12V ) in melanocytes, leading to proliferation and changes in morphology of the melanocytes. This model was coupled to binary cell-specific biotagging models allowing in vivo biotinylation and subsequent isolation of macrophage or neutrophil nuclei for regulatory profiling of their active transcriptomes. Nuclear transcriptional profiling of neutrophils, performed as they respond to the earliest precursors of melanoma in vivo , revealed an intricate landscape of regulatory factors that may promote progression to melanoma, including Serpinb1l4, Fgf1, Fgf6, Cathepsin H, Galectin 1 and Galectin 3. The model presented here provides a powerful platform to study the myeloid response to the earliest precursors of melanoma. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  11. The Melanocyte Fate in Neural Crest is Triggered by Myb Proteins through Activation of c-kit

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Karafiát, Vít; Dvořáková, Marta; Pajer, Petr; Čermák, Vladimír; Dvořák, Michal

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 64, č. 21 (2007), s. 2975-2984 ISSN 1420-682X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC06061; GA ČR GA204/06/1728 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : c-myb proto-oncogene * v-mybAMV oncogene * neural crest * cell fate determination * melanocytes * c-kit signal Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.239, year: 2007

  12. Metabolism of reduced methylated sulfur compounds in anaerobic sediments and by a pure culture of an estuarine methanogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiene, R.P.; Oremland, R.S.; Catena, A.; Miller, L.G.; Capone, A.G.

    1986-01-01

    Addition of dimethylsulfide (DMS), dimethyldisulfide (DMDS), or methane thiol (MSH) to a diversity of anoxic aquatic sediments (e.g., fresh water, estuarine, alkaline/hypersaline) stimulated methane production. The yield of methane recovered from DMS was often 52 to 63%, although high concentrations of DMS (as well as MSH and DMDS) inhibited methanogenesis in some types of sediments. Production of methane from these reduced methylated sulfur compounds was blocked by 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid. Sulfate did not influence the metabolism of millimolar levels of DMS, DMDs, or MSH added to sediments. However, when DMS was added at ∼2-3=M levels as [ 14 C]DMS, metabolism by sediments resulted in a 14 CH 4 / 14 CO 2 ratio of only 0.06. Addition of molybdate increased the ratio of 1.8, while 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid decreased it to 0, but did not block 14 CO 2 production. These results indicate the methanogens and sulfate reducers compete for DMS when it is present at low concentrations; however, at high concentrations, DMS is a noncompetitive substrate for methanogens. Metabolism of DMS by sediments resulted in the appearance of MSH as a transient intermediate. A pure culture of an obligately methylotrophic estuarine methanogen was isolated which was capable of growth on DMS. Metabolism of DMS by the culture also resulted in the transient appearance of MSH, but the organism could grow on neither MSH nor DMDS. The culture metabolized [ 14 C]-DMS to yield a 14 CH 4 / 14 CO 2 ratio of ∼ 2.8

  13. Recent Updates in Melanocyte Function: The Use of Promising Bioactive Compounds for the Treatment of Hypopigmentary Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Sharique A; Naaz, Ishrat; Zaidi, Kamal Uddin; Ali, Ayesha S

    2017-01-01

    Skin pigmentation is a broadly appearing phenomenon in nature which plays an important task of determining the appearance and biology of all vertebrates including human beings. Skin color is a crucial attribute, determined by the synthesis of melanin pigment within melanocytes by the process of melanogenesis and is regulated by many extrinsic as well as intrinsic factors. Tyrosinase catalyzes the key step of melanogenesis, dysfunction of tyrosinase leads to reduce melanin production which results in severe clinical and aesthetical problems of hypopigmentation. Therefore, the regulation of melanin production is an important strategy in the treatment of abnormal skin pigmentation for cosmetic and medicinal purpose. The present review covers the various aspects of mammalian melanocyte biology which will help in the identification of key regulators of melanogenesis from pharmaceutical and pharmacological point of view. Further sections of the review focus on the dysfunctions of melanogenic pathways, which result in severe clinical and aesthetical problems of hypopigmentation. We have also attempted to highlight the ability of available scientifically validated plant extracts to naturally enhance melanin synthesis in order to cure hypopigmentation. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  14. Multidirectional Vector Excision Leads to Better Outcomes than Traditional Elliptical Excision of Facial Congenital Melanocytic Nevus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seung Il Oh

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background The elliptical excision is the standard method of removing benign skin lesions,such as congenital melanocytic nevi. This technique allows for primary closure, with little to nodog-ear deformity, but may sacrifice normal tissue adjacent to the lesion, resulting in scarswhich are unnecessarily long. This study was designed to compare the predicted results ofelliptical excision with those resulting from our excision technique.Methods Eighty-two patients with congenital melanocytic nevus on the face were prospectivelystudied. Each lesion was examined and an optimal ellipse was designed and marked onthe skin. After an incision on one side of the nevus margin, subcutaneous undermining wasperformed in the appropriate direction. The skin flap was pulled up and approximated alongseveral vectors to minimize the occurrence of dog-ear deformity.Results Overall, the final wound length was 21.1% shorter than that achieved by ellipticalexcision. Only 8.5% of the patients required dog-ear repair. There was no significant distortionof critical facial structures. All of the scars were deemed aesthetically acceptable based ontheir Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale scores.Conclusions When compared to elliptical excision, our technique appears to minimize dogeardeformity and decrease the final wound length. This technique should be considered analternative method for excision of facial nevi.

  15. Stereological estimation of nuclear volume in benign and malignant melanocytic lesions of the skin. Inter- and intraobserver variability of malignancy grading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Flemming Brandt; Ottosen, P D

    1991-01-01

    The volume-weighted, mean nuclear volume (nuclear vv) may be estimated without any assumptions regarding nuclear shape using modern stereological techniques. As a part of an investigation concerning the prospects of nuclear vv for classification and malignancy grading of cutaneous melanocytic tum...

  16. Melanocytic lesions in a private pathology practice. Comparison of histologic features in different tumor types with particular reference to dysplastic nevi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastrup, N; Hou-Jensen, K

    1993-11-01

    This study reviews a total of 1000 melanocytic lesions--two separate 500 consecutive sample groupings from 1980 and 1989, respectively--diagnosed in a private non-hospital-associated pathology practice. Lesions were classified as lentigo simplex, congenital nevus, "common" nevus, dysplastic nevus, blue nevus, Spitz's nevus or malignant melanoma. A comparison of the two periods reveals an increase in dysplastic nevi from one in 1980 to nine in 1989. The histologic changes in these nevi were compared to those of the other tumors. Pronounced cytologic atypia was seen in the melanocytes of a few "common" nevi, but more often in the dysplastic nevi and in all of the melanomas. Slight nuclear atypia was usual in "common" nevi and lentigines, and also fibroplasia, lymphocytic infiltration, vessel proliferation and pigment incontinence were seen in both "common" nevi and dysplastic nevi. It is concluded that no single histologic variable was specific for dysplastic nevi.

  17. Association of Multiple Melanocytic Naevi with Education, Sex and Skin Type. A Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study with 46 Years Follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinikumpu, Suvi-Päivikki; Huilaja, Laura; Jokelainen, Jari; Auvinen, Juha; Timonen, Markku; Tasanen, Kaisa

    2017-02-08

    Having multiple melanocytic naevi (sex, socioeconomic status (education) in childhood and adulthood, skin type and sunbathing habits. The prevalence of multiple melanocytic naevi was 11.6% (223/1,930). Higher education (odds ratio (OR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.51-2.96), male sex (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.07-2.06), sun-sensitive skin type (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.34-3.27) and regular use of sunscreen (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.23-3.37) were associated with increased risk of multiple naevi. Inflammatory skin diseases decreased (OR 0.49, 95 CI% 0.33-0.72) the risk of multiple naevi. In conclusion, several risk factors were found for multiple naevi among adults living in high latitudes, in Northern Finland.

  18. Noncultured keratinocyte/melanocyte cosuspension: effect on reepithelialization and repigmentation--a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Back, Christopher; Dearman, Bronwyn; Li, Amy; Neild, Tim; Greenwood, John E

    2009-01-01

    Randomized controlled trials in the literature investigating the efficacy of noncultured keratinocyte/melanocyte suspensions are scarce; however, the advocates of such techniques press the value of their application based largely on case studies and anecdote. Caucasian patients with burn hypopigmentation seldom request cosmetic revision making worthwhile clinical trials difficult so that informal case treatments with new therapies generate anecdotal results. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out to evaluate whether cosuspensions of noncultured skin cells are capable of (1) decreasing the time to reepithelialization and (2) reestablishing pigmentation in vitiligo leukoderma following epidermal/superficial dermal ablation (in the knowledge that a positive result would make the technique likely to be successful in burn hypopigmentation). Vitiligo is common and is socially more debilitating such that suitable trial subjects for new therapies from this pool are more forthcoming. This study demonstrated that suspensions of noncultured keratinocytes and melanocytes do not decrease the time to epithelialization of superficial partial thickness wounds compared with controls. It also suggested that the achievement, quality, and duration of any pigmentation were unpredictable and largely disappointing. Some pigmentation was recorded in placebo-treated areas indicating an effect of the method of epidermal ablation in these patients. These findings have mandated a complete review of the use of these techniques in burn care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital; they have been omitted from surgical protocols where the aim of use was to speed reepithelialization. Their infrequent use in burns hypopigmentation will continue contingent on the successful repigmentation of a test patch.

  19. Estudo de distribuição e morfologia dos melanócitos em pele com e sem exposição solar Melanocytes distribution and morphology analysis in skin with and without sun exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Mayumi Takano

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO E OBJETIVOS: Acredita-se que a exposição solar possa alterar número, distribuição e morfologia dos melanócitos na pele humana, muitas vezes dificultando a interpretação de biópsias de pele, principalmente para o diagnóstico de lesões melanocíticas iniciais e para a avaliação precisa de margens de ressecção. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os melanócitos da pele humana em área exposta e não exposta ao sol. MÉTODOS: Realizada análise histológica de 60 fragmentos de biópsias de pele obtidas do antebraço (área fotoexposta e região glútea (área coberta de cadáveres do Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos de Recife-PE. A estatística foi realizada com o SPSS Windows versão 12.0. RESULTADOS: Observou-se um número bastante variável de melanócitos nos fragmentos de pele, com maior concentração destes na região do antebraço (área de maior fotoexposição (p INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: It is believed that sun exposure can change the number, distribution and morphology of melanocytes in human skin, which often hinders the interpretation of skin biopsies, mainly as to diagnosis of initial melanocytic lesions and accurate assessment of resection margins. Our objective was to evaluate melanocytes in sun-exposed and non-exposed skin. METHODS: It was conducted the histological analysis of 60 skin biopsy samples resected from cadaver forearm (sun-exposed skin and cadaver buttock (non-exposed skin from the Death Verification Service (Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos of Recife, state of Pernambuco. The statistical analysis was performed with SPSS Windows version 12.0. RESULTS: There was considerable variability in melanocyte density, with a higher concentration of these cells in sun-exposed areas (p < 0.001. There was also an irregular distribution of melanocytes along the epidermal basal layer, occasionally with cells arranged side by side. This confluence was identified with a higher frequency in sun

  20. Isolation, pure culture and characterization of Serratia symbiotica sp. nov., the R-type of secondary endosymbiont of the black bean aphid Aphis fabae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabri, Ahmed; Leroy, Pascal; Haubruge, Eric; Hance, Thierry; Frère, Isabelle; Destain, Jacqueline; Thonart, Philippe

    2011-09-01

    An intracellular symbiotic bacterium was isolated from the flora of a natural clone of the black bean aphid Aphis fabae. The strain was able to grow freely in aerobic conditions on a rich medium containing 1 % of each of the following substrates: glucose, yeast extract and casein peptone. Pure culture was achieved through the use of solid-phase culture on the same medium and the strain was designated CWBI-2.3(T). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain CWBI-2.3(T) was a member of the class Gammaproteobacteria, having high sequence similarity (>99 %) with 'Candidatus Serratia symbiotica', the R-type of secondary endosymbiont that is found in several aphid species. As strain CWBI-2.3(T) ( = LMG 25624(T) = DSM 23270(T)) was the first R-type symbiont to be isolated and characterized, it was designated as the type strain of Serratia symbiotica sp. nov.

  1. COMETABOLIC DEGRADATION OF CHLOROALLYL ALCOHOLS IN BATCH AND CONTINUOUS CULTURES

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANDERWAARDE, JJ; KOK, R; JANSSEN, DB; Waarde, J.J. van der

    1994-01-01

    The biodegradation of chloroallyl alcohols by pure and mixed bacterial cultures was investigated. Only 2-chloroallyl alcohol and cis- and trans-3-chloroallyl alcohol served as growth substrate for pure cultures. The other chloroallyl alcohols could be cometabolically degraded during growth on

  2. Melanin-concentrating hormone and its receptor are expressed and functional in human skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoogduijn, Martin J; Ancans, Janis; Suzuki, Itaru; Estdale, Siân; Thody, Anthony J

    2002-08-23

    In this study, we have demonstrated the presence of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and melanin-concentrating hormone receptor (MCHR1) transcripts in human skin. Sequence analysis confirmed that the transcripts of both genes were identical to those previously found in human brain. In culture, endothelial cells showed pro-MCH expression whereas no signal was found in keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts. MCHR1 expression was restricted to melanocytes and melanoma cells. Stimulation of cultured human melanocytes with MCH reduced the alpha-MSH-induced increase in cAMP production. Furthermore, the melanogenic actions of alpha-MSH were inhibited by MCH. We propose that the MCH/MCHR1 signalling system is present in human skin and may have a role with the melanocortins in regulating the melanocyte.

  3. Malignant Tumor Derived from Skin Melanocytes of a Bovine of Unusual Presentation: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Alberto Chaves Velásquez

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Melanocytic tumors and melanomas in domestic animals include neoplasms composed of melanin-producing cells. In cattle, these tumors are rare and mostly benign, while malignant tumors are almost non-existent. The article reports the case of a female crossbred cow 38 months of age with a fluctuating mass located between the mandibular border and the left parotid region, about three months duration, with evident growth in the last thirty days. After surgical excision, a sample preserved in buffered formalin (10% was sent to the Laboratory of Pathology (University of Nariño—consisting of a fragment of 7.0 × 10.5 × 8.0 cm, ellipsoid, with skin and hair on one side, irregular surface, blackish brown, semi-soft consistency, and presence of shear translucent slimy content—for processing and inclusion in paraffin, cut to 5 μm thickness and stained with hematoxylin-eosin coloration. The forwarded tissue was classified as a neoplasm of malignant behavior derived from melanocytes, due to its cellular characteristics: growth pattern, pattern of distribution, severe cellular pleomorphism, anisocytosis, megalocytosis, nuclear pleomorphism, anisokaryosis, megalokaryosis, and involvement of blood vessel walls; additionally, the paraffin block was cut for immunohistochemical processing using monoclonal markers (S-100 DAKO® and Melan A DAKO®, contrasted with Mayer’s hematoxylin. Strong immunostaining of neoplastic cells is evident, and it constitutes the first reported case of this disease in Nariño (Colombia.

  4. Rehabilitation of pure alexia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starrfelt, Randi; Ólafsdóttir, Rannveig Rós; Arendt, Ida-Marie

    2013-01-01

    that pure alexia was an easy target for rehabilitation efforts. We review the literature on rehabilitation of pure alexia from 1990 to the present, and find that patients differ widely on several dimensions like alexia severity, and associated deficits. Many patients reported to have pure alexia......-designed and controlled studies of rehabilitation of pure alexia....

  5. Adaptive strategies for cumulative cultural learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehn, Micael; Laland, Kevin

    2012-05-21

    The demographic and ecological success of our species is frequently attributed to our capacity for cumulative culture. However, it is not yet known how humans combine social and asocial learning to generate effective strategies for learning in a cumulative cultural context. Here we explore how cumulative culture influences the relative merits of various pure and conditional learning strategies, including pure asocial and social learning, critical social learning, conditional social learning and individual refiner strategies. We replicate the Rogers' paradox in the cumulative setting. However, our analysis suggests that strategies that resolved Rogers' paradox in a non-cumulative setting may not necessarily evolve in a cumulative setting, thus different strategies will optimize cumulative and non-cumulative cultural learning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. A paradox of cumulative culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Yutaka; Wakano, Joe Yuichiro; Ohtsuki, Hisashi

    2015-08-21

    Culture can grow cumulatively if socially learnt behaviors are improved by individual learning before being passed on to the next generation. Previous authors showed that this kind of learning strategy is unlikely to be evolutionarily stable in the presence of a trade-off between learning and reproduction. This is because culture is a public good that is freely exploited by any member of the population in their model (cultural social dilemma). In this paper, we investigate the effect of vertical transmission (transmission from parents to offspring), which decreases the publicness of culture, on the evolution of cumulative culture in both infinite and finite population models. In the infinite population model, we confirm that culture accumulates largely as long as transmission is purely vertical. It turns out, however, that introduction of even slight oblique transmission drastically reduces the equilibrium level of culture. Even more surprisingly, if the population size is finite, culture hardly accumulates even under purely vertical transmission. This occurs because stochastic extinction due to random genetic drift prevents a learning strategy from accumulating enough culture. Overall, our theoretical results suggest that introducing vertical transmission alone does not really help solve the cultural social dilemma problem. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. L-lactic acid production from starch by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation in a genetically engineered Aspergillus oryzae pure culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakai, Satoshi; Yoshie, Toshihide; Asai-Nakashima, Nanami; Yamada, Ryosuke; Ogino, Chiaki; Tsutsumi, Hiroko; Hata, Yoji; Kondo, Akihiko

    2014-12-01

    Lactic acid is a commodity chemical that can be produced biologically. Lactic acid-producing Aspergillus oryzae strains were constructed by genetic engineering. The A. oryzae LDH strain with the bovine L-lactate dehydrogenase gene produced 38 g/L of lactate from 100g/L of glucose. Disruption of the wild-type lactate dehydrogenase gene in A. oryzae LDH improved lactate production. The resulting strain A. oryzae LDHΔ871 produced 49 g/L of lactate from 100g/L of glucose. Because A. oryzae strains innately secrete amylases, A. oryzae LDHΔ871 produced approximately 30 g/L of lactate from various starches, dextrin, or maltose (all at 100 g/L). To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of lactate from starch using a pure culture of transgenic A. oryzae. Our results indicate that A. oryzae could be a promising host for the bioproduction of useful compounds such as lactic acid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Human phenylalanine hydroxylase is activated by H2O2: a novel mechanism for increasing the L-tyrosine supply for melanogenesis in melanocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schallreuter, Karin U.; Wazir, Umar; Kothari, Sonal; Gibbons, Nicholas C.J.; Moore, Jeremy; Wood, John M.

    2004-01-01

    Epidermal phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) produces L-tyrosine from the essential amino acid L-phenylalanine supporting melanogenesis in human melanocytes. Those PAH activities increase linearly in the different skin phototypes I-VI (Fitzpatrick classification) and also increase up to 24 h after UVB light with only one minimal erythemal dose. Since UVB generates also H 2 O 2 , we here asked the question whether this reactive oxygen species could influence the activity of pure recombinant human PAH. Under saturating conditions with the substrate L-phenylalanine (1 x 10 -3 M), the V max for enzyme activity increased 4-fold by H 2 O 2 (>2.0 x 10 -3 M). Lineweaver-Burk analysis identified a mixed activation mechanism involving both the regulatory and catalytic domains of PAH. Hyperchem molecular modelling and Deep View analysis support oxidation of the single Trp 120 residue to 5-OH-Trp 120 by H 2 O 2 causing a conformational change in the regulatory domain. PAH was still activated by H 2 O 2 in the presence of the electron donor/cofactor 6(R)-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin despite slow oxidation of this cofactor. In vivo FT-Raman spectroscopy confirmed decreased epidermal phenylalanine in association with increased tyrosine after UVB exposure. Hence, generation of H 2 O 2 by UVB can activate epidermal PAH leading to an increased L-tyrosine pool for melanogenesis

  9. Susceptibility to antibiotics of Vibrio sp. AO1 growing in pure culture or in association with its hydroid host Aglaophenia octodonta (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stabili, Loredana; Gravili, Cinzia; Boero, Ferdinando; Tredici, Salvatore M; Alifano, Pietro

    2010-04-01

    Vibrio harveyi is the major causal organism of vibriosis, causing potential devastation to diverse ranges of marine invertebrates over a wide geographical area. These microorganisms, however, are phenotypically diverse, and many of the isolates are also resistant to multiple antibiotics. In a previous study, we described a previously unknown association between Vibrio sp. AO1, a luminous bacterium related to the species V. harveyi, and the benthic hydrozoan Aglaophenia octodonta. In this study, we analyzed the susceptibility to antibiotics (ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, or co-trimoxazole = mix of sulfamethoxazole and trimetoprim) of Vibrio sp. AO1 growing in pure culture or in association with its hydroid host by using microcosm experiments. The results of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) experiments demonstrated that Vibrio sp. AO1 was highly resistant to ampicillin and streptomycin in pure culture. Nevertheless, these antibiotics, when used at sub-MIC values, significantly reduced the hydroid fluorescence. Co-trimoxazole showed the highest inhibitory effect on fluorescence of A. octodonta. However, in all treatments, the fluorescence was reduced after 48 h, but never disappeared completely around the folds along the hydrocaulus and at the base of the hydrothecae of A. octodonta when the antibiotic was used at concentration completely inhibiting growth in vitro. The apparent discrepancy between the MIC data and the fluorescence patterns may be due to either heterogeneity of the bacterial population in terms of antibiotic susceptibility or specific chemical-physical conditions of the hydroid microenvironment that may decrease the antibiotic susceptibility of the whole population. The latter hypothesis is supported by scanning electron microscope evidence for development of bacterial biofilm on the hydroid surface. On the basis of the results obtained, we infer that A. octodonta might behave as a reservoir of antibiotic multiresistant bacteria

  10. New Whitening Constituents from Taiwan-Native Pyracantha koidzumii: Structures and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Analysis in Human Epidermal Melanocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Rong-Dih; Chen, Mei-Chuan; Liu, Yan-Ling; Lin, Yi-Tzu; Lu, Mei-Kuang; Hsu, Feng-Lin; Lee, Mei-Hsien

    2015-01-01

    Nontoxic natural products useful in skin care cosmetics are of considerable interest. Tyrosinase is a rate-limiting enzyme for which its inhibitor is useful in developing whitening cosmetics. Pyracantha koidzumii (Hayata) Rehder is an endemic species in Taiwan that exhibits tyrosinase-inhibitory activity. To find new active natural compounds from P. koidzumii, we performed bioguided isolation and studied the related activity in human epidermal melanocytes. In total, 13 compounds were identified from P. koidzumii in the present study, including two new compounds, 3,6-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-dibenzofuran (9) and 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybiphenyl-2ʹ-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (13), as well as 11 known compounds. The new compound 13 exhibited maximum potency in inhibiting cellular tyrosinase activity, the protein expression of cellular tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-2, as well as the mRNA expression of Paired box 3 and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor in a concentration-dependent manner. In the enzyme kinetic assay, the new compound 13 acted as an uncompetitive mixed-type inhibitor against the substrate l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and had a Km value against this substrate of 0.262 mM, as calculated using the Lineweaver–Burk plots. Taken together, our findings show compound 13 exhibits tyrosinase inhibition in human melanocytes and compound 13 may be a potential candidate for use in cosmetics. PMID:26633381

  11. New Whitening Constituents from Taiwan-Native Pyracantha koidzumii: Structures and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Analysis in Human Epidermal Melanocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong-Dih Lin

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Nontoxic natural products useful in skin care cosmetics are of considerable interest. Tyrosinase is a rate-limiting enzyme for which its inhibitor is useful in developing whitening cosmetics. Pyracantha koidzumii (Hayata Rehder is an endemic species in Taiwan that exhibits tyrosinase-inhibitory activity. To find new active natural compounds from P. koidzumii, we performed bioguided isolation and studied the related activity in human epidermal melanocytes. In total, 13 compounds were identified from P. koidzumii in the present study, including two new compounds, 3,6-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-dibenzofuran (9 and 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybiphenyl-2ʹ-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (13, as well as 11 known compounds. The new compound 13 exhibited maximum potency in inhibiting cellular tyrosinase activity, the protein expression of cellular tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-2, as well as the mRNA expression of Paired box 3 and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor in a concentration-dependent manner. In the enzyme kinetic assay, the new compound 13 acted as an uncompetitive mixed-type inhibitor against the substrate l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and had a Km value against this substrate of 0.262 mM, as calculated using the Lineweaver–Burk plots. Taken together, our findings show compound 13 exhibits tyrosinase inhibition in human melanocytes and compound 13 may be a potential candidate for use in cosmetics.

  12. Melanocytic Nevi and Sun Exposure in a Cohort of Colorado Children: Anatomic Distribution and Site-Specific Sunburn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodd, Athena T.; Morelli, Joseph; Mokrohisky, Stefan T.; Asdigian, Nancy; Byers, Tim E.; Crane, Lori A.

    2010-01-01

    Sun exposure and high prevalence of melanocytic nevi are major risk factors for melanoma, but the relationship between them is not well understood. This study examines the relationship between sun exposure (detailed by anatomic location and history of site-specific sunburns) and the presence of melanocytic nevi on 743 White children in Denver, Colorado. Parental reports of site-specific sunburns were collected annually for 2 years starting at ages 5 to 6 years. In the third year, nevi were counted and mapped by anatomic location. Nevus density was higher for boys (36.0 nevi/m2) than for girls (31.0 nevi/m2; P = 0.04). Nevus density was highest on the face, neck, and lateral forearms and was significantly higher in chronically versus intermittently sun-exposed areas (P sunburn. The face, shoulders, and back were the most frequently sunburned areas of the body. When adjusted for host factors, total number of sunburns was significantly associated with higher total nevus prevalence (P = 0.01 for one burn). Site-specific sunburns were significantly associated with nevus prevalence on the back (P = 0.03 for three or more sunburns), but not on the face, arms, or legs. In this high-risk population, there is evidence for two pathways to nevus accumulation: by chronic sun exposure and by intermittent exposure related to sunburns. PMID:17932362

  13. Small Dysplastic Congenital Melanocytic Nevi in Childhood as Possible Melanoma Imitators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgi Tchernev

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Small pigmented lesions in children can represent a significant diagnostic challenge. If the diagnostic features and therapeutic approach are relatively well established in large and giant nevi, there is still much controversy regarding small and intermediate-sized congenital pigmented lesions that can lead to significant diagnostic challenges, both clinically and dermoscopically, and consequently to difficulty in defining the optimal approach in such cases. Although dermoscopy can be useful in the diagnosis of pigmented lesions, the diversity of clinical and dermoscopic features of pigmented nevi in children usually hinder the differentiation between them and melanoma. Histological findings after resection often show surprising results that do not correspond either to the clinical nor the dermoscopic features. With the present case, we want to emphasise the variable natural behaviour of melanocytic lesions in children, which sometimes leads to unnecessary surgical excisions, which should be avoided in pediatric patients.

  14. Color Spectrum Properties of Pure and Non-Pure LATEX in Discriminating Rubber Clone Series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noor Aishah Khairuzzaman; Hadzli Hashim; Nina Korlina Madzhi; Noor Ezan Abdullah; Faridatul Aima Ismail; Ahmad Faiz Sampian; Azhana Fatnin Che Will

    2015-01-01

    A study of color spectrum properties for pure and non-pure latex in discriminating rubber clone series has been presented in this paper. There were five types of clones from the same series being used as samples in this study named RRIM2002, RRIM2007, RRIM2008, RRIM2014, and RRIM3001. The main objective is to identify the significant color spectrum (RGB) from pure and non-pure latex that can discriminate rubber clone series. The significant information of color spectrum properties for pure and non-pure latex is determined by using spectrometer and Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). Visible light spectrum (VIS) is used as a radiation light of the spectrometer to emit light to the surface of the latex sample. By using SPSS software, the further numerical analysis of color spectrum properties is being conducted. As the conclusion, blue color spectrum for non-pure is able to discriminate for all rubber clone series whereas only certain color spectrum can differentiate several clone series for pure latex. (author)

  15. Investigation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in pure and mixed-species culture for bioleaching of Theisen sludge from former copper smelting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klink, C; Eisen, S; Daus, B; Heim, J; Schlömann, M; Schopf, S

    2016-06-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of bioleaching for the treatment of an environmentally hazardous waste, a blast-furnace flue dust designated Theisen sludge. Bioleaching of Theisen sludge was investigated at acidic conditions with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in pure and mixed-species culture with Acidiphilium. In shaking-flask experiments, bioleaching parameters (pH, redox potential, zinc extraction from ZnS, ferrous- and ferric-iron concentration) were controlled regularly. The analysis of the dissolved metals showed that 70% zinc and 45% copper were extracted. Investigations regarding the arsenic and antimony species were performed. When iron ions were lacking, animonate (Sb(V)) and total arsenic concentration were highest in solution. The bioleaching approach was scaled up in stirred-tank bioreactors resulting in higher leaching efficiency of valuable trace elements. Concentrations of dissolved antimony were approx. 23 times, and of cobalt, germanium, and rhenium three times higher in comparison to shaking-flask experiments, when considering the difference in solid load of Theisen sludge. The extraction of base and trace metals from Theisen sludge, despite of its high content of heavy metals and organic compounds, was feasible with iron-oxidizing acidophilic bacteria. In stirred-tank bioreactors, the mixed-species culture performed better. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first providing an appropriate biological technology for the treatment of Theisen sludge to win valuable elements. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  16. Enhanced kefiran production by mixed culture of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheirsilp, Benjamas; Shimizu, Hiroshi; Shioya, Suteaki

    2003-01-09

    In a batch mixed culture of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which could assimilate lactic acid, cell growth and kefiran production rates of L. kefiranofaciens significantly increased, compared with those in pure cultures. The kefiran production rate was 36 mg l(-1) h(-1) in the mixed culture under the anaerobic condition, which was greater than that in the pure culture (24 mg l(-1) h(-1)). Under the aerobic condition, a more intensive interaction between these two strains was observed and higher kefiran production rate (44 mg l(-1) h(-1)) was obtained compared with that under the anaerobic condition. Kefiran production was further enhanced by an addition of fresh medium in the fed-batch mixed culture. In the fed-batch mixed culture, a final kefiran concentration of 5.41 g l(-1) was achieved at 87 h, thereby attaining the highest productivity at 62 mg l(-1) h(-1). Simulation study considered the reduction of lactic acid in pure culture was performed to estimate the additional effect of coculture with S. cerevisiae. Slightly higher cell growth and kefiran production rates in the mixed culture than those expected from pure culture by simulation were observed. These results suggest that coculture of L. kefiranofaciens and S. cerevisiae not only reduces the lactic acid concentration by consumption but also stimulates cell growth and kefiran production of L. kefiranofaciens.

  17. Influence of the compound effect between nitrogen and zinc on the resource of nitrogen of herbage in mixed and pure culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Zhongjun; Hua Luo

    2002-01-01

    Under pot culture, the influence of compound effect between nitrogen and zinc on the resource of nitrogen of ryegrass in mono-culture and ryegrass/clover in mixture were studied on yellow brown earth which collected from sub-tropic mountain sward of southern China. The result showed as follows: (1) The percentage of nitrogen derived from atmosphere (% Ndfa) was decreased by nitrogen application in early growth stage and suitable amount of nitrogen application increased it in later growth stage. The % Ndfa of white clover in mixture was the highest with 6 mg/kg zinc application in all nitrogen levels. The transfer of fixed nitrogen by white clover to ryegrass was decreased by nitrogen application and increased by low amount of zinc application. (2) The percentage of nitrogen derived from fertilizer (% Ndff) was significantly increased by nitrogen application, of which the treatments with 6-20 mg/kg zinc application was higher than other zinc application treatments on ryegrass in monoculture, and the treatments with 6-20 mg/kg zinc application on white clover/ryegrass in mixture was lower than other zinc treatments at the range from 30 to 90 mg/kg nitrogen application. (3) The percentage of nitrogen derived from soil (% Ndfs) of ryegrass both in pure and in mixture was significantly decreased as the increasing of the levels of nitrogen application, of which ryegrass in mono-culture was not obviously influenced by zinc application, and ryegrass/clover in mixture was decreased by 6-20 mg/kg zinc application under all nitrogen levels

  18. Sixth form pure mathematics

    CERN Document Server

    Plumpton, C

    1968-01-01

    Sixth Form Pure Mathematics, Volume 1, Second Edition, is the first of a series of volumes on Pure Mathematics and Theoretical Mechanics for Sixth Form students whose aim is entrance into British and Commonwealth Universities or Technical Colleges. A knowledge of Pure Mathematics up to G.C.E. O-level is assumed and the subject is developed by a concentric treatment in which each new topic is used to illustrate ideas already treated. The major topics of Algebra, Calculus, Coordinate Geometry, and Trigonometry are developed together. This volume covers most of the Pure Mathematics required for t

  19. Influence Of Used Bacterial Culture On Zinc And Aluminium Bioleaching From Printed Circuit Boards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mrazikova Anna

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Bioleaching processes were used to solubilize metals (Cu, Ni, Zn and Al from printed circuit boards (PCBs. In this study, a PCBs-adapted pure culture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, pure culture of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and PCBs-adapted mixed culture of A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans were used for recovery of the metals. The study showed that the mixed bacterial culture has the greatest potential to dissolve metals. The maximum metal bioleaching efficiencies were found to be 100, 92, 89 and 20% of Cu, Ni, Zn and Al, respectively. The mixed culture revealed higher bacterial stability. The main factor responsible for high metal recovery was the ability of the mixed culture to maintain the low pH during the whole process. The pure culture of A. thiooxidans had no significant effect on metal bioleaching from PCBs.

  20. Interleukins 1alpha and 1beta secreted by some melanoma cell lines strongly reduce expression of MITF-M and melanocyte differentiation antigens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kholmanskikh, Olga; van Baren, Nicolas; Brasseur, Francis; Ottaviani, Sabrina; Vanacker, Julie; Arts, Nathalie; van der Bruggen, Pierre; Coulie, Pierre; De Plaen, Etienne

    2010-10-01

    We report that melanoma cell lines expressing the interleukin-1 receptor exhibit 4- to 10-fold lower levels of mRNA of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF-M) when treated with interleukin-1beta. This effect is NF-kappaB and JNK-dependent. MITF-M regulates the expression of melanocyte differentiation genes such as MLANA, tyrosinase and gp100, which encode antigens recognized on melanoma cells by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes. Accordingly, treating some melanoma cells with IL-1beta reduced by 40-100% their ability to activate such antimelanoma cytolytic T lymphocytes. Finally, we observed large amounts of biologically active IL-1alpha or IL-1beta secreted by two melanoma cell lines that did not express MITF-M, suggesting an autocrine MITF-M downregulation. We estimate that approximately 13% of melanoma cell lines are MITF-M-negative and secrete IL-1 cytokines. These results indicate that the repression of melanocyte-differentiation genes by IL-1 produced by stromal cells or by tumor cells themselves may represent an additional mechanism of melanoma immune escape.

  1. Evaluation of treatment response to autologous transplantation of noncultured melanocyte/keratinocyte cell suspension in patients with stable vitiligo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Mariana Gontijo; Ramos, Daniel Gontijo; Ramos, Camila Gontijo

    2017-01-01

    Vitiligo is a chronic disease characterized by the appearance of achromic macules caused by melanocyte destruction. Surgical treatments with melanocyte transplantation can be used for stable vitiligo cases. To evaluate treatment response to the autologous transplantation of noncultured epidermal cell suspension in patients with stable vitiligo. Case series study in patients with stable vitiligo submitted to noncultured epidermal cell suspension transplantation and evaluated at least once, between 3 and 6 months after the procedure, to observe repigmentation and possible adverse effects. The maximum follow-up period for some patients was 24 months. Of the 20 patients who underwent 24 procedures, 25% showed an excellent rate of repigmentation, 50% good repigmentation, 15% regular, and 10% poor response. The best results were observed in face and neck lesions, while the worst in extremity lesions (88% and 33% of satisfactory responses, respectively). Patients with segmental vitiligo had a better response (84%) compared to non-segmental ones (63%). As side effects were observed hyperpigmentation of the treated area and the appearance of Koebner phenomenon in the donor area. Some limitations of the study included the small number of patients, a subjective evaluation, and the lack of long-term follow-up on the results. CONCLUSION: Noncultured epidermal cell suspension transplantation is efficient and well tolerated for stable vitiligo treatment, especially for segmental vitiligo on the face and neck.

  2. The evaluation of kefir pure culture starter: Liquid-core capsule entrapping microorganisms isolated from kefir grains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Liang; Zhong, Hao; Liu, Keying; Guo, Aizhen; Qi, Xianghui; Cai, Meihong

    2016-10-01

    The main purpose of this study was to develop a pure culture starter for producing kefir. In order to accomplish starter recycling, yeasts (Kluyveromyces marxianus strain, Pichia kudriavzevii clone), lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus kefiri strain F4Aa, Lactobacillus kefiri strain NM131-7, Lactobacillus kefiri strain NM132-3, Lactobacillus kefiri strain NM180-3, respectively), and acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter lovaniensis strain) were entrapped in liquid core capsules based on the distribution ratio in kefir grains. The microbiological, antimicrobial, and chemical properties of kefir made with capsules (M) and kefir grains (K) were measured and compared. According to the results of plate counts in different selective medium, the number of yeasts and bacteria in the liquid core capsules gradually increased and stabilized after eight fermentation cycles. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that almost all the aroma components existed in the two type of kefir, except the ethyl lactate. There was no significant difference in alcohol content, protein content, and fat content, except the acidity and sugar content. Water holding capacity of kefir K was higher than kefir M. There were 14 same free amino acids in kefir M and kefir K, and the content of most free amino acids was similar. In antimicrobial test, there was no significant difference in both kefirs. © The Author(s) 2016.

  3. Non-critical pure spinor superstrings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adam, Ido; Grassi, Pietro Antonio; Mazzucato, Luca; Oz, Yaron; Yankielowicz, Shimon

    2007-01-01

    We construct non-critical pure spinor superstrings in two, four and six dimensions. We find explicitly the map between the RNS variables and the pure spinor ones in the linear dilaton background. The RNS variables map onto a patch of the pure spinor space and the holomorphic top form on the pure spinor space is an essential ingredient of the mapping. A basic feature of the map is the requirement of doubling the superspace, which we analyze in detail. We study the structure of the non-critical pure spinor space, which is different from the ten-dimensional one, and its quantum anomalies. We compute the pure spinor lowest lying BRST cohomology and find an agreement with the RNS spectra. The analysis is generalized to curved backgrounds and we construct as an example the non-critical pure spinor type IIA superstring on AdS 4 with RR 4-form flux

  4. Methanogenic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria co-cultured on acetate: teamwork or coexistence?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ozuolmez, D.; Na, H.; Lever, M.A.; Kjeldsen, K.U.; Jørgensen, B.B.; Plugge, C.M.

    2015-01-01

    Acetate is a major product of fermentation processes and an important substrate for sulfate reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Most studies on acetate catabolism by sulfate reducers and methanogens have used pure cultures. Less is known about acetate conversion by mixed pure cultures and

  5. Accelerated Generation of Selfed Pure Line Plants for Gene Identification and Crop Breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guijun Yan

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Production of pure lines is an important step in biological studies and breeding of many crop plants. The major types of pure lines for biological studies and breeding include doubled haploid (DH lines, recombinant inbred lines (RILs, and near isogenic lines (NILs. DH lines can be produced through microspore and megaspore culture followed by chromosome doubling while RILs and NILs can be produced through introgressions or repeated selfing of hybrids. DH approach was developed as a quicker method than conventional method to produce pure lines. However, its drawbacks of genotype-dependency and only a single chance of recombination limited its wider application. A recently developed fast generation cycling system (FGCS achieved similar times to those of DH for the production of selfed pure lines but is more versatile as it is much less genotype-dependent than DH technology and does not restrict recombination to a single event. The advantages and disadvantages of the technologies and their produced pure line populations for different purposes of biological research and breeding are discussed. The development of a concept of complete in vitro meiosis and mitosis system is also proposed. This could integrate with the recently developed technologies of single cell genomic sequencing and genome wide selection, leading to a complete laboratory based pre-breeding scheme.

  6. Dendrobium protoplast co-culture promotes phytochemical assemblage in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Abitha; Pujari, Ipsita; Shetty, Vasudeep; Joshi, Manjunath B; Rai, Padmalatha S; Satyamoorthy, Kapaettu; Babu, Vidhu Sankar

    2017-07-01

    The present study is intended to analyze the occurrence of potent, low produce, naturally occurring stilbenes in protoplasts of wild species and hybrids of Dendrobium. The wild species selected for the study was Dendrobium ovatum, endemic to Western Ghats of India. Protoplasts were isolated from leaves and tepal tissues of all the species and were cultured purely to generate homofusants and cross-cultured to raise heterofusants. Phytochemical composition of protoplast culture with atypical and pure microcolonies was performed using mass spectrometry. Enzyme cocktail of 4% pectinase together with 2% cellulase displayed the highest competence for protoplast isolations. Maximum protoplast density of 30.11 × 10 4 /ml was obtained from D. ovatum leaves in 2 h. Subcellular features such as the presence of partially formed cell wall, the position of the nucleus, chloroplast density, colony existence, and integrity of the plasma membrane were analyzed. Among the pure and cross-cultured protoplasts, the number of heterofusants and homofusants formed were enumerated. The spectral feature extraction of the mass spectrometry indicated the presence of five phenolic marker compounds, viz., tristin, confusarin, gigantol, moscatilin, and resveratrol, some of them in pure and others in assorted protoplast cultures raised from Dendrobium leaves and tepals. The study demonstrated that protoplast fusion technique enabled phytochemical assemblage in vitro as stilbenes tend to get restricted either in a tissue or species specific manner. This is the first report showing the presence of resveratrol, moscatilin, tristin, gigantol, and confusarin in wild and hybrid species from cultured Dendrobium protoplasts in vitro.

  7. Improved ethanol tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in mixed cultures with Kluyveromyces lactis on high-sugar fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaoka, Chizuru; Kurita, Osamu; Kubo, Tomoko

    2014-12-01

    The influence of non-Saccharomyces yeast, Kluyveromyces lactis, on metabolite formation and the ethanol tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in mixed cultures was examined on synthetic minimal medium containing 20% glucose. In the late stage of fermentation after the complete death of K. lactis, S. cerevisiae in mixed cultures was more ethanol-tolerant than that in pure culture. The chronological life span of S. cerevisiae was shorter in pure culture than mixed cultures. The yeast cells of the late stationary phase both in pure and mixed cultures had a low buoyant density with no significant difference in the non-quiescence state between both cultures. In mixed cultures, the glycerol contents increased and the alanine contents decreased when compared with the pure culture of S. cerevisiae. The distinctive intracellular amino acid pool concerning its amino acid concentrations and its amino acid composition was observed in yeast cells with different ethanol tolerance in the death phase. Co-cultivation of K. lactis seems to prompt S. cerevisiae to be ethanol tolerant by forming opportune metabolites such as glycerol and alanine and/or changing the intracellular amino acid pool. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  8. The value of cultures to modern microbiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Brian

    2017-10-01

    Since the late nineteenth century, pure cultures have been regarded as the cornerstone of bacteriology. However, not all bacteria will multiply sufficiently to produce visible colonies on solid media; some cells will produce micro-colonies that are invisible to the naked eye. Moreover, the proportion of culturable cells that produce visible growth will vary according to the species and the state of the cells-are they actively growing or comparatively inactive? The latter have a poorer rate of recovery in terms of cultivability. It is unclear whether or not an individual colony is always derived from a single cell; it is possible that organisms in close proximity to each other may multiply and come together to produce single colonies. Then, the resultant growth will most certainly be derived from more than one initial cell. Although it is generally assumed that streaking and re-streaking on fresh media will purify any culture, there is evidence for microbial consortia interacting to form what appear to be single pure cultures. As so-called pure cultures underpin traditional microbiology, it is relevant to understand that the culture does not necessarily contain clones of identical bacteria, but that there may be variation in the genetic potential of the component cells, i.e. the cells are not homogeneous. Certainly, many bacteria change rapidly upon culturing, with some becoming bigger and less active. It is difficult to be sure if these changes reflect a loss or change of DNA or whether standard culturing methods select faster growing cells that are effectively not representative of the environment from which they were derived. These concepts are reviewed with an emphasis on bacterial fish pathogens.

  9. 75 FR 23318 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “John Baldessari: Pure...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-03

    ... Baldessari: Pure Beauty,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of... Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, from on or about June 27 2010, until on or about September 12, 2010; at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, from on or about October 18, 2010, until on or about...

  10. A Macrocyclic Agouti-Related Protein/[Nle4, DPhe7]α-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone Chimeric Scaffold Produces Sub-nanomolar Melanocortin Receptor Ligands

    OpenAIRE

    Ericson, Mark D.; Freeman, Katie T.; Schnell, Sathya M.; Haskell-Luevano, Carrie

    2017-01-01

    The melanocortin system consists of five receptor subtypes, endogenous agonists, and naturally occurring antagonists. These receptors and ligands have been implicated in numerous biological pathways including processes linked to obesity and food intake. Herein, a truncation structure-activity relationship study of chimeric agouti-related protein (AGRP)/[Nle4, DPhe7]α-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone (NDP-MSH) ligands is reported. The tetrapeptide His-DPhe-Arg-Trp or tripeptide DPhe-Arg-Trp repl...

  11. Mixtures of maximally entangled pure states

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flores, M.M., E-mail: mflores@nip.up.edu.ph; Galapon, E.A., E-mail: eric.galapon@gmail.com

    2016-09-15

    We study the conditions when mixtures of maximally entangled pure states remain entangled. We found that the resulting mixed state remains entangled when the number of entangled pure states to be mixed is less than or equal to the dimension of the pure states. For the latter case of mixing a number of pure states equal to their dimension, we found that the mixed state is entangled provided that the entangled pure states to be mixed are not equally weighted. We also found that one can restrict the set of pure states that one can mix from in order to ensure that the resulting mixed state is genuinely entangled. Also, we demonstrate how these results could be applied as a way to detect entanglement in mixtures of the entangled pure states with noise.

  12. L-tyrosine and L-DOPA as hormone-like regulators of melanocytes functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slominski, Andrzej; Zmijewski, Michal; Pawelek, John

    2011-01-01

    Summary Evidence reveals that L-tyrosine and L-DOPA, besides serving as substrates and intermediates of melanogenesis, are also bioregulatory agents acting not only as inducers and positive regulators of melanogenesis but also as regulators of other cellular functions. These can be mediated through action on specific receptors or through non-receptor mediated mechanisms. The substrate induced (L-tyrosine and/or L-DOPA) melanogenic pathway would autoregulate itself as well as it would regulate the melanocyte functions through activity of its structural or regulatory proteins and through intermediates of melanogenesis and melanin itself. Dissection of regulatory and autoregulatory elements of this process may elucidate how substrate induced autoregulatory pathways have evolved from prokaryotic or simple eukaryotic organisms to complex systems in vertebrates. This could substantiate older theory proposing that receptors for amino-acid derived hormones arose from the receptors for those amino acids, and that nuclear receptors evolved from primitive intracellular receptors binding nutritional factors or metabolic intermediates. PMID:21834848

  13. Mathematics as an Im/Pure Knowledge System: Symbiosis, (W)Holism and Synergy in Mathematics Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luitel, Bal Chandra

    2013-01-01

    The problem of culturally decontextualised mathematics education faced by Nepali students, teachers and teacher educators has often been oriented by the view of the nature of "mathematics as a body of pure knowledge," which gives rise to an exclusive emphasis on an ideology of singularity, epistemology of objectivism, language of…

  14. Melanoma transition is frequently accompanied by a loss of cytoglobin expression in melanocytes: a novel expression site of cytoglobin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshihiko Fujita

    Full Text Available The tissue distribution and function of hemoglobin or myoglobin are well known; however, a newly found cytoglobin (CYGB, which also belongs to the globin family, remains to be characterized. To assess its expression in human malignancies, we sought to screen a number of cell lines originated from many tissues using northern blotting and real time PCR techniques. Unexpectedly, we found that several, but not all, melanoma cell lines expressed CYGB mRNA and protein at much higher levels than cells of other origins. Melanocytes, the primary origin of melanoma, also expressed CYGB at a high level. To verify these observations, immunostaining and immunoblotting using anti-CYGB antibody were also performed. Bisulfite-modified genomic sequencing revealed that several melanoma cell lines that abrogated CYGB expression were found to be epigenetically regulated by hypermethylation in the promoter region of CYGB gene. The RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the CYGB transcript in CYGB expression-positive melanoma cell lines resulted in increased proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometric analysis using 2'-, 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA, an indicator of reactive oxygen species (ROS, revealed that the cellular ROS level may be involved in the proliferative effect of CYGB. Thus, CYGB appears to play a tumor suppressive role as a ROS regulator, and its epigenetic silencing, as observed in CYGB expression-negative melanoma cell lines, might function as an alternative pathway in the melanocyte-to-melanoma transition.

  15. Structural studies of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and a novel β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone from the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary of the dogfish Squalus acanthias

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Hugh P. J.; Lowry, Philip J.; McMartin, Colin; Scott, Alexander P.

    1974-01-01

    A melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) has been isolated from extracts of the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary of the dogfish Squalus acanthias by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. It had approximately 1% of the potency of mammalian α-MSH on bioassays in vitro on frog skin and dogfish skin. Sequence analysis revealed it to be a hexadecapeptide with the following primary structure: Asp-Gly-Asp-Asp-Tyr-Lys-Phe-Gly-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Ser-Val-Pro-Leu. It appears to be related to the β-MSH species of mammalian species but has only the sequence -His-Phe-Arg-Trp- in common with the heptapeptide core -Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly- which is characteristic not only of the MSH peptides but also of the adrenocorticotrophins and lipotrophins studied so far. An α-MSH was also isolated, 50% of which was amidated at the C-terminus group. Sequence data from this study taken in conjunction with those from a previous study (Lowry & Chadwick, 1970b) revealed it to be a tridecapeptide which is identical with the N-terminal sequence of dogfish adrenocorticotrophin. PMID:4375978

  16. Ultraviolet stimulated melanogenesis by human melanocytes is augmented by di-acyl glycerol but not TPA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friedmann, P.S.; Wren, F.E.; Matthews, J.N.

    1990-01-01

    Epidermal melanocytes (MC) synthesize melanin in response to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The mechanisms mediating the UV-induced activation of melanogenesis are unknown but since UVR induces turnover of membrane phospholipids generating prostaglandins (PGs) and other products, it is possible that one of these might provide the activating signal. We have examined the effects of prostaglandins (PGs) E1, E2, D2, F2 alpha, and di-acyl glycerol upon the UV-induced responses of cultured human MC and the Cloudman S91 melanoma cell line. The PGs had little effect on unirradiated cells and did not alter the response to UVR in either human MC or S91 melanoma cells. However, a synthetic analogue of di-acyl glycerol, 1-oleyl 2-acetyl glycerol (OAG), caused a significant (P less than 0.0001), dose-related augmentation of melanin content both in human MC (seven-fold) and S91 cells (three-fold). UVR caused a significant augmentation of the OAG-induced melanogenesis of both human MC and S91 cells. Since OAG is known to activate protein kinase C, it was possible that the observed modulation of the UVR signal could be via that pathway. Di-octanoyl glycerol, another di-acyl glycerol, which activates kinase C, caused a small (70%) increase in melanogenesis in MC which was not altered by UVR. However, 12-0 tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a potent activator of protein kinase C, had no significant effect on either basal or UV-induced melanin synthesis in either cell type. These data suggest that the UV-induced signal activating melanogenesis could be mediated by di-acyl glycerol. Furthermore, they imply that the signal is transduced via an alternative, pathway that might be independent of protein kinase C

  17. Cultural evolutionary theory: How culture evolves and why it matters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creanza, Nicole; Kolodny, Oren; Feldman, Marcus W

    2017-07-24

    Human cultural traits-behaviors, ideas, and technologies that can be learned from other individuals-can exhibit complex patterns of transmission and evolution, and researchers have developed theoretical models, both verbal and mathematical, to facilitate our understanding of these patterns. Many of the first quantitative models of cultural evolution were modified from existing concepts in theoretical population genetics because cultural evolution has many parallels with, as well as clear differences from, genetic evolution. Furthermore, cultural and genetic evolution can interact with one another and influence both transmission and selection. This interaction requires theoretical treatments of gene-culture coevolution and dual inheritance, in addition to purely cultural evolution. In addition, cultural evolutionary theory is a natural component of studies in demography, human ecology, and many other disciplines. Here, we review the core concepts in cultural evolutionary theory as they pertain to the extension of biology through culture, focusing on cultural evolutionary applications in population genetics, ecology, and demography. For each of these disciplines, we review the theoretical literature and highlight relevant empirical studies. We also discuss the societal implications of the study of cultural evolution and of the interactions of humans with one another and with their environment.

  18. Perspectives on the Pure-Tone Audiogram.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musiek, Frank E; Shinn, Jennifer; Chermak, Gail D; Bamiou, Doris-Eva

    The pure-tone audiogram, though fundamental to audiology, presents limitations, especially in the case of central auditory involvement. Advances in auditory neuroscience underscore the considerably larger role of the central auditory nervous system (CANS) in hearing and related disorders. Given the availability of behavioral audiological tests and electrophysiological procedures that can provide better insights as to the function of the various components of the auditory system, this perspective piece reviews the limitations of the pure-tone audiogram and notes some of the advantages of other tests and procedures used in tandem with the pure-tone threshold measurement. To review and synthesize the literature regarding the utility and limitations of the pure-tone audiogram in determining dysfunction of peripheral sensory and neural systems, as well as the CANS, and to identify other tests and procedures that can supplement pure-tone thresholds and provide enhanced diagnostic insight, especially regarding problems of the central auditory system. A systematic review and synthesis of the literature. The authors independently searched and reviewed literature (journal articles, book chapters) pertaining to the limitations of the pure-tone audiogram. The pure-tone audiogram provides information as to hearing sensitivity across a selected frequency range. Normal or near-normal pure-tone thresholds sometimes are observed despite cochlear damage. There are a surprising number of patients with acoustic neuromas who have essentially normal pure-tone thresholds. In cases of central deafness, depressed pure-tone thresholds may not accurately reflect the status of the peripheral auditory system. Listening difficulties are seen in the presence of normal pure-tone thresholds. Suprathreshold procedures and a variety of other tests can provide information regarding other and often more central functions of the auditory system. The audiogram is a primary tool for determining type

  19. Generalized pure Lovelock gravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Concha, Patrick; Rodríguez, Evelyn

    2017-11-01

    We present a generalization of the n-dimensional (pure) Lovelock Gravity theory based on an enlarged Lorentz symmetry. In particular, we propose an alternative way to introduce a cosmological term. Interestingly, we show that the usual pure Lovelock gravity is recovered in a matter-free configuration. The five and six-dimensional cases are explicitly studied.

  20. Generalized pure Lovelock gravity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick Concha

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available We present a generalization of the n-dimensional (pure Lovelock Gravity theory based on an enlarged Lorentz symmetry. In particular, we propose an alternative way to introduce a cosmological term. Interestingly, we show that the usual pure Lovelock gravity is recovered in a matter-free configuration. The five and six-dimensional cases are explicitly studied.

  1. A pilot study to image the vascular network of small melanocytic choroidal tumors with speckle noise-free 1050-nm swept source optical coherence tomography (OCT choroidal angiography).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maloca, Peter; Gyger, Cyrill; Hasler, Pascal W

    2016-06-01

    To visualize and measure the vascular network of melanocytic choroidal tumors with speckle noise-free swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT choroidal angiography). Melanocytic choroidal tumors from 24 eyes were imaged with 1050-nm optical coherence tomography (Topcon DRI OCT-1 Atlantis). A semi-automated algorithm was developed to remove speckle noise and to extract and measure the volume of the choroidal vessels from the obtained OCT data. In all cases, analysis of the choroidal vessels could be performed with SS-OCT without the need for pupillary dilation. The proposed method allows speckle noise-free, structure-guided visualization and measurement of the larger choroidal vessels in three dimensions. The obtained data suggest that speckle noise-free OCT may be more effective at identifying choroidal structures than traditional OCT methods. The measured volume of the extracted choroidal vessels of Haller's layer and Sattler's layer in the examined tumorous eyes was on average 0.982463955 mm(3) /982463956 μm(3) (range of 0.209764406 mm(3) /209764405.9 μm(3)to 1.78105544 mm(3) /1781055440 μm(3)). Full thickness obstruction of the choroidal vasculature by the tumor was found in 18 cases (72 %). In seven cases (18 %), choroidal vessel architecture did not show pronounced morphological abnormalities (18 %). Speckle noise-free OCT may serve as a new illustrative imaging technology and enhance visualization of the choroidal vessels without the need for dye injection. OCT can be used to identify and evaluate the choroidal vessels of melanocytic choroidal tumors, and may represent a potentially useful tool for imaging and monitoring of choroidal nevi and melanoma.

  2. Musical notation reading in pure alexia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starrfelt, Randi; Wong, Yetta K.

    2017-01-01

    Pure alexia (PA) is an acquired reading disorder following lesions to left ventral temporo-occipital cortex. Patients with PA read slowly but correctly, and show an abnormal effect of word length on RTs. However, it is unclear how pure alexia may affect musical notation reading. We report a pure...

  3. Essentialism, hybridism and cultural critique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frello, Birgitta

    2007-01-01

    to social and cultural critique. Through a critical discussion of the concept of hybridity, I argue that rather than expecting to find definite emancipating or suppressing capacities connected to constructions of the ‘hybrid' and the ‘pure', we should focus on how these two poles are invested with meaning...... and related to power. Hence, while insisting on Cultural Studies' commitment to social and cultural critique, I argue that this critique would benefit from an analytical sensitivity towards the uses and abuses of the discursive power to designate meaningful and legitimate subject positions, rather than...

  4. Pure homology of algebraic varieties

    OpenAIRE

    Weber, Andrzej

    2003-01-01

    We show that for a complete complex algebraic variety the pure component of homology coincides with the image of intersection homology. Therefore pure homology is topologically invariant. To obtain slightly more general results we introduce "image homology" for noncomplete varieties.

  5. Alpha-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone Protects against Cytokine-Induced Barrier Damage in Caco-2 Intestinal Epithelial Monolayers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judit Váradi

    Full Text Available Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH is a potent anti-inflammatory peptide with cytoprotective effect in various tissues. The present investigation demonstrates the ability of α-MSH to interact with intestinal epithelial cell monolayers and mitigate inflammatory processes of the epithelial barrier. The protective effect of α-MSH was studied on Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial monolayers, which were disrupted by exposure to tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. The barrier integrity was assessed by measuring transepithelial electric resistance (TEER and permeability for marker molecules. Caco-2 monolayers were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for expression of melanocortin-1 receptor and tight junction proteins ZO-1 and claudin-4. The activation of nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB was detected by fluorescence microscopy and inflammatory cytokine expression was assessed by flow cytometric bead array cytokine assay. Exposure of Caco-2 monolayers to proinflammatory cytokines lowered TEER and increased permeability for fluorescein and albumin, which was accompanied by changes in ZO-1 and claudin-4 immunostaining. α-MSH was able to prevent inflammation-associated decrease of TEER in a dose-dependent manner and reduce the increased permeability for paracellular marker fluorescein. Further immunohistochemistry analysis revealed proinflammatory cytokine induced translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit into Caco-2 cell nuclei, which was inhibited by α-MSH. As a result the IL-6 and IL-8 production of Caco-2 monolayers were also decreased with different patterns by the addition of α-MSH to the culture medium. In conclusion, Caco-2 cells showed a positive immunostaining for melanocortin-1 receptor and α-MSH protected Caco-2 cells against inflammatory barrier dysfunction and inflammatory activation induced by tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β cytokines.

  6. Narrative Inquiry: A Dynamic Relationship between Culture, Language and Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Esther Yim Mei

    2017-01-01

    Human development is a cultural process, and language serves as a cultural tool is closely related to virtually all the cognitive changes. The author addresses issues of language in education, and suggests that changing the medium of instruction should not be understood as purely a pedagogical decision. The connection between culture and language…

  7. Effect of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene (BTEX) mixture on biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) by pure culture UC1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruden, Amy; Suidan, Makram

    2004-08-01

    The effect of a BTEX mixture on the biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and its degradation intermediate, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) was investigated in the pure bacterial culture UC1, which has been identified to be a strain of the known MTBE-degrader PM1 based on greater than 99% 16S rDNA similarity. Several degradation studies were carried out on UC1 at three initial concentration levels of MTBE or TBA: 6-7; 15-17; and 40-45 mg/l, both with and without BTEX present cumulatively at about half of the MTBE or TBA molar mass in the system. The BTEX mixture was observed not to affect either the rate or the degradation lag period of MTBE or TBA degradation, except that the TBA degradation rate actually increased when BTEX was present initially in the highest concentration studies. When serving as the sole substrate, the MTBE degradation rate ranged from 48 +/- 1.2 to 200 +/- 7.0 mg(MTBE)/g(dw) h, and the TBA degradation rate from 140 +/- 18 to 530 +/- 70 mg(TBA)/g(dw) h. When present with BTEX, MTBE and TBA rates ranged from 46 +/- 2.2 to 210 +/- 14 and 170 +/- 28 to 780 +/- 43 mg(TBA)/g(dw) h, respectively. In studies where varying concentrations of TBA were present with 5 mg/l MTBE, both compounds were degraded simultaneously with no obvious preference for either substrate. In the highest concentration study of TBA with 5 mg/l MTBE, BTEX was also observed to increase the ultimate rate of TBA degradation. In addition to exploring the affect of BTEX, this study also provides general insight into the metabolism of MTBE and TBA by pure culture UC1.

  8. Structure of Human Tyrosinase Related Protein 1 Reveals a Binuclear Zinc Active Site Important for Melanogenesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lai, Xuelei; Wichers, Harry J.; Soler-Lopez, Montserrat; Dijkstra, Bauke W.

    2017-01-01

    Tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) is one of three tyrosinase-like glycoenzymes in human melanocytes that are key to the production of melanin, the compound responsible for the pigmentation of skin, eye, and hair. Difficulties with producing these enzymes in pure form have hampered the

  9. Analysis of pure maple syrup consumers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul E. Sendak

    1974-01-01

    Virtually all of the pure maple syrup productim in the United States is in the northern states of Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Pure maple syrup users living in the maple production area and users living in other areas of the United States were asked a series of questions about their use of pure...

  10. Determination of the atomic C/N assimilation ratio values of a pure culture of dunaliella and samples from rivers in Terengganu using the sup 14 C tracer method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lokman bin Shamsudin

    1990-01-01

    The C/N assimilation ratio has been defined by Chan and Raine as the ratio of carbon assimilated by a given algal population to that of the total inorganic nitrogen assimilated. The apparent carbon to nitrogen assimilation ratio for Dunaliella (pure algal culture) as well as subsurface water taken from some rivers in Terengganu was mainly attributed to the assimilation of the type of inorganic nitrogen, namely ammonium or nitrate found in the medium. The high C/N value for the various water samples was mainly attributed to the assimilation of ammonium nitrogen available in large amount in the tropical aquatic environment. The ammonium-nitrogen contents exceeds that of nitrate contents at the two stations

  11. Estrogen switches pure mucinous breast cancer to invasive lobular carcinoma with mucinous features.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jambal, Purevsuren; Badtke, Melanie M; Harrell, J Chuck; Borges, Virginia F; Post, Miriam D; Sollender, Grace E; Spillman, Monique A; Horwitz, Kathryn B; Jacobsen, Britta M

    2013-01-01

    Mucinous breast cancer (MBC) is mainly a disease of postmenopausal women. Pure MBC is rare and augurs a good prognosis. In contrast, MBC mixed with other histological subtypes of invasive disease loses the more favorable prognosis. Because of the relative rarity of pure MBC, little is known about its cell and tumor biology and relationship to invasive disease of other subtypes. We have now developed a human breast cancer cell line called BCK4, in which we can control the behavior of MBC. BCK4 cells were derived from a patient whose poorly differentiated primary tumor was treated with chemotherapy, radiation and tamoxifen. Malignant cells from a recurrent pleural effusion were xenografted in mammary glands of a nude mouse. Cells from the solid tumor xenograft were propagated in culture to generate the BCK4 cell line. Multiple marker and chromosome analyses demonstrate that BCK4 cells are human, near diploid and luminal, expressing functional estrogen, androgen, and progesterone receptors. When xenografted back into immunocompromised cycling mice, BCK4 cells grow into small pure MBC. However, if mice are supplemented with continuous estradiol, tumors switch to invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) with mucinous features (mixed MBC), and growth is markedly accelerated. Tamoxifen prevents the expansion of this more invasive component. The unexpected ability of estrogens to convert pure MBC into mixed MBC with ILC may explain the rarity of the pure disease in premenopausal women. These studies show that MBC can be derived from lobular precursors and that BCK4 cells are new, unique models to study the phenotypic plasticity, hormonal regulation, optimal therapeutic interventions, and metastatic patterns of MBC.

  12. Cultures of High-frequency Trading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lange, Ann-Christina; Lenglet, Marc; Seyfert, Robert

    2016-01-01

    As part of ongoing work to lay a foundation for social studies of high-frequency trading (HFT), this paper introduces the culture(s) of HFT as a sociological problem relating to knowledge and practice. HFT is often discussed as a purely technological development, where all that matters is the speed...... of allocating, processing and transmitting data. Indeed, the speed at which trades are executed and data transmitted is accelerating, and it is fair to say that algorithms are now the primary interacting agents operating in the financial markets. However, we contend that HFT is first and foremost a cultural...

  13. Essential role of RAB27A in determining constitutive human skin color.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasuko Yoshida-Amano

    Full Text Available Human skin color is predominantly determined by melanin produced in melanosomes within melanocytes and subsequently distributed to keratinocytes. There are many studies that have proposed mechanisms underlying ethnic skin color variations, whereas the processes involved from melanin synthesis in melanocytes to the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes are common among humans. Apart from the activities in the melanogenic rate-limiting enzyme, tyrosinase, in melanocytes and the amounts and distribution patterns of melanosomes in keratinocytes, the abilities of the actin-associated factors in charge of melanosome transport within melanocytes also regulate pigmentation. Mutations in genes encoding melanosome transport-related molecules, such as MYO5A, RAB27A and SLAC-2A, have been reported to cause a human pigmentary disease known as Griscelli syndrome, which is associated with diluted skin and hair color. Thus we hypothesized that process might play a role in modulating skin color variations. To address that hypothesis, the correlations of expression of RAB27A and its specific effector, SLAC2-A, to melanogenic ability were evaluated in comparison with tyrosinase, using human melanocytes derived from 19 individuals of varying skin types. Following the finding of the highest correlation in RAB27A expression to the melanogenic ability, darkly-pigmented melanocytes with significantly higher RAB27A expression were found to transfer significantly more melanosomes to keratinocytes than lightly-pigmented melanocytes in co-culture and in human skin substitutes (HSSs in vivo, resulting in darker skin color in concert with the difference observed in African-descent and Caucasian skins. Additionally, RAB27A knockdown by a lentivirus-derived shRNA in melanocytes concomitantly demonstrated a significantly reduced number of transferred melanosomes to keratinocytes in co-culture and a significantly diminished epidermal melanin content skin color intensity (

  14. Knowledge and perception of melanocytic nevi and sunburn in young children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richtig, Erika; Jung, Erika; Asbäck, Katharina; Trapp, Michael; Hofmann-Wellenhof, Rainer

    2009-01-01

    Understanding the public's perception of nevi and sunburn is crucial to melanoma prevention efforts. We investigated the knowledge and perception of melanocytic nevi and sunburns in 77 children 6 to 10 years old (mean 8.2) in two elementary schools in Styria, Austria. The children were interviewed by specially trained psychologists about the number of their moles and how they felt having them. Additionally questions about sunburn history and sunburn perception were asked. The spontaneous answers of the children were recorded, there were no pregiven answers. Afterwards the children were examined by dermatologists clinically and with dermatoscopes. The 96% of the children could describe a nevus (the term "mole" was translated to "nevus") and 91% did not feel bothered about theirs. Only 26% had noted the appearance of new nevi within the last year. The 67% of all children had at least one sunburn and remembered the clinical features. The 20% of the children knew that sunburns could provoke skin cancer. All children felt comfortable during the clinical and dermatoscopic examination. Children aged from 6 to 10 years know exactly why they had suffered from sunburn, can describe the sunburn and how to avoid it. They do not feel bothered by their nevi and are alert to the appearance of new nevi.

  15. Double optical fibre-probe device for the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cicchi, Riccardo; Cosci, Alessandro; Rossari, Susanna; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Kapsokalyvas, Dimitrios; Massi, Daniela; Pavone, Francesco S.

    2012-06-01

    We have designed and developed an optical fiber-probe for spectroscopic measurements on human tissues. The experimental setup combines fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy in a multidimensional approach. Concerning fluorescence spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by two laser diodes, one emitting in the UV (378 nm) and the other emitting in the visible (445 nm). These two lasers are used to selectively excite fluorescence from NADH and FAD, which are among the brightest endogenous fluorophores in human tissues. For Raman and NIR spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by a third laser diode with 785 nm excitation wavelength. Laser light is delivered to the tissue through the central optical fiber of a fiber bundle. The surrounding 48 fibers of the bundle are used for collecting fluorescence and Raman and for delivering light to the spectrograph. Fluorescence and Raman spectra are acquired on a cooled CCD camera. The instrument has been tested on fresh human skin biopsies clinically diagnosed as malignant melanoma, melanocytic nevus, or healthy skin, finding an optimal correlation with the subsequent histological exam. In some cases our examination was not in agreement with the clinical observation, but it was with the histological exam, demonstrating that the system can potentially contribute to improve clinical diagnostic capabilities and hence reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

  16. Fundamentals of the Pure Spinor Formalism

    CERN Document Server

    Hoogeveen, Joost

    2010-01-01

    This thesis presents recent developments within the pure spinor formalism, which has simplified amplitude computations in perturbative string theory, especially when spacetime fermions are involved. Firstly the worldsheet action of both the minimal and the non-minimal pure spinor formalism is derived from first principles, i.e. from an action with two dimensional diffeomorphism and Weyl invariance. Secondly the decoupling of unphysical states in the minimal pure spinor formalism is proved

  17. Comparative study of the fungicide Benomyl toxicity on some plant growth promoting bacteria and some fungi in pure cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elslahi Randa H.

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Six laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of the fungicide Benomyl on pure cultures of some plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB and some fungi. The highest LD50 was recorded for Bacillus circulans and proved to be the most resistant to the fungicide, followed by Azospirillum braziliense, while Penicillium sp. was the most affected microorganism. LD50 values for the affected microorganisms were in 21-240 orders of magnitude lower in comparison with the LD50 value for Azospirillum braziliense. The results indicate a strong selectivity for Benomyl against Rhizobium meliloti and Penicillium sp. when compared to other microorganisms tested. The highest safety coefficient was recorded for Bacillus circulans followed by Azospirillum braziliense, while Rhizobium meliloti, showed the lowest safety coefficient value compared to other bacteria. The lowest toxicity index was recorded for Bacillus circulans and Azospirillum braziliense. The slope of the curves for Bacillus sp. and Rhizobium meliloti was steeper than that of the other curves, suggesting that even a slight increase of the dose of the fungicide can cause a very strong negative effect. In conclusion, Benomyl could be applied without restriction when using inocula based on growth promoting bacteria such as symbiotic nitrogen fixers (Rhizobium meliloti, non-symbiotic nitrogen fixers (Azospirillum braziliense or potassium solibilizers (Bacillus circulans, given that the fungicide is applied within the range of the recommended field dose.

  18. Comparative study of the fungicide Benomyl toxicity on some plant growth promoting bacteria and some fungi in pure cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elslahi, Randa H; Osman, Awad G; Sherif, Ashraf M; Elhussein, Adil A

    2014-03-01

    Six laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of the fungicide Benomyl on pure cultures of some plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) and some fungi. The highest LD50 was recorded for Bacillus circulans and proved to be the most resistant to the fungicide, followed by Azospirillum braziliense, while Penicillium sp. was the most affected microorganism. LD50 values for the affected microorganisms were in 21-240 orders of magnitude lower in comparison with the LD50 value for Azospirillum braziliense. The results indicate a strong selectivity for Benomyl against Rhizobium meliloti and Penicillium sp. when compared to other microorganisms tested. The highest safety coefficient was recorded for Bacillus circulans followed by Azospirillum braziliense, while Rhizobium meliloti, showed the lowest safety coefficient value compared to other bacteria. The lowest toxicity index was recorded for Bacillus circulans and Azospirillum braziliense. The slope of the curves for Bacillus sp. and Rhizobium meliloti was steeper than that of the other curves, suggesting that even a slight increase of the dose of the fungicide can cause a very strong negative effect. In conclusion, Benomyl could be applied without restriction when using inocula based on growth promoting bacteria such as symbiotic nitrogen fixers (Rhizobium meliloti), non-symbiotic nitrogen fixers (Azospirillum braziliense) or potassium solibilizers (Bacillus circulans), given that the fungicide is applied within the range of the recommended field dose.

  19. Concurrence classes for general pure multipartite states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heydari, Hoshang

    2005-01-01

    We propose concurrence classes for general pure multipartite states based on an orthogonal complement of a positive operator-valued measure on quantum phase. In particular, we construct W m class, GHZ m , and GHZ m-1 class concurrences for general pure m-partite states. We give explicit expressions for W 3 and GHZ 3 class concurrences for general pure three-partite states and for W 4 , GHZ 4 and GHZ 3 class concurrences for general pure four-partite states

  20. Polarized ensembles of random pure states

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deelan Cunden, Fabio; Facchi, Paolo; Florio, Giuseppe

    2013-08-01

    A new family of polarized ensembles of random pure states is presented. These ensembles are obtained by linear superposition of two random pure states with suitable distributions, and are quite manageable. We will use the obtained results for two purposes: on the one hand we will be able to derive an efficient strategy for sampling states from isopurity manifolds. On the other, we will characterize the deviation of a pure quantum state from separability under the influence of noise.

  1. Dynamic flux balance modeling of microbial co-cultures for efficient batch fermentation of glucose and xylose mixtures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanly, Timothy J; Henson, Michael A

    2011-02-01

    Sequential uptake of pentose and hexose sugars that compose lignocellulosic biomass limits the ability of pure microbial cultures to efficiently produce value-added bioproducts. In this work, we used dynamic flux balance modeling to examine the capability of mixed cultures of substrate-selective microbes to improve the utilization of glucose/xylose mixtures and to convert these mixed substrates into products. Co-culture simulations of Escherichia coli strains ALS1008 and ZSC113, engineered for glucose and xylose only uptake respectively, indicated that improvements in batch substrate consumption observed in previous experimental studies resulted primarily from an increase in ZSC113 xylose uptake relative to wild-type E. coli. The E. coli strain ZSC113 engineered for the elimination of glucose uptake was computationally co-cultured with wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which can only metabolize glucose, to determine if the co-culture was capable of enhanced ethanol production compared to pure cultures of wild-type E. coli and the S. cerevisiae strain RWB218 engineered for combined glucose and xylose uptake. Under the simplifying assumption that both microbes grow optimally under common environmental conditions, optimization of the strain inoculum and the aerobic to anaerobic switching time produced an almost twofold increase in ethanol productivity over the pure cultures. To examine the effect of reduced strain growth rates at non-optimal pH and temperature values, a break even analysis was performed to determine possible reductions in individual strain substrate uptake rates that resulted in the same predicted ethanol productivity as the best pure culture. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Polarized ensembles of random pure states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cunden, Fabio Deelan; Facchi, Paolo; Florio, Giuseppe

    2013-01-01

    A new family of polarized ensembles of random pure states is presented. These ensembles are obtained by linear superposition of two random pure states with suitable distributions, and are quite manageable. We will use the obtained results for two purposes: on the one hand we will be able to derive an efficient strategy for sampling states from isopurity manifolds. On the other, we will characterize the deviation of a pure quantum state from separability under the influence of noise. (paper)

  3. Degradation of paracetamol by pure bacterial cultures and their microbial consortium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lili; Hu, Jun; Zhu, Runye; Zhou, Qingwei; Chen, Jianmeng

    2013-04-01

    Three bacterial strains utilizing paracetamol as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source were isolated from a paracetamol-degrading aerobic aggregate, and assigned to species of the genera Stenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas. The Stenotrophomonas species have not included any known paracetamol degraders until now. In batch cultures, the organisms f1, f2, and fg-2 could perform complete degradation of paracetamol at concentrations of 400, 2,500, and 2,000 mg/L or below, respectively. A combination of three microbial strains resulted in significantly improved degradation and mineralization of paracetamol. The co-culture was able to use paracetamol up to concentrations of 4,000 mg/L, and mineralized 87.1 % of the added paracetamol at the initial of 2,000 mg/L. Two key metabolites of the biodegradation pathway of paracetamol, 4-aminophenol, and hydroquinone were detected. Paracetamol was degraded predominantly via 4-aminophenol to hydroquinone with subsequent ring fission, suggesting new pathways for paracetamol-degrading bacteria. The degradation of paracetamol could thus be performed by the single isolates, but is stimulated by a synergistic interaction of the three-member consortium, suggesting a possible complementary interaction among the various isolates. The exact roles of each of the strains in the consortium need to be further elucidated.

  4. Tensor modes in pure natural inflation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Yasunori; Yamazaki, Masahito

    2018-05-01

    We study tensor modes in pure natural inflation [1], a recently-proposed inflationary model in which an axionic inflaton couples to pure Yang-Mills gauge fields. We find that the tensor-to-scalar ratio r is naturally bounded from below. This bound originates from the finiteness of the number of metastable branches of vacua in pure Yang-Mills theories. Details of the model can be probed by future cosmic microwave background experiments and improved lattice gauge theory calculations of the θ-angle dependence of the vacuum energy.

  5. Method of producing vegetable puree

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2004-01-01

    A process for producing a vegetable puree, comprising the sequential steps of: a)crushing, chopping or slicing the vegetable into pieces of 1 to 30 mm; b) blanching the vegetable pieces at a temperature of 60 to 90°C; c) contacted the blanched vegetable pieces with a macerating enzyme activity; d......) blending the macerated vegetable pieces and obtaining a puree....

  6. The mechanism of oxygen isotopic fractionation during fungal denitrification - A pure culture study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrage-Moennig, Nicole; Rohe, Lena; Anderson, Traute-Heidi; Braker, Gesche; Flessa, Heinz; Giesemann, Annette; Lewicka-Szczebak, Dominika; Well, Reinhard

    2014-05-01

    Nitrous oxide (N2O) from soil denitrification originates from bacteria and - to an unknown extent - also from fungi. During fungal denitrification, oxygen (O) exchange takes place between H2O and intermediates of the denitrification process as in bacterial exchange[1,2]. However, information about enzymes involved in fungal O exchanges and the associated fractionation effects is lacking. The objectives of this study were to estimate the O fractionation and O exchange during the fungal denitrifying steps using a conceptual model[2] adapted from concepts for bacterial denitrification[3], implementing controls of O exchange proposed by Aerssens, et al.[4] and using fractionation models by Snider et al.[5] Six different pure fungal cultures (five Hypocreales, one Sordariales) known to be capable of denitrification were incubated under anaerobic conditions, either with nitrite or nitrate. Gas samples were analyzed for N2O concentration and its isotopic signatures (SP, average δ15N, δ18O). To investigate O exchange, both treatments were also established with 18O-labelled water as a tracer in the medium. The Hypocreales strains showed O exchange mainly at NO2- reductase (Nir) with NO2- as electron acceptor and no additional O exchange at NO3- reductase (Nar) with NO3- as electron acceptor. The only Hypocreales species having higher O exchange with NO3- than with NO2- also showed O exchange at Nar. The Sordariales species tested seems capable of O exchange at NO reductase (Nor) additionally to O exchange at Nir with NO2-. The data will help to better interpret stable isotope values of N2O from soils. .[1] D. M. Kool, N. Wrage, O. Oenema, J. Dolfing, J. W. Van Groenigen. Oxygen exchange between (de)nitrification intermediates and H2O and its implications for source determination of NO?3- and N2O: a review. Rapid Commun. Mass Spec. 2007, 21, 3569. [2] L. Rohe, T.-H. Anderson, B. Braker, H. Flessa, A. Giesemann, N. Wrage-Mönnig, R. Well. Fungal Oxygen Exchange between

  7. ActionScript Developer's Guide to PureMVC

    CERN Document Server

    Hall, Cliff

    2011-01-01

    Gain hands-on experience with PureMVC, the popular open source framework for developing maintainable applications with a Model-View-Controller architecture. In this concise guide, PureMVC creator Cliff Hall teaches the fundamentals of PureMVC development by walking you through the construction of a complete non-trivial Adobe AIR application. Through clear explanations and numerous ActionScript code examples, you'll learn best practices for using the framework's classes in your day-to-day work. Discover how PureMVC enables you to focus on the purpose and scope of your application, while the f

  8. Immunohistochemical expression of tenascin in melanocytic tumours of dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevastre, B; van Ederen, A M; Terlou, M; Gruys, E; Nederbragt, H

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate tenascin-C (TN) immunolabelling and labelling for endothelium by von Willebrand Factor (vWF) in melanocytic tumours of dogs as compared with normal tissues, to evaluate the TN distribution in these types of tumours and to investigate whether a relation could be established between TN and angiogenesis in different types of tumour. Samples of normal dog skin (n=8), benign skin melanocytomas (n=10), malignant oral melanomas (n=9) and malignant toe melanomas (n=5) were studied. The percentages of TN and vWF immunolabelling per total microscopical area were analysed by morphometric methods. In normal skin, TN was found at dermo-epidermal junctions, around hair follicles, in the smooth muscles of hair follicles, and in the walls of blood vessels. TN immunolabelling (distribution and intensity) in melanocytomas was comparable with that found in normal skin. In melanomas, TN expression was considerably increased, its intensity in toe melanomas being twice that observed in oral melanomas. The degree of TN immunolabelling was not related to the histological malignancy of the melanomas. In melanomas, TN was found in the connective tissue surrounding the tumour cell nests and in narrow stromal strands inside the tumour. Regions infiltrated with lymphocytes were devoid of TN. The presence of TN around capillaries in melanocytomas and melanomas was investigated by double-immunolabelling (for TN and vWF). The intensity of vWF and TN immunolabelling was higher in melanomas than in melanocytomas, and higher in toe melanomas than in oral melanomas; however, no clear relation between TN expression and immunolabelling for vWF was found.

  9. MuSIC report III: tumour microcirculation patterns and development of metastasis in long-term follow-up of melanocytic uveal tumours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klingenstein, Annemarie; Schaumberger, Markus M; Freeman, William R; Folberg, Robert; Mueller, Arthur J; Schaller, Ulrich C

    2016-03-01

    To statistically determine differences in microcirculation patterns between nevi and uveal melanomas and the influence of these patterns on metastatic potential in the long-term follow-up of 112 patients with melanocytic uveal tumours. In vivo markers indicating malignancy and metastatic potential have implications for treatment decision. Primary diagnosis and work-up included clinical examination, fundus photography, standardized A and B scan echography as well as evaluation of tumour microcirculation patterns via confocal fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Patient data were collected from the patient files, the tumour registry or personal contact. Statistical analysis was performed with spss 22.0 using chi-square, Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Forty-three uveal melanocytic lesions remained untreated and were retrospectively classified as benign nevi, whereas 69 lesions were malignant melanomas (T1: 32, T2: 28, T3: 6 and T4: 3). 'Silent' and 'arcs without branching' were found significantly more often in nevi (p = 0.001 and p = 0.010), whereas 'parallel with cross-linking' and 'networks' were significantly more frequent in melanomas (p = 0.022 and p = 0.029). The microcirculation pattern 'parallel with cross-linking' proved significantly more frequent in patients who developed metastases (p = 0.001). Certain microcirculation patterns may guide us in differentiating uveal nevi from malignant melanomas. A non-invasive prognostic marker can be of great value for borderline lesions in which cytology is less likely taken. 'Parallel with cross-linking' did not only indicate malignancy, but it was also associated with later tumour metastasis. © 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Association of giant congenital melanocytic nevus, halo nevus and vitiligo in a 75-year-old patient Associação de nevo melanocítico congênito gigante, nevo halo e vitiligo. Relato de caso em paciente de 75 anos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Leite da Silveira

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available A giant congenital melanocytic nevus represents a rare condition. The halo phenomenon may be seen in congenital or acquired melanocytic nevi. In the literature, association of halo nevus and giant congenital melanocytic nevus is rare and the association of both with vitiligo even more rare. A 75-yearold woman at first consultation complained of a hyperchromic bluish-brown hairy macula on the lower back, buttocks and thighs present since birth and an achromic halo of onset three years ago. The histological features were consistent with congenital melanocytic nevus and halo nevus, respectively. After two years the patient developed achromic areas in normal skin, histologically consistent with vitiligo. The authors emphasize the rarity of this triple combination, the patient's age and the absence of malignant degeneration to date.Nevo melanocitico congênito gigante constitui uma condição rara. O fenômeno halo pode ser observado em nevos melanocíticos congênitos ou adquiridos. Na literatura a associação nevo halo e nevo melanocítico congênito gigante é rara e a associação de ambos com vitiligo ainda mais rara. Mulher de 75 anos que à primeira consulta apresentava mácula hipercrômica castanho-azulada pilosa na região lombar, nádegas e coxas desde o nascimento e halo acrômico de aparecimento há 3 anos. Os histológicos foram compatíveis com nevo melanocítico congênito e nevo halo respectivamente. Após dois anos evoluiu com áreas de acromia à distância, com histológico de vitiligo. Os autores ressaltam a raridade desta tripla associação; a idade da paciente e a ausência de degeneração maligna até o presente momento.

  11. Effects of larval population density on rates of development and interactions between two species of Chrysomya (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in laboratory culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodbrod, J R; Goff, M L

    1990-05-01

    Rearing of Chrysomya megacephala (F.) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) in pure cultures at seven different population densities (larvae per gram of liver) demonstrated an inverse relationship between density and the duration of the larval stage. In pure cultures, larval mortality rates decreased with increasing density until an optimum density was reached (8 larvae/g liver for C. megacephala and 10 larvae/g liver for C. rufifacies), then decreased directly with density. Puparial and adult weights varied inversely with density for both species in pure cultures. Internal feeding mass temperatures were above ambient temperatures for all cultures, with maximum temperatures recorded in cultures with 20 and 40 larvae/g liver for G. rufifacies and C. megacephala, respectively. In paired encounters, larvae of C. rufifacies were cannibalistic and predatory on C. megacephala larvae after the first instar. In mixed cultures of these two species, the larval mortality of C. rufifacies remained relatively stable, whereas the larval mortality of C. megacephala increased directly with population density.

  12. Freezing tolerance of ectomycorrhizal fungi in pure culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehto, Tarja; Brosinsky, Arlena; Heinonen-Tanski, Helvi; Repo, Tapani

    2008-10-01

    The ability to survive freezing and thawing is a key factor for the existence of life forms in large parts of the world. However, little is known about the freezing tolerance of mycorrhizal fungi and their role in the freezing tolerance of mycorrhizas. Threshold temperatures for the survival of these fungi have not been assessed experimentally. We grew isolates of Suillus luteus, Suillus variegatus, Laccaria laccata, and Hebeloma sp. in liquid culture at room temperature. Subsequently, we exposed samples to a series of temperatures between +5 degrees C and -48 degrees C. Relative electrolyte leakage (REL) and re-growth measurements were used to assess the damage. The REL test indicated that the lethal temperature for 50% of samples (LT(50)) was between -8.3 degrees C and -13.5 degrees C. However, in the re-growth experiment, all isolates resumed growth after exposure to -8 degrees C and higher temperatures. As many as 64% of L. laccata samples but only 11% in S. variegatus survived -48 degrees C. There was no growth of Hebeloma and S. luteus after exposure to -48 degrees C, but part of their samples survived -30 degrees C. The fungi tolerated lower temperatures than was expected on the basis of earlier studies on fine roots of ectomycorrhizal trees. The most likely freezing tolerance mechanism here is tolerance to apoplastic freezing and the concomitant intracellular dehydration with consequent concentrating of cryoprotectant substances in cells. Studying the properties of fungi in isolation promotes the understanding of the role of the different partners of the mycorrhizal symbiosis in the freezing tolerance.

  13. Pure robotic retrocaval ureter repair

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    Ashok k. Hemal

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of pure robotic retrocaval ureter repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 33 year old female presented with right loin pain and obstruction on intravenous urography with the classical "fish-hook" appearance. She was counseled on the various methods of repair and elected to have a robot assisted repair. The following steps are performed during a pure robotic retrocaval ureter repair. The patient is placed in a modified flank position, pneumoperitoneum created and ports inserted. The colon is mobilized to expose the retroperitoneal structures: inferior vena cava, right gonadal vein, right ureter, and duodenum. The renal pelvis and ureter are mobilized and the renal pelvis transected. The ureter is transposed anterior to the inferior vena cava and a pyelopyelostomy is performed over a JJ stent. RESULTS: This patient was discharged on postoperative day 3. The catheter and drain tube were removed on day 1. Her JJ stent was removed at 6 weeks postoperatively. The postoperative intravenous urography at 3 months confirmed normal drainage of contrast medium. CONCLUSION: Pure robotic retrocaval ureter is a feasible procedure; however, there does not appear to be any great advantage over pure laparoscopy, apart from the ergonomic ease for the surgeon as well the simpler intracorporeal suturing.

  14. Dermoscopic patterns of melanocytic nevi in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piazza, Christiane Donato; Yamada, Sergio; Marcassi, Aline P; Maciel, Marina G; Seize, Maria P; Cestari, Silmara C P

    2017-01-01

    Background Childhood is a dynamic period regarding nevogenesis. Dermoscopy is a noninvasive technique, recommended for the evaluation of pigmented cutaneous lesions. Objectives The purpose of this study was to describe the structures and dermoscopic patterns of melanocytic nevi observed in children and adolescents. Methods Dermoscopy with photographic documentation was used for nevi located on the face, trunk, and extremities of 38 patients aged from one to 16 years examined at the Pediatric Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo. Results The study included 201 skin lesions that were diagnosed as nevi during clinic examination. Upon evaluation of the global dermoscopic pattern of the lesions, the most frequently observed nevi were reticular (39.0%), followed by homogeneous (23.9%) and globular nevi (16.4%). During evaluation of the dermoscopic structures, according to the body site, the pigment network was the most observed in the extremities. Study limitations A limitation to be considered is that the inclusion of small or new lesions may hinder the differentiation between dots and globules. Conclusions In our study, the most observed pattern was reticular. There was a difference in the predominance of structures dependent on the anatomical location. PMID:29186245

  15. Darwinism and the cultural evolution of sports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Block, Andreas; Dewitte, Siegfried

    2009-01-01

    This article outlines a Darwinian approach to sports that takes into account its profoundly cultural character and thereby overcomes the traditional nature-culture dichotomies in the sociology of sport. We argue that there are good reasons to view sports as culturally evolved signaling systems that serve a function similar to (biological) courtship rituals in other animals. Our approach combines the insights of evolutionary psychology, which states that biological adaptations determine the boundaries for the types of sport that are possible, and pure cultural theories, which describe the mechanism of cultural evolution without referring to sport's biological bases. Several biological and cultural factors may moderate the direct effect that signaling value has on a sport's viability or popularity. Social learning underlies many aspects of the cultural control of sports, and sports have evolved new cultural functions more-or-less unrelated to mate choice as cultural evolution itself became important in humans.

  16. Characterizing commercial pureed foods: sensory, nutritional, and textural analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ettinger, Laurel; Keller, Heather H; Duizer, Lisa M

    2014-01-01

    Dysphagia (swallowing impairment) is a common consequence of stroke and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Limited research is available on pureed foods, specifically the qualities of commercial products. Because research has linked pureed foods, specifically in-house pureed products, to malnutrition due to inferior sensory and nutritional qualities, commercial purees also need to be investigated. Proprietary research on sensory attributes of commercial foods is available; however direct comparisons of commercial pureed foods have never been reported. Descriptive sensory analysis as well as nutritional and texture analysis of commercially pureed prepared products was performed using a trained descriptive analysis panel. The pureed foods tested included four brands of carrots, of turkey, and two of bread. Each commercial puree was analyzed for fat (Soxhlet), protein (Dumas), carbohydrate (proximate analysis), fiber (total fiber), and sodium content (Quantab titrator strips). The purees were also texturally compared with a line spread test and a back extrusion test. Differences were found in the purees for sensory attributes as well as nutritional and textural properties. Findings suggest that implementation of standards is required to reduce variability between products, specifically regarding the textural components of the products. This would ensure all commercial products available in Canada meet standards established as being considered safe for swallowing.

  17. Vacuum evaporation of pure metals

    OpenAIRE

    Safarian, Jafar; Engh, Thorvald Abel

    2013-01-01

    Theories on the evaporation of pure substances are reviewed and applied to study vacuum evaporation of pure metals. It is shown that there is good agreement between different theories for weak evaporation, whereas there are differences under intensive evaporation conditions. For weak evaporation, the evaporation coefficient in Hertz-Knudsen equation is 1.66. Vapor velocity as a function of the pressure is calculated applying several theories. If a condensing surface is less than one collision...

  18. Co-Cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Roseobacter denitrificans Reveal Shifts in Gene Expression Levels Compared to Solo Cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Crystal A. Conway

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Consistent biosynthesis of desired secondary metabolites (SMs from pure microbial cultures is often unreliable. In a proof-of-principle study to induce SM gene expression and production, we describe mixed “co-culturing” conditions and monitoring of messages via quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR. Gene expression of model bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Roseobacter denitrificans Och114 was analyzed in pure solo and mixed cocultures to infer the effects of interspecies interactions on gene expression in vitro, Two P. aeruginosa genes (PhzH coding for portions of the phenazine antibiotic pathway leading to pyocyanin (PCN and the RhdA gene for thiosulfate: cyanide sulfurtransferase (Rhodanese and two R. denitrificans genes (BetaLact for metallo-beta-lactamase and the DMSP gene for dimethylpropiothetin dethiomethylase were assessed for differential expression. Results showed that R. denitrificans DMSP and BetaLact gene expression became elevated in a mixed culture. In contrast, P. aeruginosa co-cultures with R. denitrificans or a third species did not increase target gene expression above control levels. This paper provides insight for better control of target SM gene expression in vitro and bypass complex genetic engineering manipulations.

  19. Pure natural inflation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Yasunori; Watari, Taizan; Yamazaki, Masahito

    2018-01-01

    We point out that a simple inflationary model in which the axionic inflaton couples to a pure Yang-Mills theory may give the scalar spectral index (ns) and tensor-to-scalar ratio (r) in complete agreement with the current observational data.

  20. Thermal inactivation of polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase in Jubileu clingstone peach and yeast isolated from its spoiled puree

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréa Menezes Lopes

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The thermal inactivation of yeast isolated from spoiled Jubileu peach puree and that of polyphenoloxidase (PPO and peroxidase (POD in cv. Jubileu, which is widely cultivated in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, were studied. PPO and POD were extracted using the protein powder method and submitted to partial purification by precipitation followed by dialysis. The enzymatic activity was determined measuring the increase in absorbance at 420 nm for PPO and 470 nm for POD. The yeast used in this investigation was isolated from spoiled Jubileu peach puree at 22 °Brix, with total initial microbial count of 22 × 10² UFCmL- 1. Stock cultures were maintained on potato dextrose agar (PDA slants at 4 °C and pH 5 for later use for microbial growth. In all cases, kinetic analysis of the results suggests that the thermal inactivation was well described by a first-order kinetic model, and the temperature dependence was significantly represented by the Arrhenius law. Both enzymes were affected by heat denaturation, and PPO was more thermostable. PPO was also more thermosTable than the yeast isolated from peach puree. The D60-values were 1.53 and 1.87 min for PPO and yeast isolated from spoiled Jubileu peach puree, respectively.

  1. Conformal pure radiation with parallel rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leistner, Thomas; Paweł Nurowski

    2012-01-01

    We define pure radiation metrics with parallel rays to be n-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian metrics that admit a parallel null line bundle K and whose Ricci tensor vanishes on vectors that are orthogonal to K. We give necessary conditions in terms of the Weyl, Cotton and Bach tensors for a pseudo-Riemannian metric to be conformal to a pure radiation metric with parallel rays. Then, we derive conditions in terms of the tractor calculus that are equivalent to the existence of a pure radiation metric with parallel rays in a conformal class. We also give analogous results for n-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian pp-waves. (paper)

  2. Ebselen is a new skin depigmenting agent that inhibits melanin biosynthesis and melanosomal transfer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasraee, Behrooz; Nikolic, Damjan S; Salomon, Denis; Carraux, Pierre; Fontao, Lionel; Piguet, Vincent; Omrani, Gholamhossein R; Sorg, Olivier; Saurat, Jean-Hilaire

    2012-01-01

    We assessed the ability of ebselen, a glutathione peroxidase mimic, to reduce pigmentation in various models. In murine B16 melanocytes, 25 μm ebselen inhibited melanogenesis and induced a depolymerisation of actin filaments. In co-cultures of B16 melanocytes with BDVII keratinocytes, a pretreatment of melanocytes with ebselen resulted in a strong inhibition of melanosome transfer to keratinocytes, as shown under optical and electron microscopy. In reconstructed epidermis, topical 0.5% ebselen led to a twofold decrease of melanin without affecting the density of active melanocytes. A similar result was obtained with topical 0.5% ebselen in black guinea pig ears. Ebselen induced a decrease of epidermal melanin parallel to a localisation of melanin and melanosomes in the basal layer. Ebselen appears as a new depigmenting compound that inhibits melanin synthesis and melanosome transfer to keratinocytes. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  3. Pure spinor partition function and the massive superstring spectrum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aisaka, Yuri; Arroyo, E. Aldo; Berkovits, Nathan; Nekrasov, Nikita

    2008-01-01

    We explicitly compute up to the fifth mass-level the partition function of ten-dimensional pure spinor worldsheet variables including the spin dependence. After adding the contribution from the (x μ , θ α , p α ) matter variables, we reproduce the massive superstring spectrum. Even though pure spinor variables are bosonic, the pure spinor partition function contains fermionic states which first appear at the second mass-level. These fermionic states come from functions which are not globally defined in pure spinor space, and are related to the b ghost in the pure spinor formalism. This result clarifies the proper definition of the Hilbert space for pure spinor variables.

  4. Testing effects in mixed- versus pure-list designs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowland, Christopher A; Littrell-Baez, Megan K; Sensenig, Amanda E; DeLosh, Edward L

    2014-08-01

    In the present study, we investigated the role of list composition in the testing effect. Across three experiments, participants learned items through study and initial testing or study and restudy. List composition was manipulated, such that tested and restudied items appeared either intermixed in the same lists (mixed lists) or in separate lists (pure lists). In Experiment 1, half of the participants received mixed lists and half received pure lists. In Experiment 2, all participants were given both mixed and pure lists. Experiment 3 followed Erlebacher's (Psychological Bulletin, 84, 212-219, 1977) method, such that mixed lists, pure tested lists, and pure restudied lists were given to independent groups. Across all three experiments, the final recall results revealed significant testing effects for both mixed and pure lists, with no reliable difference in the magnitude of the testing advantage across list designs. This finding suggests that the testing effect is not subject to a key boundary condition-list design-that impacts other memory phenomena, including the generation effect.

  5. Lactic acid production from submerged fermentation of broken rice using undefined mixed culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes, Luiza Varela; de Barros Correa, Fabiane Fernanda; de Oliva Neto, Pedro; Mayer, Cassia Roberta Malacrida; Escaramboni, Bruna; Campioni, Tania Sila; de Barros, Natan Roberto; Herculano, Rondinelli Donizetti; Fernández Núñez, Eutimio Gustavo

    2017-04-01

    The present work aimed to characterize and optimize the submerged fermentation of broken rice for lactic acid (LA) production using undefined mixed culture from dewatered activated sludge. A microorganism with amylolytic activity, which also produces LA, Lactobacillus amylovorus, was used as a control to assess the extent of mixed culture on LA yield. Three level full factorial designs were performed to optimize and define the influence of fermentation temperature (20-50 °C), gelatinization time (30-60 min) and broken rice concentration in culture medium (40-80 g L -1 ) on LA production in pure and undefined mixed culture. LA production in mixed culture (9.76 g L -1 ) increased in sixfold respect to pure culture in optimal assessed experimental conditions. The optimal conditions for maximizing LA yield in mixed culture bioprocess were 31 °C temperature, 45 min gelatinization time and 79 g L -1 broken rice concentration in culture medium. This study demonstrated the positive effect of undefined mixed culture from dewatered activated sludge to produce LA from culture medium formulated with broken rice. In addition, this work establishes the basis for an efficient and low-cost bioprocess to manufacture LA from this booming agro-industrial by-product.

  6. A modified fluorimetric host cell reactivation assay to determine the repair capacity of primary keratinocytes, melanocytes and fibroblasts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gebhard Daniel

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Host Cell Reactivation Assay (HCRA is widely used to identify circumstances and substances affecting the repair capacity of cells, however, it is restricted by the transfection procedure used and the sensitivity of the detection method. Primary skin cells are particularly difficult to transfect, and therefore sensitive methods are needed to detect any variations due to the cell-type or inter-individual differences or changes induced by diverse substances. A sensitive and repeatable method to detect the repair capacity of skin cells would be useful in two different aspects: On the one hand, to identify substances influencing the repair capacity in a positive manner (these substances could be promising ingredients for cosmetic products and on the other hand, to exclude the negative effects of substances on the repair capacity (this could serve as one step further towards replacing or at least reducing animal testing. Results In this paper, we present a rapid and sensitive assay to determine the repair capacity of primary keratinocytes, melanocytes and fibroblasts based on two wave-length Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP and DsRed reporter technology in order to test different substances and their potential to influence the DNA repair capacity. For the detection of plasmid restoration, we used FACS technology, which, in comparison to luminometer technology, is highly sensitive and allows single cell based analysis. The usefulness of this assay and studying the repair capacity is demonstrated by the evidence that DNA repair is repressed by Cyclosporin A in fibroblasts. Conclusions The methodology described in this paper determines the DNA repair capacity in different types of human skin cells. The described transfection protocol is suitable for the transfection of melanocytes, keratinocytes and fibroblasts, reaching efficacies suitable for the detection of the restored plasmids by FACS technology. Therefore the repair capacity

  7. Does Culture Influence Asset Managers? Views and Behavior?

    OpenAIRE

    Beckmann, Daniela; Menkhoff, Lukas

    2007-01-01

    This research enters new ground by presenting comparative survey evidence on asset managers' views and behavior in the United States, Germany, Japan and Thailand. Relying on Hofstede's four cultural dimensions, we find that cultural differences are most helpful in understanding country differences which cannot be explained by pure economic reasoning. In short, controlling for various determinants, the dimension of more Individualism predicts less herding behavior, more Power Distance leads to...

  8. Tractable Quantification of Entanglement for Multipartite Pure States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nian-Quan, Jiang; Yu-Jian, Wang; Yi-Zhuang, Zheng; Gen-Chang, Cai

    2008-01-01

    We present kth-order entanglement measure and global kth-order entanglement measure for multipartite pure states, and extend Bennett's measure of partial entropy for bipartite pure states to a multipartite case. These measures are computable and can effectively classify and quantify the entanglement of multipartite pure states. (general)

  9. Gate-Driven Pure Spin Current in Graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Xiaoyang; Su, Li; Si, Zhizhong; Zhang, Youguang; Bournel, Arnaud; Zhang, Yue; Klein, Jacques-Olivier; Fert, Albert; Zhao, Weisheng

    2017-09-01

    The manipulation of spin current is a promising solution for low-power devices beyond CMOS. However, conventional methods, such as spin-transfer torque or spin-orbit torque for magnetic tunnel junctions, suffer from large power consumption due to frequent spin-charge conversions. An important challenge is, thus, to realize long-distance transport of pure spin current, together with efficient manipulation. Here, the mechanism of gate-driven pure spin current in graphene is presented. Such a mechanism relies on the electrical gating of carrier-density-dependent conductivity and spin-diffusion length in graphene. The gate-driven feature is adopted to realize the pure spin-current demultiplexing operation, which enables gate-controllable distribution of the pure spin current into graphene branches. Compared with the Elliott-Yafet spin-relaxation mechanism, the D'yakonov-Perel spin-relaxation mechanism results in more appreciable demultiplexing performance. The feature of the pure spin-current demultiplexing operation will allow a number of logic functions to be cascaded without spin-charge conversions and open a route for future ultra-low-power devices.

  10. Pure natural inflation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasunori Nomura

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We point out that a simple inflationary model in which the axionic inflaton couples to a pure Yang–Mills theory may give the scalar spectral index (ns and tensor-to-scalar ratio (r in complete agreement with the current observational data.

  11. Standardization of process for increased production of pure and potent tetanus toxin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chellamani Muniandi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available When stationary pot culture was replaced by submerged cultivation of Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic organism, in afermentor using a vibromixer and optimum supply of sterile air to the headspace of the fermentor to flush out the accumulatedgases, a significant increase in the tetanus toxin yield in a short time cultivation (about 5 to 6 days against8 days was noticed. It was found that under optimal conditions of temperature, vibromixing, surface aeration, and analkaline pH favored toxin release. Furthermore, to enhance the production volume, fermentor culture is more suitable.The tetanus toxin was produced with good Limes flocculation (Lf titre and high antigenic purity. Under optimal conditions,the papain digest broth was successfully substituted in place of N.Z Case for the production of pure and potenttetanus toxin. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2013; 3(3: 133-139Key words: Clostridium tetani, modified mueller miller medium, papain digest, limes flocculation

  12. Successful repigmentation of vitiligo after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for Hodgkin′s lymphoma by autologous noncultured melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huijuan Tang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The treatment of vitiligo is derisory since the pathogenesis of vitiligo is not clear at present. Most conservative treatments are difficult to approach satisfactory therapy. So transplantation is the only way left when the disease becomes insensitive to those conservative treatments. Here we describe an 18-year-old patient who developed vitiligo, which was triggered by graft-versus-host disease after a allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of Hodgkin′s lymphoma from his sister. In the following treatment to vitiligo, the patient successfully performed the transplantation of autologous uncultured melanocyte on the premise of poor reaction to other conservative methods. We infer that transplantation can be a treatment of the vitiligo after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

  13. Treatment of real wastewater using co-culture of immobilized Chlorella vulgaris and suspended activated sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mujtaba, Ghulam; Lee, Kisay

    2017-09-01

    The use of algal-bacterial symbiotic association establishes a sustainable and cost-effective strategy in wastewater treatment. Using municipal wastewater, the removal performances of inorganic nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and organic pollutants were investigated by the co-culture system having different inoculum ratios (R) of suspended activated sludge to alginate-immobilized microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. The co-culture reactors with lower R ratios obtained more removal of nitrogen than in pure culture of C. vulgaris. The reactor with R = 0.5 (sludge/microalgae) showed the highest performance representing 66% removal after 24 h and 95% removal after 84 h. Phosphorus was completely eliminated (100%) in the co-culture system with inoculum ratios of 0.5 and 1.0 after 24 h and in the pure C. vulgaris culture after 36 h. The COD level was greatly reduced in the activated sludge reactor, while, it was increasing in pure C. vulgaris culture after 24 h of incubation. However, COD was almost stabilized after 24 h in the reactors with high R ratios such as 2.0, 5.0, and 10 due to the higher concentration of activated sludge. The growth of C. vulgaris was promoted from 0.03 g/L/d to 0.05 g/L/d in the co-culture of low inoculum ratios such as R = 0.5, implying that there exist an optimum inoculum ratio in the co-culture system in order to achieve efficient removal of nutrients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Pure chiral optical fibres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poladian, L; Straton, M; Docherty, A; Argyros, A

    2011-01-17

    We investigate the properties of optical fibres made from chiral materials, in which a contrast in optical activity forms the waveguide, rather than a contrast in the refractive index; we refer to such structures as pure chiral fibres. We present a mathematical formulation for solving the modes of circularly symmetric examples of such fibres and examine the guidance and polarisation properties of pure chiral step-index, Bragg and photonic crystal fibre designs. Their behaviour is shown to differ for left- and right-hand circular polarisation, allowing circular polarisations to be isolated and/or guided by different mechanisms, as well as differing from equivalent non-chiral fibres. The strength of optical activity required in each case is quantified.

  15. Use of a collagen-elastin matrix as transport carrier system to transfer proliferating epidermal cells to human dermis in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waaijman, Taco; Breetveld, Melanie; Ulrich, Magda; Middelkoop, Esther; Scheper, Rik J; Gibbs, Susan

    2010-01-01

    This in vitro study describes a novel cell culture, transport, and transfer protocol that may be highly suitable for delivering cultured proliferating keratinocytes and melanocytes to large open skin wounds (e.g., burns). We have taken into account previous limitations identified using other keratinocyte transfer techniques, such as regulatory issues, stability of keratinocytes during transport (single cell suspensions undergo terminal differentiation), ease of handling during application, and the degree of epidermal blistering resulting after transplantation (both related to transplanting keratinocyte sheets). Large numbers of proliferating epidermal cells (EC) (keratinocytes and melanocytes) were generated within 10-14 days and seeded onto a three-dimensional matrix composed of elastin and collagen types I, III, and V (Matriderm®), which enabled easy and stable transport of the EC for up to 24 h under ambient conditions. All culture conditions were in accordance with the regulations set by the Dutch Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO). As an in vitro model system for clinical in vivo transfer, the EC were then transferred from Matriderm onto human acellular dermis during a period of 3 days. After transfer the EC maintained the ability to regenerate into a fully differentiated epidermis containing melanocytes on the human dermis. Proliferating keratinocytes were located in the basal layer and keratin-10 expression was located in differentiating suprabasal layers similar to that found in human epidermis. No blistering was observed (separation of the epidermis from the basement membrane). Keratin-6 expression was strongly upregulated in the regenerating epidermis similar to normal wound healing. In summary, we show that EC-Matriderm contains viable, metabolically active keratinocytes and melanocytes cultured in a manner that permits easy transportation and contains epidermal cells with the potential to form a pigmented reconstructed

  16. On the importance of PURE - Public Understanding of Renewable Energy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Broman, Lars; Kandpal, Tara C.

    2013-09-15

    Public understanding of science (PUS) is a central concept among science communicators. Public understanding of renewable energy (PURE) is proposed as an important sub-concept of PUS. The aim of this paper is to interest and invite renewable energy scientists to join a PURE research project. Four separate important questions for a PURE research project can be identified: (A) Is PURE important? (B) Which issues of PURE are the most important ones, according to renewable energy scientists? (C) What understanding of renewable energy has the general public today, worldwide? (D) How to achieve PURE?.

  17. Bi-orderings on pure braided Thompson's groups

    OpenAIRE

    Burillo, Jose; Gonzalez-Meneses, Juan

    2006-01-01

    In this paper it is proved that the pure braided Thompson’s group BF admits a bi-order, analog to the bi-order of the pure braid groups. Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional

  18. A Case of Iris Melanocytoma Demonstrating Diffuse Melanocytic Proliferation with Uncontrolled Intraocular Pressure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mami Kusunose

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available We report a rare case with histologically proven melanocytoma of the iris that demonstrated diffuse melanocytic proliferation with uncontrolled secondary glaucoma and investigate the etiology of the intraocular pressure elevation. The patient was a 78-year-old man with a history of darkened iris of his left eye. The intraocular pressure was 39 mm Hg. A slit-lamp examination showed a diffuse darkened iris, and a gonioscopic examination revealed open angle with circumferential heavy pigmentation. There was no pigment dispersion of the anterior chamber and no pigment deposition of the cornea. We suspected malignant ring melanoma in the left eye and enucleated it. The globe was examined with light and electron microscopy. Light microscopy revealed the presence of heavily pigmented tumor cells in the iris, ciliary body, trabecular meshwork, and Schlemm’s canal. A bleached preparation showed large tumor cells with central and paracentral nuclei without mitosis. Electron microscopy of the trabecular meshwork revealed melanin-bearing tumor cells invading the intertrabecular spaces, and the melanin granules were not phagocytosed in the trabecular cells. The mechanical obstruction of the aqueous flow by the tumor cells may be a major cause of secondary glaucoma in eyes with iris melanocytoma presenting diffuse proliferation.

  19. Primary culture of human Schwann and schwannoma cells: improved and simplified protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dilwali, Sonam; Patel, Pratik B; Roberts, Daniel S; Basinsky, Gina M; Harris, Gordon J; Emerick, Kevin S; Stankovic, Konstantina M

    2014-09-01

    Primary culture of human Schwann cells (SCs) and vestibular schwannoma (VS) cells are invaluable tools to investigate SC physiology and VS pathobiology, and to devise effective pharmacotherapies against VS, which are sorely needed. However, existing culture protocols, in aiming to create robust, pure cultures, employ methods that can lead to loss of biological characteristics of the original cells, potentially resulting in misleading biological findings. We have developed a minimally manipulative method to culture primary human SC and VS cells, without the use of selective mitogens, toxins, or time-consuming and potentially transformative laboratory techniques. Schwann cell purity was quantified longitudinally using S100 staining in SC cultures derived from the great auricular nerve and VS cultures followed for 7 and 12 weeks, respectively. SC cultures retained approximately ≥85% purity for 2 weeks. VS cultures retained approximately ≥80% purity for the majority of the span of 12 weeks, with maximal purity of 87% at 2 weeks. The VS cultures showed high level of biological similarity (68% on average) to their respective parent tumors, as assessed using a protein array featuring 41 growth factors and receptors. Apoptosis rate in vitro negatively correlated with tumor volume. Our results, obtained using a faster, simplified culturing method than previously utilized, indicate that highly pure, primary human SC and VS cultures can be established with minimal manipulation, reaching maximal purity at 2 weeks of culture. The VS cultures recapitulate the parent tumors' biology to a great degree, making them relevant models to investigate VS pathobiology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Isotopically pure single crystal epitaxial diamond films and their preparation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banholzer, W.F.; Anthony, T.R.; Williams, D.M.

    1992-01-01

    The present invention is directed to the production of single crystal diamond consisting of isotopically pure carbon-12 or carbon-13. In the present invention, isotopically pure single crystal diamond is grown on a single crystal substrate directly from isotopically pure carbon-12 or carbon-13. One method for forming isotopically pure single crystal diamond comprises the steps of placing in a reaction chamber a single substrate heated to an elevated diamond forming temperature. Another method for forming isotopically pure single crystal diamond comprises diffusing isotopically pure carbon-12 or carbon-13 through a metallic catalyst under high pressure to a region containing a single crystal substrate to form an isotopically pure single crystal diamond layer on said single crystal substrate

  1. The Optimization of Molecular Detection of Clinical Isolates of Brucella in Blood Cultures by eryD Transcriptase Gene for Confirmation of Culture-Negative Samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabibnejad, Mahsa; Alikhani, Mohammad Yousef; Arjomandzadegan, Mohammad; Hashemi, Seyed Hamid; Naseri, Zahra

    2016-04-01

    Brucellosis is a zoonosis disease which is widespread across the world. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of culture-negative blood samples. A total of 100 patients with suspected brucellosis were included in this experimental study and given positive serological tests. Diagnosis was performed on patients with clinical symptoms of the disease, followed by the detection of a titer that was equal to or more than 1:160 (in endemic areas) by the standard tube agglutination method. Blood samples were cultured by a BACTEC 9050 system, and subsequently by Brucella agar. At the same time, DNA from all blood samples was extracted by Qiagen Kit Company (Qia Amp Mini Kit). A molecular assay of blood samples was carried out by detection of eryD transcriptase and bcsp 31 genes in specific double PCR reactions. The specificity of the primers was evaluated by DNA from pure and approved Brucella colonies found in the blood samples, by DNA from other bacteria, and by ordinary PCR. DNA extraction from the pure colonies was carried out by both Qiagen Kit and Chelex 100 methods; the two were compared. 39 cases (39%) had positive results when tested by the BACTEC system, and 61 cases (61%) became negative. 23 culture-positive blood samples were randomly selected for PCR reactions; all showed 491 bp for the eryD gene and 223 bp for the bcsp 31 gene. Interestingly, out of 14 culture-negative blood samples, 13 cases showed positive bonds in PCR. The specificity of the PCR method was equal to 100%. DNA extraction from pure cultures was done by both Chelex 100 and Qiagen Kit; these showed the same results for all samples. The results prove that the presented double PCR method could be used to detect positive cases from culture-negative blood samples. The Chelex 100 method is simpler and safer than the use of Qiagen Kit for DNA extraction.

  2. PSYCHE Pure Shift NMR Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foroozandeh, Mohammadali; Morris, Gareth; Nilsson, Mathias

    2018-03-13

    Broadband homodecoupling techniques in NMR, also known as "pure shift" methods, aim to enhance spectral resolution by suppressing the effects of homonuclear coupling interactions to turn multiplet signals into singlets. Such techniques typically work by selecting a subset of "active" nuclear spins to observe, and selectively inverting the remaining, "passive", spins to reverse the effects of coupling. Pure Shift Yielded by Chirp Excitation (PSYCHE) is one such method; it is relatively recent, but has already been successfully implemented in a range of different NMR experiments. Paradoxically, PSYCHE is one of the trickiest of pure shift NMR techniques to understand but one of the easiest to use. Here we offer some insights into theoretical and practical aspects of the method, and into the effects and importance of the experimental parameters. Some recent improvements that enhance the spectral purity of PSYCHE spectra will be presented, and some experimental frameworks including examples in 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, for the implementation of PSYCHE will be introduced. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Melanosomal dynamics assessed with a live-cell fluorescent melanosomal marker.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan M Bruder

    Full Text Available Melanocytes present in skin and other organs synthesize and store melanin pigment within membrane-delimited organelles called melanosomes. Exposure of human skin to ultraviolet radiation (UV stimulates melanin production in melanosomes, followed by transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to neighboring keratinocytes. Melanosomal function is critical for protecting skin against UV radiation, but the mechanisms underlying melanosomal movement and transfer are not well understood. Here we report a novel fluorescent melanosomal marker, which we used to measure real-time melanosomal dynamics in live human epidermal melanocytes (HEMs and transfer in melanocyte-keratinocyte co-cultures. A fluorescent fusion protein of Ocular Albinism 1 (OA1 localized to melanosomes in both B16-F1 cells and HEMs, and its expression did not significantly alter melanosomal distribution. Live-cell tracking of OA1-GFP-tagged melanosomes revealed a bimodal kinetic profile, with melanosomes exhibiting combinations of slow and fast movement. We also found that exposure to UV radiation increased the fraction of melanosomes exhibiting fast versus slow movement. In addition, using OA1-GFP in live co-cultures, we monitored melanosomal transfer using time-lapse microscopy. These results highlight OA1-GFP as a specific and effective melanosomal marker for live-cell studies, reveal new aspects of melanosomal dynamics and transfer, and are relevant to understanding the skin's physiological response to UV radiation.

  4. Aplicación de terapia de vacío en el tratamiento de nevus pigmentario gigante en la infancia Negative pressure therapy in the treatment of a giant melanocytic nevus in chilhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Fregenal

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Los nevus melanocíticos gigantes congénitos son muy infrecuentes. Su incidencia de malignización varía según las series clínicas entre el 2 y el 45%. Este riesgo de malignización y los problemas de adaptación psicosocial que suelen acarrear hacen recomendable el inicio del tratamiento quirúrgico de este tipo de lesiones antes de la edad escolar. Presentamos el caso de un niño de 7 años de edad con nevus melanocítico congénito gigante que afectaba a la espalda y al flanco derecho, de 30 x 19 cm de diámetro. Desarrollamos un protocolo terapéutico mediante programación de intervenciones quirúrgicas seriadas de mínima morbilidad, con postoperatorio simple y poco doloroso. En un primer tiempo realizamos extirpación de la lesión con bisturí ultrasónico y cobertura temporal del defecto creado con dermis artificial. En un segundo tiempo intentamos cobertura definitiva con piel cultivada autóloga, siendo necesario un tercer tiempo de cobertura con autoinjerto de espesor ultrafino. En este caso, el sistema de terapia de presión negativa VAC® mostró su eficacia para inmovilizar los apósitos de forma segura, indolora y en régimen ambulatorio.Giant congenital melanocytic nevi are very uncommon. Malignization incidence varies according to clinical series between 2 and 45%. This risk of malignization and psychosocial adaptation problems make necessary to begin the surgical treatment before school age. We present a 7-year-old child with a giant melanocytic nevus in the back and right flank, 30 x 19 cm in size. A therapeutic protocol using serial surgical interventions with minimal morbidity and an easy and painless postoperative care were developed. In the first surgery we removed the nevus with ultrasonic scalpel and used artificial dermis as a temporary coverage. In the second time we tried to complete the definitive coverage with autologous cultured skin, but we needed a third time to apply definitive ultrathin skin autograft. In

  5. Texture and Microtexture of Pure (6N and Commercially Pure Aluminum after Deformation by Extrusion with Forward-Backward Rotating Die (Kobo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bieda M.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Pure aluminium (6N and commercially pure aluminium (99.7 was deformed by KOBO method. Microstructure and texture of both materials after deformation was analyzed by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Advanced methods of crystallographic orientations measurements like Electron Backscatter Diffraction - EBSD (SEM and microdiffraction (TEM was used. Grain size distribution and misorientation between grains in cross and longitudinal sections of the samples were analyzed. Differences in size and homogeneity of the grains were observed in both materials. Pure aluminium was characterized by larger grain size in both sections of extruded material. Whereas commercially pure aluminium reveals smaller grain size and more homogeneous and stable microstructure.

  6. Hans Kelsen – The Reception of “Pure Theory” in South America, Particularly in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eduardo de Abreu Boucault

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to examine the reception of « Pure theory of Law », of Hans Kelsen in some South-American countries, throughout institutional approaches and also the diffusion of this theory as well its acceptance by cultural agents who represented academic and professional law environment, in Uruguay, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. The historical period of this study concerns the early times of 40 till our days. Although the reference of Kelsen’s thought about theory of law may appear as a constant feature on South-American jurists, mainly till the decade of 1980, actually we can identify real problems that claim for a falsehood about the guidelines of the pure theory of law and ambiguities in connection to theoretical issues within positivist traditions in face of authoritarian governments in Latin America.

  7. Starter cultures for cereal based foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt, Markus J

    2014-02-01

    Fermented cereals play a significant role in human nutrition in all parts of the world where cereals grow. These fermentations are started spontaneously or there have been traditional techniques developed in order to keep starter cultures for these processes alive. With the growing impact of industrial microbiology during 20th century this traditional starter culture propagation was replaced often, especially in the dairy industry, by the use of pure, frozen or freeze-dried cultures grown on microbial media. In contrast to the production of ethanol from cereals, in sourdough a pasteurization step before inoculation is avoided due to gelatinization of starch and inactivation of endogenous enzymes. Therefore cultures must be competitive to the relatively high microbial load of the cereal raw materials and well adapted to the specific ecology determined by the kind of cereal and the process conditions. Less adapted cultures could be used, but then the process of back-slopping of cultures is limited. Although cereal fermentations take the biggest volume among fermented foods, only for sourdoughs commercial cultures are available. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Lectures on the theory of pure motives

    CERN Document Server

    Murre, Jacob P; A, Chris

    2013-01-01

    The theory of motives was created by Grothendieck in the 1960s as he searched for a universal cohomology theory for algebraic varieties. The theory of pure motives is well established as far as the construction is concerned. Pure motives are expected to have a number of additional properties predicted by Grothendieck's standard conjectures, but these conjectures remain wide open. The theory for mixed motives is still incomplete. This book deals primarily with the theory of pure motives. The exposition begins with the fundamentals: Grothendieck's construction of the category of pure motives and examples. Next, the standard conjectures and the famous theorem of Jannsen on the category of the numerical motives are discussed. Following this, the important theory of finite dimensionality is covered. The concept of Chow-K�nneth decomposition is introduced, with discussion of the known results and the related conjectures, in particular the conjectures of Bloch-Beilinson type. We finish with a chapter on relative m...

  9. Evolutionary approaches to cultural and linguistic diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, James; Jordan, Peter; Cochrane, Ethan

    2010-12-12

    Evolutionary approaches to cultural change are increasingly influential, and many scientists believe that a 'grand synthesis' is now in sight. The papers in this Theme Issue, which derives from a symposium held by the AHRC Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity (University College London) in December 2008, focus on how the phylogenetic tree-building and network-based techniques used to estimate descent relationships in biology can be adapted to reconstruct cultural histories, where some degree of inter-societal diffusion will almost inevitably be superimposed on any deeper signal of a historical branching process. The disciplines represented include the three most purely 'cultural' fields from the four-field model of anthropology (cultural anthropology, archaeology and linguistic anthropology). In this short introduction, some context is provided from the history of anthropology, and key issues raised by the papers are highlighted.

  10. Pure energy solutions - pure tomorrows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allison, J.

    2006-01-01

    HTC is an energy technology company whose mandate is to deliver 'Carbon Clear Solutions' to address the pending challenges the energy sector is facing in meeting the environmental impact of Greenhouse Gas emissions, and energy security. HTC will speak on its comprehensive suite of technologies including hydrogen production, CO 2 capture and CO 2 sequestration. HTC has patented technologies that produce H 2 from a broad variety of feedstocks such as Natural gas, Diesel, Gasoline, Bio-fuels i.e. ethanol, methanol and Coal Gasification. HTC Hydrogen reformation systems are unique in their method of delivering pure Hydrogen. Dry Reformation Reactor - New catalyst system designed to eliminate contamination problems (i.e. coking) while at the same time operate at a low temperature. Water Gas Shift Reactor - Plus - improved and redesigned catalyst that improves operating temperature and hydrogen production efficiency. Two stage catalyst reactor that provides near balance of the endothermic and exothermic reaction temperatures for efficient energy balance

  11. Pure γ-families

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunaevskii, A.M.

    1977-01-01

    The subject of this work are pure gamma families consisting of the gamma quanta produced in the early stages of cosmic cascades. The criteria of selecting these families from the all measured families are presented. The characteristics of these families are given and some conclusions about the mechanism of the nuclear-electromagnetic cascades are extracted. (S.B.)

  12. OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE, PURE BEING AND METAPHYSICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. V. Karivets

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. The author will show that metaphysical concepts and the concepts of empirical sciences derive from experience. The only difference is that metaphysical concepts derive from unusual experience, i.e. out-of-body experience, while empirical sciences – from usual one. The example set metaphysical concept of pure being. Methodology. In order to obtain this goal the author uses two methods. The first one is comparative method. With the help of this method the stories of men who experienced clinical death and returned to life are compared with the famous philosophers’ metaphysical statements (Plato, Descartes, and Bonaventura. The second one is transpersonal method. It helps to study the peculiarities of the extraordinary experience in the state of clinical death or mystical ecstasy. Such experience lies in experience of transcendence, pure being as light, ultimate awareness of truth, which are identical to the metaphysical statements of philosophers and mystics. These ultimate experiences belong to different people, who lived and grown in different cultures, but nevertheless metaphysical statements of philosophers or mystics and statements of the ordinary people who experienced clinical death are the same. Therefore we can say that out-of-body experience is transpersonal. Originality. Metaphysics is neither speculative nor withdrawn from experience of a human being sphere. It arises from out-of-body experience while empirical sciences – from usual experience. Therefore, metaphysical concepts, in particular, pure being, are empirical, because they are based also on (extraordinary experience. In general, metaphysics becomes possible on the basis of out-of-body experience. Conclusions. In this article the author argues that the concepts of metaphysics are not a priori because they originate from out-of-body experience that is from the experience of the distinction between body and soul or body and mind. As a result of such experience

  13. Pure spinor integration from the collating formula

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grassi, P.A.; Sommovigo, L.

    2011-01-01

    We use the technique developed by Becchi and Imbimbo to construct a well-defined BRST-invariant path integral formulation of pure spinor amplitudes. The space of pure spinors can be viewed from the algebraic geometry point of view as a collection of open sets where the constraints can be solved and a set of free and independent variables can be defined. On the intersections of those open sets, the functional measure jumps and one has to add boundary terms to construct a well-defined path integral. The result is the definition of the pure spinor integration measure constructed in terms of differential forms on each single patch.

  14. Pure and Pseudo-pure Fluid Thermophysical Property Evaluation and the Open-Source Thermophysical Property Library CoolProp

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bell, Ian H.; Wronski, Jorrit; Quoilin, Sylvain

    2014-01-01

    property correlations described here have been implemented into CoolProp, an open-source thermophysical property library. This library is written in C++, with wrappers available for the majority of programming languages and platforms of technical interest. As of publication, 110 pure and pseudo-pure fluids...... are included in the library, as well as properties of 40 incompressible fluids and humid air. The source code for the CoolProp library is included as an electronic annex....

  15. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics publishes papers of the highest quality and significance in specific areas of physics, pure and applied, as listed below. The journal content reflects core physics disciplines, but is also open to a broad range of topics whose central theme falls within the bounds of physics.

  16. Refurbishment of JMTR pure water facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asano, Norikazu; Hanakawa, Hiroki; Kusunoki, Hidehiko; Satou, Shinichi

    2012-05-01

    In the refurbishment of JMTR, facilities were classified into which (1) were all updated, (2) were partly updated, and (3) were continuance used by the considerations of the maintenance history, the change parts availability and the latest technology. The JMTR pure water facility was classified into all updated facility based on the consideration. The Update construction was conducted in between FY2007 and FY2008. The refurbishment of JMTR pure water facility is summarized in this report. (author)

  17. Hans Kelsen – The Reception of “Pure Theory” in South America, Particularly in Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Carlos Eduardo de Abreu Boucault

    2015-01-01

    This article aims to examine the reception of « Pure theory of Law », of Hans Kelsen in some South-American countries, throughout institutional approaches and also the diffusion of this theory as well its acceptance by cultural agents who represented academic and professional law environment, in Uruguay, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. The historical period of this study concerns the early times of 40 till our days. Although the reference of Kelsen’s thought about theory of law may appear as ...

  18. Comparative Functional Alanine Positional Scanning of the α-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone and NDP-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone Demonstrates Differential Structure-Activity Relationships at the Mouse Melanocortin Receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todorovic, Aleksandar; Ericson, Mark D; Palusak, Ryan D; Sorensen, Nicholas B; Wood, Michael S; Xiang, Zhimin; Haskell-Luevano, Carrie

    2016-07-20

    The melanocortin system has been implicated in the regulation of various physiological functions including melanogenesis, steroidogenesis, energy homeostasis, and feeding behavior. Five melanocortin receptors have been identified to date and belong to the family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). Post-translational modification of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) prohormone leads to the biosynthesis of the endogenous melanocortin agonists, including α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), β-MSH, γ-MSH, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). All the melanocortin agonists derived from the POMC prohormone contain a His-Phe-Arg-Trp tetrapeptide sequence that has been implicated in eliciting the pharmacological responses at the melanocortin receptors. Herein, an alanine (Ala) positional scan is reported for the endogenous α-MSH ligand and the synthetic, more potent, NDP-MSH peptide (Ac-Ser(1)-Tyr(2)-Ser(3)-Nle(4)-Glu(5)-His(6)-DPhe(7)-Arg(8)-Trp(9)-Gly(10)-Lys(11)-Pro(12)-Val(13)-NH2) at the cloned mouse melanocortin receptors to test the assumption that the structure-activity relationships of one ligand would apply to the other. Several residues outside of the postulated pharmacophore altered potency at the melanocortin receptors, most notably the 1560-, 37-, and 15-fold potency loss when the Glu(5) position of α-MSH was substituted with Ala at the mMC1R, mMC3R, and mMC4R, respectively. Importantly, the altered potencies due to Ala substitutions in α-MSH did not necessarily correlate with equivalent Ala substitutions in NDP-MSH, indicating that structural modifications and corresponding biological activities in one of these melanocortin ligands may not be predictive for the other agonist.

  19. Archives: Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 20 of 20 ... Archives: Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences. Journal Home > Archives: Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  20. Archives: Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 6 of 6 ... Archives: Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics. Journal Home > Archives: Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  1. Thermomechanical characterization of pure polycrystalline tantalum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rittel, D.; Bhattacharyya, A.; Poon, B.; Zhao, J.; Ravichandran, G.

    2007-01-01

    The thermomechanical behavior of pure polycrystalline tantalum has been characterized over a wide range of strain rates, using the recently developed shear compression specimen [D. Rittel, S. Lee, G. Ravichandran, Experimental Mechanics 42 (2002) 58-64]. Dynamic experiments were carried out using a split Hopkinson pressure bar, and the specimen's temperature was monitored throughout the tests using an infrared radiometer. The results of the mechanical tests confirm previous results on pure Ta. Specifically, in addition to its significant strain rate sensitivity, it was observed that pure Ta exhibits very little strain hardening at high strain rates. The measured temperature rise in the specimen's gauge was compared to theoretical predictions which assume a total conversion of the mechanical energy into heat (β = 1) [G.I. Taylor, H. Quinney, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, vol. A, 1934, pp. 307-326], and an excellent agreement was obtained. This result confirms the previous result of Kapoor and Nemat-Nasser [R. Kapoor, S. Nemat-Nasser, Mech. Mater. 27 (1998) 1-12], while a different experimental approach was adopted here. The assumption that β = 1 is found to be justified in this specific case by the lack of dynamic strain hardening of pure Ta. However, this assumption should be limited to non-hardening materials, to reflect the fact that strain hardening implies that part of the mechanical energy is stored into the material's microstructure

  2. INGESTIVE BEHAVIOR OF GOATS IN RYEGRASS AND BLACK OAT PASTURES IN PURE OR MIXTURE CULTURE COMPORTAMENTO INGESTIVO DE CAPRINOS EM PASTAGEM DE AZEVÉM E AVEIA PRETA EM CULTIVO PURO E CONSORCIADO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The experiment was realized in Campo Largo, PR, where the ingestive behavior of goats was evaluated under ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. and black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb pastures in pure or mixture culture, in the period of 04/07/2004 to 05/08/2004. The grasses were applied in poles of 630 m² each, and the experimental design was placed in randomized blocks with three treatments and three repetitions. Twelve female goats were distributed in three experimental poles with four goats each for grazing evaluations. Previously to the evaluations of the animals the measurements of the pasture were obtained, which included height, total mass of forage and of the compounds leaf and steam. The goats were evaluated by preference and ingestion rate. The averages of pastures height was higher (p>0.05 in ryegrass and mixture, and in other pastures evaluations ryegrass was superior (p<0.05 to the others treatments. The grazing time of goats in ryegrass and black oat was superior (p<0.05 to the mixture. The bite rate per minute was higher (p<0.05 in black oat. The goats demonstrated preference for ryegrass and black oat in pure culture.
     
    KEY WORDS: Avena strigosa Schreb, bite, goats, Lolium multiflorum Lam, preference. The experiment was realized in Campo Largo – PR, where the ingestive behavior of goats was evaluated under ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. and black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb pastures in pure or mixture culture, in the period of 04/07/2004 to 05/08/2004. The grasses were applied in poles of 630 m² each, and the experimental design was placed in randomized blocks with three treatments and three repetitions. Twelve female goats were distributed in three experimental poles with four goats each for grazing evaluations. Previously to the evaluations of the animals the measurements of the pasture were obtained, which included height, total mass of forage and of the compounds leaf and steam. The goats were evaluated by

  3. Pure transvaginal excision of mesh erosion involving the bladder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firoozi, Farzeen; Goldman, Howard B

    2013-06-01

    We present a pure transvaginal approach to the removal of eroded mesh involving the bladder secondary to placement of transvaginal mesh for management of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using a mesh kit. Although technically challenging, we demonstrate the feasibility of a purely transvaginal approach, avoiding a potentially more morbid transabdominal approach. The video presents the surgical technique of pure transvaginal excision of mesh erosion involving the bladder after mesh placement using a prolapse kit was performed. This video shows that purely transvaginal removal of mesh erosion involving the bladder can be done safely and is feasible.

  4. Comparison of hydrogen storage properties of pure Mg and milled ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    increase the hydriding and dehydriding rates, pure Mg was ground under hydrogen atmosphere (reactive .... Hydrogen storage properties of pure Mg and milled pure Mg. 833. Figure 3. ... elongated and flat shapes via collisions with the steel.

  5. The Alpha-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone Induces Conversion of Effector T Cells into Treg Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew W. Taylor

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH has an important role in modulating immunity and homeostasis. The production of IFN-γ by effector T cells is suppressed by α-MSH, while TGF-β production is promoted in the same cells. Such α-MSH-treated T cells have immune regulatory activity and suppress hypersensitivity, autoimmune diseases, and graft rejection. Previous characterizations of the α-MSH-induced Treg cells showed that the cells are CD4+ T cells expressing the same levels of CD25 as effector T cells. Therefore, we further analyzed the α-MSH-induced Treg cells for expression of effector and regulatory T-cell markers. Also, we examined the potential for α-MSH-induced Treg cells to be from the effector T-cell population. We found that the α-MSH-induced Treg cells are CD25+  CD4+ T cells that share similar surface markers as effector T cells, except that they express on their surface LAP. Also, the α-MSH treatment augments FoxP3 message in the effector T cells, and α-MSH induction of regulatory activity was limited to the effector CD25+ T-cell population. Therefore, α-MSH converts effector T cells into Treg cells, which suppress immunity targeting specific antigens and tissues.

  6. Oral delivery of Bifidobacterium longum expressing α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone to combat ulcerative colitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Pijin; Yang, Yan; Ding, Qing; Li, Xiuying; Sun, Hanxiao; Liu, Zhaobing; Huang, Junli; Gong, Yahui

    2016-02-01

    α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a tridecapeptide derived from pro-opiomelanocortin that exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties by regulating the production of inflammatory mediators. This peptide has been well established in several inflammatory models, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, its extremely short duration in vivo limits its clinical application. To address this limitation, Bifidobacterium was used here as a carrier to deliver α-MSH. We utilized α-MSH-engineered Bifidobacterium against IBD, which is closely linked to immune and intestinal microbiota dysfunction. First, we constructed a Bifidobacterium longum secreting α-MSH (B. longum-α-MSH). We then tested the recombinant α-MSH expression and determined its bioactivity in HT-29 cells. To assess its effectiveness, B. longum-α-MSH was used against an ulcerative colitis (UC) model in rats induced by dextran sulfate sodium. The data showed that α-MSH expression in B. longum-α-MSH was effective, and its biological activity was similar to the synthesized one. This UC model experiment indicated that B. longum-α-MSH successfully colonized the intestinal gut, expressed bioactive α-MSH and had a significant anti-inflammatory effect. The results demonstrate the feasibility of preventing IBD by using B. longum-α-MSH.

  7. Pure Science and Applied Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert J. Aumann

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available (Excerpt The name of my talk is Pure Science and Applied Science, and the idea I would like to sell to you today is that there is no such thing as “pure” or “applied” science. In other words, there is such a thing as science, but there is no difference between pure and applied science. Science is one entity and cannot be separated into different categories. In order to back that up, I would like to tell you a little story. As an undergraduate, I studied mathematics at City College in New York. At that time, what was called Pure Mathematics was in vogue, and the more prominent mathematicians were a little contemptuous of any kind of application. A very famous, prominent mathematician in the first half of the previous century by the name of G. H. Hardy, who was in a branch of mathematics called number theory, said that the only thing he regretted was that he unwittingly did some important work in mathematical genetics that eventually turned out to have some application. … Such was the atmosphere in the late ’40s of the previous century and, being a young man and impressionable, I was swept up in this atmosphere.

  8. Amending Koch's postulates for viral disease: When "growth in pure culture" leads to a loss of virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prescott, Joseph; Feldmann, Heinz; Safronetz, David

    2017-01-01

    It is a common laboratory practice to propagate viruses in cell culture. While convenient, these methodologies often result in unintentional genetic alterations, which have led to adaptation and even attenuation in animal models of disease. An example is the attenuation of hantaviruses (family: Bunyaviridae, genus: Hantavirus) when cultured in vitro. In this case, viruses propagated in the natural reservoir species cause disease in nonhuman primates that closely mimics the human disease, but passaging in cell culture attenuates these viruses to the extent that do not cause any measurable disease in nonhuman primates. As efforts to develop animal models progress, it will be important to take into account the influences that culture in vitro may have on the virulence of viruses. In this review we discuss this phenomenon in the context of past and recent examples in the published literature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Glycerol production by Oenococcus oeni during sequential and simultaneous cultures with wine yeast strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ale, Cesar E; Farías, Marta E; Strasser de Saad, Ana M; Pasteris, Sergio E

    2014-07-01

    Growth and fermentation patterns of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kloeckera apiculata, and Oenococcus oeni strains cultured in grape juice medium were studied. In pure, sequential and simultaneous cultures, the strains reached the stationary growth phase between 2 and 3 days. Pure and mixed K. apiculata and S. cerevisiae cultures used mainly glucose, producing ethanol, organic acids, and 4.0 and 0.1 mM glycerol, respectively. In sequential cultures, O. oeni achieved about 1 log unit at 3 days using mainly fructose and L-malic acid. Highest sugars consumption was detected in K. apiculata supernatants, lactic acid being the major end-product. 8.0 mM glycerol was found in 6-day culture supernatants. In simultaneous cultures, total sugars and L-malic acid were used at 3 days and 98% of ethanol and glycerol were detected. This study represents the first report of the population dynamics and metabolic behavior of yeasts and O. oeni in sequential and simultaneous cultures and contributes to the selection of indigenous strains to design starter cultures for winemaking, also considering the inclusion of K. apiculata. The sequential inoculation of yeasts and O. oeni would enhance glycerol production, which confers desirable organoleptic characteristics to wines, while organic acids levels would not affect their sensory profile. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. AdS pure spinor superstring in constant backgrounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandia, Osvaldo; Bevilaqua, L. Ibiapina; Vallilo, Brenno Carlini

    2014-01-01

    In this paper we study the pure spinor formulation of the superstring in AdS_5×S"5 around point particle solutions of the classical equations of motion. As a particular example we quantize the pure spinor string in the BMN background

  11. Graph Theory to Pure Mathematics: Some Illustrative Examples

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Graph Theory to Pure Mathematics: Some. Illustrative Examples v Yegnanarayanan is a. Professor of Mathematics at MNM Jain Engineering. College, Chennai. His research interests include graph theory and its applications to both pure maths and theoretical computer science. Keywords. Graph theory, matching theory,.

  12. Expander graphs in pure and applied mathematics

    OpenAIRE

    Lubotzky, Alexander

    2012-01-01

    Expander graphs are highly connected sparse finite graphs. They play an important role in computer science as basic building blocks for network constructions, error correcting codes, algorithms and more. In recent years they have started to play an increasing role also in pure mathematics: number theory, group theory, geometry and more. This expository article describes their constructions and various applications in pure and applied mathematics.

  13. Pure odd-order oscillators with constant excitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cveticanin, L.

    2011-02-01

    In this paper the excited vibrations of a truly nonlinear oscillator are analyzed. The excitation is assumed to be constant and the nonlinearity is pure (without a linear term). The mathematical model is a second-order nonhomogeneous differential equation with strong nonlinear term. Using the first integral, the exact value of period of vibration i.e., angular frequency of oscillator described with a pure nonlinear differential equation with constant excitation is analytically obtained. The closed form solution has the form of gamma function. The period of vibration depends on the value of excitation and of the order and coefficient of the nonlinear term. For the case of pure odd-order-oscillators the approximate solution of differential equation is obtained in the form of trigonometric function. The solution is based on the exact value of period of vibration. For the case when additional small perturbation of the pure oscillator acts, the so called 'Cveticanin's averaging method' for a truly nonlinear oscillator is applied. Two special cases are considered: one, when the additional term is a function of distance, and the second, when damping acts. To prove the correctness of the method the obtained results are compared with those for the linear oscillator. Example of pure cubic oscillator with constant excitation and linear damping is widely discussed. Comparing the analytically obtained results with exact numerical ones it is concluded that they are in a good agreement. The investigations reported in the paper are of special interest for those who are dealing with the problem of vibration reduction in the oscillator with constant excitation and pure nonlinear restoring force the examples of which can be found in various scientific and engineering systems. For example, such mechanical systems are seats in vehicles, supports for machines, cutting machines with periodical motion of the cutting tools, presses, etc. The examples can be find in electronics

  14. AdS pure spinor superstring in constant backgrounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chandia, Osvaldo [Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez,Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez,Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago (Chile); Bevilaqua, L. Ibiapina [Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte,Caixa Postal 1524, 59072-970, Natal, RN (Brazil); Vallilo, Brenno Carlini [Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Andres Bello,Republica 220, Santiago (Chile)

    2014-06-05

    In this paper we study the pure spinor formulation of the superstring in AdS{sub 5}×S{sup 5} around point particle solutions of the classical equations of motion. As a particular example we quantize the pure spinor string in the BMN background.

  15. Similarities and differences between learning abilities, "pure" learning disabilities, "pure" ADHD and comorbid ADHD with learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mangina, Constantine A; Beuzeron-Mangina, Helen

    2009-08-01

    This research pursues the crucial question of the differentiation of preadolescents with "Pure" ADHD, comorbid ADHD with learning disabilities, "Pure" learning disabilities and age-matched normal controls. For this purpose, Topographic Mapping of Event-Related Brain Potentials (ERPs) to a Memory Workload Paradigm with visually presented words, Bilateral Electrodermal Activity during cognitive workload and Mangina-Test performance were used. The analysis of Topographic distribution of amplitudes revealed that normal preadolescents were significantly different from "Pure" ADHD (Plearning disabilities (Plearning disabilities (Plearning disabilities have shown a marked reduction of prefrontal and frontal negativities (N450). As for the "Pure" Learning Disabled preadolescents, very small positivities (P450) in prefrontal and frontal regions were obtained as compared to the other pathological groups. Bilateral Electrodermal Activity during cognitive workload revealed a significant main effect for groups (P<0.00001), Left versus Right (P=0.0029) and sessions (P=0.0136). A significant main effect for the Mangina-Test performance which separated the four groups was found (P<0.000001). Overall, these data support the existence of clear differences and similarities between the pathological preadolescent groups as opposed to age-matched normal controls. The psychophysiological differentiation of these groups, provides distinct biological markers which integrate central, autonomic and neuropsychometric variables by targeting the key features of these pathologies for diagnosis and intervention strategies and by providing knowledge for the understanding of normal neurocognitive processes and functions.

  16. Corrosion of pure magnesium under thin electrolyte layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Tao; Chen Chongmu; Shao Yawei; Meng Guozhe; Wang Fuhui; Li Xiaogang; Dong Chaofang

    2008-01-01

    The corrosion behavior of pure magnesium was investigated by means of cathodic polarization curve, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrochemical noise (EN) under aerated and deaerated thin electrolyte layers (TEL) with various thicknesses. Based on shot noise theory and stochastic theory, the EN results were quantitatively analyzed by using the Weibull and Gumbel distribution function, respectively. The results show that the cathodic process of pure magnesium under thin electrolyte layer was dominated by hydrogen reduction. With the decreasing of thin electrolyte layer thickness, cathodic process was retarded slightly while the anodic process was inhibited significantly, which indicated that both the cathodic and anodic process were inhibited in the presence of oxygen. The absence of oxygen decreased the corrosion resistance of pure magnesium in case of thin electrolyte layer. The corrosion was more localized under thin electrolyte layer than that in bulk solution. The results also demonstrate that there exist two kinds of effects for thin electrolyte layer on the corrosion behavior of pure magnesium: (1) the rate of pit initiation was evidently retarded compared to that in bulk solution; (2) the probability of pit growth oppositely increased. The corrosion model of pure magnesium under thin electrolyte layer was suggested in the paper

  17. Responsible Practices are Culturally Embedded: Theoretical Considerations on Industry-Specific Corporate Social Responsibility

    OpenAIRE

    Beschorner, Thomas; Hajduk, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we develop our argument in three steps: Firstly, we elaborate on some theoretical perspectives for industry-specific CSR by referring to cultural business ethics, a theoretical approach which is located between purely business perspectives and purely normative perspectives on CSR. Secondly, we briefly introduce the papers of this special issue, which covers a wide range of theoretical approaches and empirical studies in the field of industry-specific CSR. Thirdly, we draw atten...

  18. Engineering arbitrary pure and mixed quantum states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pechen, Alexander

    2011-01-01

    Controlled manipulation by atomic- and molecular-scale quantum systems has attracted a lot of research attention in recent years. A fundamental problem is to provide deterministic methods for controlled engineering of arbitrary quantum states. This work proposes a deterministic method for engineering arbitrary pure and mixed states of a wide class of quantum systems. The method exploits a special combination of incoherent and coherent controls (incoherent and coherent radiation) and has two properties which are specifically important for manipulating by quantum systems: it realizes the strongest possible degree of their state control, complete density matrix controllability, meaning the ability to steer arbitrary pure and mixed initial states into any desired pure or mixed final state, and it is all-to-one, such that each particular control transfers all initial system states into one target state.

  19. Pure and Oxidized Copper Materials as Potential Antimicrobial Surfaces for Spaceflight Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahn, C.; Hans, M.; Hein, C.; Mancinelli, R. L.; Mücklich, F.; Wirth, R.; Rettberg, P.; Hellweg, C. E.; Moeller, R.

    2017-12-01

    Microbial biofilms can lead to persistent infections and degrade a variety of materials, and they are notorious for their persistence and resistance to eradication. During long-duration space missions, microbial biofilms present a danger to crew health and spacecraft integrity. The use of antimicrobial surfaces provides an alternative strategy for inhibiting microbial growth and biofilm formation to conventional cleaning procedures and the use of disinfectants. Antimicrobial surfaces contain organic or inorganic compounds, such as antimicrobial peptides or copper and silver, that inhibit microbial growth. The efficacy of wetted oxidized copper layers and pure copper surfaces as antimicrobial agents was tested by applying cultures of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus cohnii to these metallic surfaces. Stainless steel surfaces were used as non-inhibitory control surfaces. The production of reactive oxygen species and membrane damage increased rapidly within 1 h of exposure on pure copper surfaces, but the effect on cell survival was negligible even after 2 h of exposure. However, longer exposure times of up to 4 h led to a rapid decrease in cell survival, whereby the survival of cells was additionally dependent on the exposed cell density. Finally, the release of metal ions was determined to identify a possible correlation between copper ions in suspension and cell survival. These measurements indicated a steady increase of free copper ions, which were released indirectly by cells presumably through excreted complexing agents. These data indicate that the application of antimicrobial surfaces in spaceflight facilities could improve crew health and mitigate material damage caused by microbial contamination and biofilm formation. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that cuprous oxide layers were superior to pure copper surfaces related to the antimicrobial effect and that cell density is a significant factor that influences the time dependence of

  20. Complex windmill transformation producing new purely magnetic fluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lozanovski, C; Wylleman, L

    2011-01-01

    Minimal complex windmill transformations of G 2 IB(ii) spacetimes (admitting a two-dimensional Abelian group of motions of the so-called Wainwright B(ii) class) are defined and the compatibility with a purely magnetic Weyl tensor is investigated. It is shown that the transformed spacetimes cannot be perfect fluids or purely magnetic Einstein spaces. We then determine which purely magnetic perfect fluids (PMpfs) can be windmill-transformed into purely magnetic anisotropic fluids (PMafs). Assuming separation of variables, complete integration produces two, algebraically general, G 2 I-B(ii) PMpfs: a solution with zero 4-acceleration vector and spatial energy-density gradient, previously found by the authors, and a new solution in terms of Kummer's functions, where these vectors are aligned and non-zero. The associated windmill PMafs are rotating but non-expanding. Finally, an attempt to relate the spacetimes to each other by a simple procedure leads to a G 2 I-B(ii) one-parameter PMaf generalization of the previously found metric.

  1. Purely leptonic currents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gourdin, M.

    1976-01-01

    In most gauge theories weak neutral currents appear as a natural consequence of the models, but the specific properties are not predicted in a general way. In purely leptonic interactions the structure of these currents can be tested without making assumptions about the weak couplings of the hadrons. The influence of neutral currents appearing in the process e + e - → μ + μ - can be measured using the polarization of the outgoing myons. (BJ) [de

  2. Language as Pure Potential

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joseph Sung-Yul

    2016-01-01

    Language occupies a crucial position in neoliberalism, due to the reimagination of language as commodified skill. This paper studies the role of language ideology in this transformation by identifying a particular ideology that facilitates this process, namely the ideology which views language as pure potential. Neoliberalism treats language as a…

  3. Dahlbeck and Pure Ontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackenzie, Jim

    2016-01-01

    This article responds to Johan Dahlbeck's "Towards a pure ontology: Children's bodies and morality" ["Educational Philosophy and Theory," vol. 46 (1), 2014, pp. 8-23 (EJ1026561)]. His arguments from Nietzsche and Spinoza do not carry the weight he supposes, and the conclusions he draws from them about pedagogy would be…

  4. Chapter 12. Pure Tap Water Hydraulic Systems and Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Conrad, Finn; Adelstorp, Anders

    1997-01-01

    Presentation of developed a modern pure tap water hydraulic components (Nessie), systems and industrial applications.......Presentation of developed a modern pure tap water hydraulic components (Nessie), systems and industrial applications....

  5. Pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides in the pig pituitary: alpha- and gamma 1-melanocyte-stimulating hormones and their glycine-extended forms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fenger, M

    1988-01-01

    Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-related peptides in extracts of anterior and neurointermediate pituitary lobes from pigs were characterized by gel chromatography, reversed-phase chromatography and radioimmunoassays. The peptide content was ca. 3-fold greater in the anterior lobe compared...... to the neurointermediate lobe (19.8 nmol POMC/anterior lobe vs 7.0 nmol/neurointermediate lobe). In the neurointermediate lobe 93% of POMC was processed to alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and analogs exclusively of low molecular weight. Most of the remaining adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH...... as alpha-MSH and analogs (94%). However, more than 95% of these peptides were of high molecular weight. In the anterior lobe 2.3% of N-POMC was processed and 94% was amidated gamma-MSH of only high molecular weight. These results show that gamma-MSH and alpha-MSH are amidated to the same extent...

  6. Production of pure metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philipp, W. H.; Marsik, S. J.; May, C. E. (Inventor)

    1974-01-01

    A process for depositing elements by irradiating liquids is reported. Ultra pure elements are precipitated from aqueous solutions or suspensions of compounds. A solution of a salt of a metal to be prepared is irradiated, and the insoluble reaction product settles out. Some chemical compounds may also be prepared in this manner.

  7. Entropy balance in pure interactions of open quantum systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urigu, R.

    1989-01-01

    Processes are considered in which a statistical ensemble w of quantum systems is split into ensembles, or channels (w i ), conditional to the occurrence, with respective probabilities (p i w ), of associated macroscopic effects. These processes are described here by a family of operations T i : w → p i w w iT , which remarkably generalize the usual state reductions of the nondestructive measurements. In a previous work it was proved that the microscopic entropy of the given open system decreases or at most remains constant if all the T i are pure operations, i.e., they transform pure states into pure states; it is proved here that the increase in entropy of the external world, computed as S Tm (w) = - Σ i p i w lg p i w , is sufficient to compensate for such an entropy decrease whenever the T i are all pure operations of the first kind, whereas whenever some T i is pure of the second kind (or nonpure, too), the total entropy, computed as above, may decrease

  8. Aerobic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether in a closed symbiotic system containing a mixed culture of Chlorella ellipsoidea and Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Weihong; Li, Yixiao; Sun, Kedan; Jin, Jing; Li, Xuanzhen; Zhang, Fuming; Chen, Jianmeng

    2011-01-30

    The contamination of groundwater by methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is one of the most serious environmental problems around the world. MTBE degradation in a closed algal-bacterial symbiotic system, containing a mixed culture of Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1 and Chlorella ellipsoidea, was investigated. The algal-bacterial symbiotic system showed increased MTBE degradation. The MTBE-degradation rate in the mixed culture (8.808 ± 0.007 mg l(-1) d(-1)) was higher than that in the pure bacterial culture (5.664 ± 0.017 mg l(-1) d(-1)). The level of dissolved oxygen was also higher in the mixed culture than that in the pure bacterial culture. However, the improved efficiency of MTBE degradation was not in proportional to the biomass of the alga. The optimal ratio of initial cell population of bacteria to algae was 100:1. An immobilized culture of mixed bacteria and algae also showed higher MTBE degradation rate than the immobilized pure bacterial culture. A mixed culture with algae and PM1 immobilized separately in different gel beads showed higher degradation rate (8.496 ± 0.636 mg l(-1) d(-1)) than that obtained with algae and PM1 immobilized in the same gel beads (5.424 ± 0.010 mg l(-1) d(-1)). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Demic and cultural diffusion propagated the Neolithic transition across different regions of Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fort, Joaquim

    2015-05-06

    The Neolithic transition is the shift from hunting–gathering into farming. About 9000 years ago, the Neolithic transition began to spread from the Near East into Europe, until it reached Northern Europe about 5500 years ago. There are two main models of this spread. The demic model assumes that it was mainly due to the reproduction and dispersal of farmers. The cultural model assumes that European hunter-gatherers become farmers by acquiring domestic plants and animals, as well as knowledge, from neighbouring farmers. Here we use the dates of about 900 archaeological sites to compute a speed map of the spread of the Neolithic transition in Europe. We compare the speed map to the speed ranges predicted by purely demic, demic-cultural and purely cultural models. The comparison indicates that the transition was cultural in Northern Europe, the Alpine region and west of the Black Sea. But demic diffusion was at work in other regions such as the Balkans and Central Europe. Our models can be applied to many other cultural traits. We also propose that genetic data could be gathered and used to measure the demic kernels of Early Neolithic populations. This would lead to an enormous advance in Neolithic spread modelling.

  10. Direct delignification of untreated bark chips with mixed cultures of bacteria. [Bacillus and Cellulomonas strains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deschamps, A M; Gillie, J P; Lebeault, J M

    1981-01-01

    Delignification of pine bark chips was observed after about 35 days when they were the sole carbon source in mixed liquid cultures of cellulolytic and lignin degrading strains of Bacillus and Cellulomonas. No delignification was observed in pure cultures. Free tannins liberated from the chips were also degraded in most of the cultures. The necessity of combining a cellulolytic and lignin degrading bacterial strain to obtain delignification is discussed. (Refs. 25).

  11. Nitrogen gas flushing can be bactericidal: the temperature-dependent destiny of Bacillus weihenstephanensis KBAB4 under a pure N2 atmosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munsch-Alatossava, Patricia; Alatossava, Tapani

    2014-01-01

    Gram-negative Pseudomonas and Gram-positive Bacillus are the most common spoilage bacteria in raw and pasteurized milk, respectively. In previous studies, nitrogen (N2) gas flushing treatments of raw and pasteurized milk at cold chain-temperatures inhibited bacterial spoilage and highlighted different susceptibilities to the N2 treatment with the exclusion of certain bacterial types. Here, we investigated the effects of pure N2 gas flushing on representative strains of these genera grown in mono- or co-cultures at 15 and 25°C. Bacillus weihenstephanensis, a frequent inhabitant of fluid dairy products, is represented by the genome-sequenced KBAB4 strain. Among Pseudomonas, P. tolaasii LMG 2342(T) and strain C1, a raw milk psychrotroph, were selected. The N2 gas flushing treatment revealed: (1) temperature-dependent responses; (2) inhibition of the growth of both pseudomonads; (3) emergence of small colony variants (SCVs) for B. weihenstephanensis strain KBAB4 at 15°C induced by the N2 treatment or when grown in co-culture with Pseudomonas strains; (4) N2 gas flushing modulates (suppressed or stimulated) bacterial antagonistic reactions in co-cultures; (5) most importantly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses revealed that at 25°C the majority of the KBAB4 cells were killed by pure N2 gas flushing. This observation constitutes the first evidence that N2 gas flushing has bactericidal effects.

  12. Hydroxyapatite coatings produced on commercially pure titanium by micro-arc oxidation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang Yong [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); Wang Yingjun [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); Ning Chengyun [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); Nan Kaihui [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); Han Yong [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

    2007-09-15

    A porous hydroxyapatite (HA) coating on commercially pure titanium was prepared by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) in electrolytic solution containing calcium acetate and {beta}-glycerol phosphate disodium salt pentahydrate ({beta}-GP). The thickness, phase, composition morphology and biocompatibility of the oxide coating were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDS) and cell culture. The thickness of the MAO film was about 20 {mu}m, and the coating was porous and uneven without any apparent interface to the titanium substrates. The result of XRD showed that the porous coating was made up of HA film. The favorable osteoblast cell affinity gives HA film good biocompatibility. HA coatings are expected to have significant uses for medical applications such as dental implants and artificial bone joints.

  13. Hydroxyapatite coatings produced on commercially pure titanium by micro-arc oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yong; Wang, Yingjun; Ning, Chengyun; Nan, Kaihui; Han, Yong

    2007-09-01

    A porous hydroxyapatite (HA) coating on commercially pure titanium was prepared by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) in electrolytic solution containing calcium acetate and beta-glycerol phosphate disodium salt pentahydrate (beta-GP). The thickness, phase, composition morphology and biocompatibility of the oxide coating were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDS) and cell culture. The thickness of the MAO film was about 20 microm, and the coating was porous and uneven without any apparent interface to the titanium substrates. The result of XRD showed that the porous coating was made up of HA film. The favorable osteoblast cell affinity gives HA film good biocompatibility. HA coatings are expected to have significant uses for medical applications such as dental implants and artificial bone joints.

  14. Hydroxyapatite coatings produced on commercially pure titanium by micro-arc oxidation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Yong; Wang Yingjun; Ning Chengyun; Nan Kaihui; Han Yong

    2007-01-01

    A porous hydroxyapatite (HA) coating on commercially pure titanium was prepared by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) in electrolytic solution containing calcium acetate and β-glycerol phosphate disodium salt pentahydrate (β-GP). The thickness, phase, composition morphology and biocompatibility of the oxide coating were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDS) and cell culture. The thickness of the MAO film was about 20 μm, and the coating was porous and uneven without any apparent interface to the titanium substrates. The result of XRD showed that the porous coating was made up of HA film. The favorable osteoblast cell affinity gives HA film good biocompatibility. HA coatings are expected to have significant uses for medical applications such as dental implants and artificial bone joints

  15. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Characteristics of Iris Melanocytic Tumors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skalet, Alison H.; Li, Yan; Lu, Chen D.; Jia, Yali; Lee, ByungKun; Husvogt, Lennart; Maier, Andreas; Fujimoto, James G.; Thomas, Charles R.; Huang, David

    2016-01-01

    -injection, cost-effective method for monitoring a variety of tumors including iris melanocytic lesions for growth and vascularity. This could be helpful in evaluating tumors for malignant transformation and response to treatment. Penetration of the OCT beam remains a limitation for highly pigmented tumors, as does the inability to image the entire iris in a single field. PMID:27856029

  16. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Journal Sponsorship

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Journal Sponsorship. Journal Home > About the Journal > Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Journal Sponsorship. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  17. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Site Map

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Site Map. Journal Home > About the Journal > Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Site Map. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  18. Towards optimization of odonto/osteogenic bioengineering: in vitro comparison of simvastatin, sodium fluoride, melanocyte-stimulating hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zijah, Vahid; Salehi, Roya; Aghazadeh, Marziyeh; Samiei, Mohammad; Alizadeh, Effat; Davaran, Soodabeh

    2017-06-01

    Tissue engineering has emerged as a potential therapeutic option for dental problems in recent years. One of the policies in tissue engineering is to use both scaffolds and additive factors for enhancing cell responses. This study aims to evaluate and compare the effect of three types of biofactors on poly-caprolactone-poly-ethylene glycol-poly caprolactone (PCL-PEG-PCL) nanofibrous scaffold on human dental pulp stem cell (hDPSCs) engineering. The PCL-PEG-PCL copolymer was synthesized with ring opening polymerization method, and its nanofiber scaffold was prepared by electrospinning method. Nanofibrous scaffold-seeded hDPSCs were treated with sodium fluoride (NaF), melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), or simvastatin (SIM). Non-treated nanofiber seeded cells were utilized as control. The viability, biocompatibility, adhesion, proliferation rate, morphology, osteo/odontogenic potential, and the expression of tissue-specific genes were studied. The results showed that significant higher results demonstrated significant higher adhesive behavior, viability, alizarin red activity, and dentin specific gene expression in MSH- and SIM-treated cells (p < 0.05). This study is unique; in that, it compares the effects of different treatments for optimization of dental tissue engineering.

  19. Inhibition of systemic inflammation by central action of the neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte- stimulating hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado Hernàndez, R; Demitri, M T; Carlin, A; Meazza, C; Villa, P; Ghezzi, P; Lipton, J M; Catania, A

    1999-01-01

    The neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) reduces fever and acute inflammation in the skin when administered centrally. The aim of the present research was to determine whether central alpha-MSH can also reduce signs of systemic inflammation in mice with endotoxemia. Increases in serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nitric oxide, induced by intraperitoneal administration of endotoxin, were modulated by central injection of a small concentration of alpha-MSH. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and iNOS mRNA in lungs and liver were likewise modulated by central alpha-MSH. Lung myeloperoxidase activity, a marker of neutrophil infiltration, was increased in endotoxemic mice; the increase was significantly less in lungs of mice treated with central alpha-MSH. Intraperitoneal administration of the small dose of alpha-MSH that was effective centrally did not alter any of the markers of inflammation. In experiments using immunoneutralization of central alpha-MSH, we tested the idea that endogenous peptide induced within the brain during systemic inflammation modulates host responses to endotoxic challenge in peripheral tissues. The data showed that proinflammatory agents induced by endotoxin in the circulation, lungs, and liver were significantly greater after blockade of central alpha-MSH. The results suggest that anti-inflammatory influences of neural origin that are triggered by alpha-MSH could be used to treat systemic inflammation.

  20. Black hole attractors and pure spinors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, Jonathan P.; Maloney, Alexander; Tomasiello, Alessandro

    2006-01-01

    We construct black hole attractor solutions for a wide class of N = 2 compactifications. The analysis is carried out in ten dimensions and makes crucial use of pure spinor techniques. This formalism can accommodate non-Kaehler manifolds as well as compactifications with flux, in addition to the usual Calabi-Yau case. At the attractor point, the charges fix the moduli according to Σf k = Im(CΦ), where Φ is a pure spinor of odd (even) chirality in IIB (A). For IIB on a Calabi-Yau, Φ = Ω and the equation reduces to the usual one. Methods in generalized complex geometry can be used to study solutions to the attractor equation

  1. Black Hole Attractors and Pure Spinors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, Jonathan P.; Maloney, Alexander; Tomasiello, Alessandro

    2006-01-01

    We construct black hole attractor solutions for a wide class of N = 2 compactifications. The analysis is carried out in ten dimensions and makes crucial use of pure spinor techniques. This formalism can accommodate non-Kaehler manifolds as well as compactifications with flux, in addition to the usual Calabi-Yau case. At the attractor point, the charges fix the moduli according to Σf k = Im(CΦ), where Φ is a pure spinor of odd (even) chirality in IIB (A). For IIB on a Calabi-Yau, Φ = (Omega) and the equation reduces to the usual one. Methods in generalized complex geometry can be used to study solutions to the attractor equation

  2. Pure Air`s Bailly scrubber: A four-year retrospective

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manavi, G.B.; Vymazal, D.C. [Pure Air, Allentown, PA (United States); Sarkus, T.A. [Dept. of Energy, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    1997-12-31

    Pure Air`s Advanced Flue Gas Desulfurization (AFGD) Clean Coal Project has completed four highly successful years of operation at NIPSCO`s Bailly Station. As part of their program, Pure Air has concluded a six-part study of system performance. This paper summarizes the results of the demonstration program, including AFGD performance on coals ranging from 2.0--2.4% sulfur. The paper highlights novel aspects of the Bailly facility, including pulverized limestone injection, air rotary sparger for oxidation, wastewater evaporation system and the production of PowerChip{reg_sign} gypsum. Operations and maintenance which have led to the facility`s notable 99.47% availability record are also discussed. A project company, Pure Air on the Lake Limited Partnership, owns the AFGD facility. Pure Air was the turn key contractor and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. is the operator of the AFGD system.

  3. Shunting arc plasma source for pure carbon ion beam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koguchi, H.; Sakakita, H.; Kiyama, S.; Shimada, T.; Sato, Y.; Hirano, Y. [Energy Technology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan)

    2012-02-15

    A plasma source is developed using a coaxial shunting arc plasma gun to extract a pure carbon ion beam. The pure carbon ion beam is a new type of deposition system for diamond and other carbon materials. Our plasma device generates pure carbon plasma from solid-state carbon material without using a hydrocarbon gas such as methane gas, and the plasma does not contain any hydrogen. The ion saturation current of the discharge measured by a double probe is about 0.2 mA/mm{sup 2} at the peak of the pulse.

  4. Shunting arc plasma source for pure carbon ion beam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H; Kiyama, S; Shimada, T; Sato, Y; Hirano, Y

    2012-02-01

    A plasma source is developed using a coaxial shunting arc plasma gun to extract a pure carbon ion beam. The pure carbon ion beam is a new type of deposition system for diamond and other carbon materials. Our plasma device generates pure carbon plasma from solid-state carbon material without using a hydrocarbon gas such as methane gas, and the plasma does not contain any hydrogen. The ion saturation current of the discharge measured by a double probe is about 0.2 mA∕mm(2) at the peak of the pulse.

  5. Corrosion of pure OFHC-copper in simulated repository conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aaltonen, P.

    1990-04-01

    The research program 'Corrosion of pure OFHC-copper in simulated repository conditions' was planned to provide an experimental evaluation with respect to the theoretical calculations and forecasts made for the corrosion behaviour of pure copper in bentonite groundwater environments at temperatures between 20-80 deg C. The aim of this study in the first place is to evaluate the effects of groundwater composition, bentonite and temperature on the equilibrium and possible corrosion reactions between pure copper and the simulated repository environment. The progress report includes the results obtained after 36 months exposure time

  6. Enhanced production of nisin by co-culture of Lactococcus lactis sub sp. lactis and Yarrowia lipolytica in molasses based medium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariana, Mehdi; Hamedi, Javad

    2017-08-20

    Nisin is a safe, approved and commercial bacteriocin that is produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. Since lactate accumulation in fermentation medium reduces L. lactis growth and nisin production, Yarrowia lipolytica, a lactate consuming yeast and L. lactis subsp. lactis, were simultaneously cultured in a molasses based medium. Y. lipolytica is not able to consume sucrose as carbon source, but rather consumes lactate and hence decrease lactic acid titer by 10% in the medium. Lactic acid consumption, 15% increased pH value and stimulated L. lactis growth. In the mixed culture, nisin production and L. lactis growth were 50% and 49% higher than that of pure culture, respectively. Also the results showed that specific growth rate of L. lactis increased 4 times more than that of the pure culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Pure Electric and Pure Magnetic Resonances in Near-Infrared Metal Double-Triangle Metamaterial Arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Zhi-Shen; Pan Jian; Chen Zhuo; Zhan Peng; Min Nai-Ben; Wang Zhen-Lin

    2011-01-01

    We experimentally and numerically investigate the optical properties of metamaterial arrays composed of double partially-overlapped metallic nanotriangles fabricated by an angle-resolved nanosphere lithography. We demonstrate that each double-triangle can be viewed as an artificial magnetic element analogous to the conventional metal split-ring-resonator. It is shown that under normal-incidence conditions, individual double-triangle can exhibit a strong local magnetic resonance, but the collective response of the metamaterial arrays is purely electric because magnetic resonances of the two double-triangles in a unit cell having opposite openings are out of phase. For oblique incidences the metamaterial arrays are shown to support a pure magnetic response at the same frequency band. Therefore, switchable electric and magnetic resonances are achieved in double-triangle arrays. Moreover, both the electric and magnetic resonances are shown to allow for a tunability over a large spectral range down to near-infrared. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  8. Uterine culture in mares.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brook, D

    1984-05-01

    A guarded, sterile swab is used to obtain samples for uterine culture. With the mare in stocks, the tail bandage and the perineum washed, the culture rod is introduced into the vagina with a gloved hand. After the rod is guided through the cervix, the guard cap is dislodged and the swab is rubbed along the endometrium, after which the rod is extracted. Samples for uterine culture should only be obtained during full estrus. Swabs should be directly plated onto agar within 2 hours of collection. Blood agar is appropriate for initial screening, but use of specialized types of agar expedites identification of microbes. Plates are incubated at 37 C and inspected for growth every 12 hours. The type and number of bacterial colonies should be coupled with the history and clinical signs in deciding on the necessity and type of treatment. Pure, heavy bacterial growth is usually accompanied by clinical signs of infection. Interpretation of the significance of moderate bacterial growth may be aided by cytologic examination of endometrial smears, made by rolling the swab onto a glass slide and staining with Diff - Quik . Large numbers of neutrophils indicate the need for antibiotic therapy. Mixed bacterial growth and variable numbers of neutrophils usually indicate faulty sampling technic. Microaerophilic or anaerobic cultures may aid diagnosis in cases of equivocal aerobic culture results.

  9. Superposing pure quantum states with partial prior information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dogra, Shruti; Thomas, George; Ghosh, Sibasish; Suter, Dieter

    2018-05-01

    The principle of superposition is an intriguing feature of quantum mechanics, which is regularly exploited in many different circumstances. A recent work [M. Oszmaniec et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 110403 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.110403] shows that the fundamentals of quantum mechanics restrict the process of superimposing two unknown pure states, even though it is possible to superimpose two quantum states with partial prior knowledge. The prior knowledge imposes geometrical constraints on the choice of input states. We discuss an experimentally feasible protocol to superimpose multiple pure states of a d -dimensional quantum system and carry out an explicit experimental realization for two single-qubit pure states with partial prior information on a two-qubit NMR quantum information processor.

  10. Minimal covariant observables identifying all pure states

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carmeli, Claudio, E-mail: claudio.carmeli@gmail.com [D.I.M.E., Università di Genova, Via Cadorna 2, I-17100 Savona (Italy); I.N.F.N., Sezione di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, I-16146 Genova (Italy); Heinosaari, Teiko, E-mail: teiko.heinosaari@utu.fi [Turku Centre for Quantum Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Turku (Finland); Toigo, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.toigo@polimi.it [Dipartimento di Matematica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133 Milano (Italy); I.N.F.N., Sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano (Italy)

    2013-09-02

    It has been recently shown by Heinosaari, Mazzarella and Wolf (2013) [1] that an observable that identifies all pure states of a d-dimensional quantum system has minimally 4d−4 outcomes or slightly less (the exact number depending on d). However, no simple construction of this type of minimal observable is known. We investigate covariant observables that identify all pure states and have minimal number of outcomes. It is shown that the existence of this kind of observables depends on the dimension of the Hilbert space.

  11. Critical opalescence in the pure Coulomb system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobrov, V. B.; Trigger, S. A.

    2011-04-01

    Based on the dielectric formalism and quantum field theory methods, the phenomenon of critical opalescence is explained for light scattering in pure matter as a two-component electron-nuclear system with Coulomb interaction. A similar phenomenon is shown to occur in the case of neutron scattering in pure substances as well. The obtained results are valid for quantum case and arbitrary strong Coulomb interaction. Thus, the relations between structure factors derived for the electron-nuclear system are the exact result of the quantum statistical mechanics.

  12. In vitro corrosion, cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility of bulk nanocrystalline pure iron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nie, F L; Zheng, Y F; Wei, S C; Hu, C; Yang, G

    2010-01-01

    Bulk nanocrystalline pure iron rods were fabricated by the equal channel angular pressure (ECAP) technique up to eight passes. The microstructure and grain size distribution, natural immersion and electrochemical corrosion in simulated body fluid, cellular responses and hemocompatibility were investigated in this study. The results indicate that nanocrystalline pure iron after severe plastic deformation (SPD) would sustain durable span duration and exhibit much stronger corrosion resistance than that of the microcrystalline pure iron. The interaction of different cell lines reveals that the nanocrystalline pure iron stimulates better proliferation of fibroblast cells and preferable promotion of endothelialization, while inhibits effectively the viability of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The burst of red cells and adhesion of the platelets were also substantially suppressed on contact with the nanocrystalline pure iron in blood circulation. A clear size-dependent behavior from the grain nature deduced by the gradual refinement microstructures was given and well-behaved in vitro biocompatibility of nanocrystalline pure iron was concluded.

  13. Human eccrine sweat gland cells turn into melanin-uptaking keratinocytes in dermo-epidermal skin substitutes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böttcher-Haberzeth, Sophie; Biedermann, Thomas; Pontiggia, Luca; Braziulis, Erik; Schiestl, Clemens; Hendriks, Bart; Eichhoff, Ossia M; Widmer, Daniel S; Meuli-Simmen, Claudia; Meuli, Martin; Reichmann, Ernst

    2013-02-01

    Recently, Biedermann et al. (2010) have demonstrated that human eccrine sweat gland cells can develop a multilayered epidermis. The question still remains whether these cells can fulfill exclusive and very specific functional properties of epidermal keratinocytes, such as the incorporation of melanin, a feature absent in sweat gland cells. We added human melanocytes to eccrine sweat gland cells to let them develop into an epidermal analog in vivo. The interaction between melanocytes and sweat gland-derived keratinocytes was investigated. The following results were gained: (1) macroscopically, a pigmentation of the substitutes was seen 2-3 weeks after transplantation; (2) we confirmed the development of a multilayered, stratified epidermis with melanocytes distributed evenly throughout the basal layer; (3) melanocytic dendrites projected to suprabasal layers; and (4) melanin was observed to be integrated into former eccrine sweat gland cells. These skin substitutes were similar or equal to skin substitutes cultured from human epidermal keratinocytes. The only differences observed were a delay in pigmentation and less melanin uptake. These data suggest that eccrine sweat gland cells can form a functional epidermal melanin unit, thereby providing striking evidence that they can assume one of the most characteristic keratinocyte properties.

  14. Compact objects in pure Lovelock theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadhich, Naresh; Hansraj, Sudan; Chilambwe, Brian

    For static fluid interiors of compact objects in pure Lovelock gravity (involving only one Nth order term in the equation), we establish similarity in solutions for the critical odd and even d = 2N + 1, 2N + 2 dimensions. It turns out that in critical odd d = 2N + 1 dimensions, there cannot exist any bound distribution with a finite radius, while in critical even d = 2N + 2 dimensions, all solutions have similar behavior. For exhibition of similarity, we would compare star solutions for N = 1, 2 in d = 4 Einstein and d = 6 in Gauss-Bonnet theory, respectively. We also obtain the pure Lovelock analogue of the Finch-Skea model.

  15. On pure spinor formalism for quantum superstring and spinor moving frame

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bandos, Igor A

    2013-01-01

    The D = 10 pure spinor constraint can be solved in terms of spinor moving frame variables v -α q and eight-component complex null vector Λ + q , Λ + q Λ + q =0, which can be related to the κ-symmetry ghost. Using this and similar solutions for the conjugate pure spinor and other elements of the non-minimal pure spinor formalism, we present a (hopefully useful) reformulation of the measure of the pure spinor path integral for superstring in terms of products of Cartan forms corresponding to the coset of 10D Lorentz group and to the coset of complex orthogonal group SO(8, C). Our study suggests a possible complete reformulation of the pure spinor superstring in terms of new irreducible set of variable. (paper)

  16. Cohomology in the Pure Spinor Formalism for the Superstring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berkovits, Nathan

    2000-01-01

    A manifestly super-Poincare covariant formalism for the superstring has recently been constructed using a pure spinor variable. Unlike the covariant Green-Schwarz formalism, this new formalism is easily quantized with a BRST operator and tree-level scattering amplitudes have been evaluated in a manifestly covariant manner. In this paper, the cohomology of the BRST operator in the pure spinor formalism is shown to give the usual light-cone Green-Schwarz spectrum. Although the BRST operator does not directly involve the Virasoro constraint, this constraint emerges after expressing the pure spinor variable in terms of SO(8) variables. (author)

  17. Primary cultures of glomerular parietal epithelial cells or podocytes with proven origin.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kabgani, N.; Grigoleit, T.; Schulte, K.; Sechi, A.; Sauer-Lehnen, S.; Tag, C.; Boor, P.; Kuppe, C.; Warsow, G.; Schordan, S.; Mostertz, J.; Chilukoti, R.K.; Homuth, G.; Endlich, N.; Tacke, F.; Weiskirchen, R.; Fuellen, G.; Endlich, K.; Floege, J.; Smeets, B.; Moeller, M.J.

    2012-01-01

    Parietal epithelial cells (PECs) are crucially involved in the pathogenesis of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) as well as in focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In this study, transgenic mouse lines were used to isolate pure, genetically tagged primary cultures of PECs or

  18. Properties and distribution of pure GA-sequences of mammalian genomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guenter Albrecht-Buehler

    Full Text Available The article describes DNA sequences of mammalian genomes that are longer than 50 bases, but consist exclusively of G's and A's ('pure GA-sequences'. Although their frequency of incidence should be 10(-16 or smaller, the chromosomes of human, chimpanzee, dog, cat, rat, and mouse contained many tens of thousands of them ubiquitously located along the chromosomes with a species-dependent density, reaching sizes of up to 1300 [b]. With the exception of a small number of poly-A-, poly-G-, poly-GA-, and poly-GAAA-sequences (combined <0.5%, all pure GA-sequences of the mammals tested were unique individuals, contained several repeated short GA-containing motifs, and shared a common hexa-nucleotide spectrum. At most 2% of the human GA-sequences were transcribed into mRNAs; all others were not coding for proteins. Although this could have made them less subject to natural selection, they contained many [corrected] times fewer point mutations than one should expect from the genome at large. As to the presence of other sequences with similarly restricted base contents, there were approximately as many pure TC-sequences as pure GA-sequences, but many fewer pure AC-, TA, and TG-sequences. There were practically no pure GC-sequences. The functions of pure GA-sequences are not known. Supported by a number of observations related to heat shock phenomena, the article speculates that they serve as genomic sign posts which may help guide polymerases and transcription factors to their proper targets, and/or as spatial linkers that help generate the 3-dimensional organization of chromatin.

  19. The effect of pure state structure on nonequilibrium dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newman, C M; Stein, D L

    2008-01-01

    Motivated by short-range Ising spin glasses, we review some rigorous results and their consequences for the relation between the number/nature of equilibrium pure states and nonequilibrium dynamics. Two of the consequences for spin glass dynamics following an instantaneous deep quench to a temperature with broken spin flip symmetry are: (1) almost all initial configurations lie on the boundary between the basins of attraction of multiple pure states; (2) unless there are uncountably many pure states with almost all pairs having zero overlap, there can be no equilibration to a pure state as time t → ∞. We discuss the relevance of these results to the difficulty of equilibration of spin glasses. We also review some results concerning the 'nature versus nurture' problem of whether the large-t behavior of both ferromagnets and spin glasses following a deep quench is determined more by the initial configuration (nature) or by the dynamics realization (nurture)

  20. The implied producer investigating an emergent typology in participatory culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Morten

    2012-01-01

    Biennales, that we are not 'just' dealing with a 'new' genre or style within the art category; on the other hand we are not dealing with a pure commercial culture either (the abstract notion of 'the user' has its limits); what is becoming evident is that the 'implicit' roles of the participatory 'actors...

  1. Visual processing in pure alexia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starrfelt, Randi; Habekost, Thomas; Gerlach, Christian

    2010-01-01

    affected. His visual apprehension span was markedly reduced for letters and digits. His reduced visual processing capacity was also evident when reporting letters from words. In an object decision task with fragmented pictures, NN's performance was abnormal. Thus, even in a pure alexic patient with intact...

  2. Electron Acoustic Waves in Pure Ion Plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderegg, F.; Driscoll, C. F.; Dubin, D. H. E.; O'Neil, T. M.

    2009-11-01

    Electron Acoustic Waves (EAW) are the low frequency branch of electrostatic plasma waves. These waves exist in neutralized plasmas, pure electron plasmas and in pure ion plasmasfootnotetextF. Anderegg et al., PRL 102, 095001 (2009) and PoP 16, 055705 (2009). (where the name is deceptive). Here, we observe standing mθ= 0 mz= 1 EAWs in a pure ion plasma column. At small amplitude, the EAWs have a phase velocity vph ˜1.4 v, and the frequencies are in close agreement with theory. At moderate amplitudes, waves can be excited over a broad range of frequencies, with observed phase velocities in the range of 1.4 v vph diagnostic shows that particles slower than vph oscillate in phase with the wave, while particles moving faster than vph oscillate 180^o out of phase with the wave. From a fluid perspective, this gives an unusual negative dynamical compressibility. That is, the wave pressure oscillations are 180^o out of phase from the density oscillations, almost fully canceling the electrostatic restoring force, giving the low and malleable frequency.

  3. Laser-induced generation of pure tensile stresses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niemz, M.H.; Lin, C.P.; Pitsillides, C.; Cui, J.; Doukas, A.G.; Deutsch, T.F.

    1997-01-01

    While short compressive stresses can readily be produced by laser ablation, the generation of pure tensile stresses is more difficult. We demonstrate that a 90 degree prism made of polyethylene can serve to produce short and pure tensile stresses. A compressive wave is generated by ablating a thin layer of strongly absorbing ink on one surface of the prism with a Q-switched frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. The compressive wave driven into the prism is reflected as a tensile wave by the polyethylene-air interface at its long surface. The low acoustic impedance of polyethylene makes it ideal for coupling tensile stresses into liquids. In water, tensile stresses up to -200bars with a rise time of the order of 20 ns and a duration of 100 ns are achieved. The tensile strength of water is determined for pure tensile stresses lasting for 100 ns only. The technique has potential application in studying the initiation of cavitation in liquids and in comparing the effect of compressive and tensile stress transients on biological media. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

  4. Pure spinor formalism as an N = 2 topological string

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berkovits, Nathan

    2005-01-01

    Following suggestions of Nekrasov and Siegel, a non-minimal set of fields are added to the pure spinor formalism for the superstring. Twisted c-circumflex = 3 N = 2 generators are then constructed where the pure spinor BRST operator is the fermionic spin-one generator, and the formalism is interpreted as a critical topological string. Three applications of this topological string theory include the super-Poincare covariant computation of multiloop superstring amplitudes without picture-changing operators, the construction of a cubic open superstring field theory without contact-term problems, and a new four-dimensional version of the pure spinor formalism which computes F-terms in the spacetime action

  5. Pure soliton solutions of some nonlinear partial differential equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuchssteiner, B.

    1977-01-01

    A general approach is given to obtain the system of ordinary differential equations which determines the pure soliton solutions for the class of generalized Korteweg-de Vries equations. This approach also leads to a system of ordinary differential equations for the pure soliton solutions of the sine-Gordon equation. (orig.) [de

  6. Pure Surface Texture Mapping Technology and it's Application for Mirror Image

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Feng Wang

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Based on the study of pure surface texture mapping technology, pure texture surface rendering method is proposed. The method is combined pure surface texture rendering and view mirror, real-time rendering has an index of refraction, reflection, and the flow of water ripple effect. Through the experimental verification of the validity of the algorithm.

  7. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: About this journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: About this journal. Journal Home > Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: About this journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  8. Pure type systems with subtyping

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zwanenburg, J.; Girard, J.-Y.

    1999-01-01

    We extend the framework of Pure Type Systems with subtyping, as found in F = ¿ . This leads to a concise description of many existing systems with subtyping, and also to some new interesting systems. We develop the meta-theory for this framework, including Subject Reduction and Minimal Typing. The

  9. How Low Can You Go: Spatial Frequency Sensitivity in Pure Alexia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starrfelt, Randi; Nielsen, S.; Habekost, T.

    Objective: Pure alexia is a seemingly selective deficit in reading, follow- ing focal lesions to the posterior left hemisphere. The hallmark feature of pure alexia is a word length effect in single word reading, where reaction times may increase with hundreds of milliseconds per additional letter...... in a word. Other language functions, including writing, are intact. It has been suggested that pure alexia is caused by a general deficit in visual processing, one that affects reading disproportionally compared to other visual stimuli. The most concrete hypothesis to date suggests that pure alexia...... is caused by a lack of sensitivity to particular spatial frequencies (e.g., Fiset et al., 2006), and that this results in the characteristic word length effect, as well as effects of letter confusability on reading times. Participants and Methods: We have tested this hypothesis in a patient with pure alexia...

  10. In vivo assessment of optical properties of melanocytic skin lesions and differentiation of melanoma from non-malignant lesions by high-definition optical coherence tomography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boone, M A L M; Suppa, M; Dhaenens, F.

    2016-01-01

    One of the most challenging problems in clinical dermatology is the early detection of melanoma. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is an added tool to dermoscopy improving considerably diagnostic accuracy. However, diagnosis strongly depends on the experience of physicians. High-definition op......One of the most challenging problems in clinical dermatology is the early detection of melanoma. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is an added tool to dermoscopy improving considerably diagnostic accuracy. However, diagnosis strongly depends on the experience of physicians. High......-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) appears to offer additional structural and cellular information on melanocytic lesions complementary to that of RCM. However, the diagnostic potential of HD-OCT seems to be not high enough for ruling out the diagnosis of melanoma if based on morphology analysis...

  11. Research on the Applicable Method of Valuation of Pure Electric Used vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, yun; Tan, zhengping; Wang, yidong; Mao, pan

    2018-03-01

    With the rapid growth in the ownership of pure electric vehicles, the research on the valuation of used electric vehicles has become the key to the development of the pure electric used vehicle market. The paper analyzed the application of the three value assessment methods, current market price method, capitalized earning method and replacement cost method, in pure electric used vehicles, and draws a conclusion that the replacement cost method is more suitable for pure electric used car. At the same time, the article also conducted a parametric correction exploration research, aiming at the characteristics of pure electric vehicles and replacement cost of the constituent factors. Through the analysis of the applicability parameters of physical devaluation, functional devaluation and economic devaluation, the revised replacement cost method can be used for the valuation of purely used electric vehicles for private use.

  12. Repair of ultraviolet light damage to the DNA of cultured human epidermal keratinocytes and fibroblasts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taichman, L.B.; Setlow, R.B.

    1979-01-01

    Pure cultures of dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keroatinocytes have been obtained from a single biopsy of newborn foreskin. The cells were labeled, exposed to several doses of uv light, and allowed to repair in the dark for 16 h. The number of pyrimidine dimers before and after repair was assessed by measuring the numbers of sites in the DNA sensitive to a specific uv endonuclease. At all doses used, the extent of repair was similar in the cultured keratinocytes and cultured fibroblasts

  13. Fluorine-18-labeled [Nle4,D-Phe7]-α-MSH, an α-melanocyte stimulating hormone analogue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaidyanathan, Ganesan; Zalutsky, Michael R.

    1997-01-01

    The α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) analogue [N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ]-α-MSH was labeled with 18 F using N-succinimidyl 4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzoate ([ 18 F]SFB) in >80% radiochemical yield. The IC 50 values of [N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ]-α-MSH and para-fluorobenzoyl-[N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ]-α-MSH ([N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ,Lys 11 -( 18 F)PFB]-α-MSH) for inhibiting the binding of meta-[ 131 I]iodobenzoyl-[N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ]-α-MSH ([N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ,Lys 11 -( 131 I)MIB]-α-MSH) to B16-F1 murine melanoma cells were 89 ± 9 pM and 112 ± 22 pM, respectively, suggesting that addition of 4-fluorobenzoate did not compromise α-MSH receptor binding affinity. Binding of [N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ,Lys 11 -( 18 F)PFB]-α-MSH was influenced by the specific activity of the preparation (400-1000 Ci/mmol). The normal tissue clearance of [N1e 4 ,D-Phe 7 ,Lys 11 -( 18 F)PFB]-α-MSH in mice was quite rapid, with little evidence for defluorination

  14. Combined fluorescence-Raman spectroscopy measurements with an optical fiber probe for the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosci, Alessandro; Cicchi, Riccardo; Rossari, Susanna; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Massi, Daniela; Pavone, Francesco S.

    2012-02-01

    We have designed and developed an optical fiber-probe for spectroscopic measurements on human tissues. The experimental setup combines fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy in a multidimensional approach. Concerning fluorescence spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by two laser diodes, one emitting in the UV (378 nm) and the other emitting in the visible (445 nm). These two lasers are used to selectively excite fluorescence from NADH and FAD, which are among the brightest endogenous fluorophores in human tissues. For Raman and NIR spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by a third laser diode with 785 nm excitation wavelength. Laser light is delivered to the tissue through the central optical fiber of a fiber bundle. The surrounding 48 fibers of the bundle are used for collecting fluorescence and Raman and for delivering light to the spectrograph. Fluorescence and Raman spectra are acquired on a cooled CCD camera. The instrument has been tested on fresh human skin biopsies clinically diagnosed as malignant melanoma, melanocytic nevus, or healthy skin, finding an optimal correlation with the subsequent histological exam. In some cases our examination was not in agreement with the clinical observation, but it was with the histological exam, demonstrating that the system can potentially contribute to improve clinical diagnostic capabilities and hence reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

  15. Quasinormal modes in pure de Sitter spacetimes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Daping; Wang Bin; Su Ruheng

    2004-01-01

    We have studied scalar perturbations as well as fermion perturbations in pure de Sitter spacetimes. For scalar perturbations we have shown that well-defined quasinormal modes in d-dimensions can exist provided that the mass of scalar field m>(d-1/2l). The quasinormal modes of fermion perturbations in three and four dimensional cases have also been investigated. We found that different from other dimensional cases, in the three dimensional pure de Sitter spacetime there is no quasinormal mode for the s-wave. This interesting difference caused by the spacial dimensions is true for both scalar and fermion perturbations

  16. Metabolic modelling of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers production by mixed microbial cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reis Maria AM

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper presents a metabolic model describing the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA copolymers in mixed microbial cultures, using mixtures of acetic and propionic acid as carbon source material. Material and energetic balances were established on the basis of previously elucidated metabolic pathways. Equations were derived for the theoretical yields for cell growth and PHA production on mixtures of acetic and propionic acid as functions of the oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, P/O ratio. The oxidative phosphorylation efficiency was estimated from rate measurements, which in turn allowed the estimation of the theoretical yield coefficients. Results The model was validated with experimental data collected in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR operated under varying feeding conditions: feeding of acetic and propionic acid separately (control experiments, and the feeding of acetic and propionic acid simultaneously. Two different feast and famine culture enrichment strategies were studied: (i either with acetate or (ii with propionate as carbon source material. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA was performed for the different feeding conditions and culture enrichment strategies. Flux balance analysis (FBA was used to calculate optimal feeding scenarios for high quality PHA polymers production, where it was found that a suitable polymer would be obtained when acetate is fed in excess and the feeding rate of propionate is limited to ~0.17 C-mol/(C-mol.h. The results were compared with published pure culture metabolic studies. Conclusion Acetate was more conducive toward the enrichment of a microbial culture with higher PHA storage fluxes and yields as compared to propionate. The P/O ratio was not only influenced by the selected microbial culture, but also by the carbon substrate fed to each culture, where higher P/O ratio values were consistently observed for acetate than propionate. MFA studies suggest that when mixtures of

  17. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics: Editorial Policies

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Focus and Scope. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics publishes papers of the highest quality and significance in specific areas of physics, pure and applied, as listed below. The journal content reflects core physics disciplines, but is also open to a broad range of topics whose central theme falls within the bounds ...

  18. [Jerusalem syndrome. Symptoms, course and cultural context].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prochwicz, Katarzyna; Sobczyk, Artur

    2011-01-01

    The Jerusalem syndrome is an acute psychotic state observed in tourists and pilgrims who visit Jerusalem. The main symptom of this disorder is identification with a character from the Bible and exhibiting behaviours which seems to be typical for this character. The article presents an overview of cultural and demographic factors associated with the appearance of the Jerusalem syndrome. Three main categories of the syndrome were identified with special focus on the category unconjoined to previous psychopathology which can be described as the 'pure' form of the Jerusalem syndrome. The main diagnostic criteria for the 'pure' type and the sequence of seven clinical stages of the Jerusalem syndrome were described. The article contains a review of the hypothesis about the causes of Jerusalem syndrome with special attention given to the role of places of particular meaning for religious tradition.

  19. Melanocytic Nevi Prevalence and the Relationship with Sun Exposure Among School Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neslihan Şendur

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Design: Melanocytic nevi (MN count is known as the strongest risk factor for melanoma development. So it is important to know the MN count in public. We aimed to determine the MN prevalence in schoolchildren and also clarify the possible relation between MN counts, constitutional variables and sun exposure. Material and Method: In this randomized, cross-sectional study, a questionnaire asking skin phenotypes and sun exposure in previous summer was prepared for primary-school children. Nine hundred and sixty questionnaires distributed to the parents. Children who were given permission by parents for examination were examined for whole body MN. Results: Questionnaires were answered by parents of 939 children and 622 children (316 boys and 306 girls were examined. Mean age of children was 8.8±1.5 (6-12. Mean MN count was 19.6±16.6 and this count was increasing with age (p<0.001. MN count was significantly related with sex, skin phototype and skin colour. More MN were found in boys (p<0.001, children with sun sensitive phototypes (p=0.03 and light skin colour (p<0.001. Time spent outside on midday in previous summer was not related with the MN count (p=0.35. Sunburns experienced in previous summer were not related with MN count (p=0.11. MN were most densely located on the face, and then on upper extremity, trunk and lower extremity in decreasing order. There were more MN on the more sun exposed sites of the arms, hands and feet. Conclusion: It was found that previous summer sun exposure had no effect on MN count in schoolchildren. However, relation between MN count and skin phenotype and distribution of the MN on the body suggest that sun exposure could affect MN count and this effect could be seen in a long period of time.

  20. Production of tomato puree: an alternative to conservation of locally ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mo

    suggest a mean of conservation of the surplus of production by processing tomato into puree. The most produced local ... processing into puree on industrial scale. The main .... functions contributing to the reaction of non-enzymatic browning ...

  1. PA-1, a Versatile Anaerobe Obtained in Pure Culture, Catabolizes Benzenoids and Other Compounds in Syntrophy with Hydrogenotrophs, and P-2 plus Wolinella sp. Degrades Benzenoids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barik, Sudhakar; Brulla, W. J.; Bryant, M. P.

    1985-01-01

    Methanogenic enrichments catabolizing 13 mM phenylacetate or 4 mM phenol were established at 37°C, using a 10% inoculum from a municipal anaerobic digester. By using agar roll tubes of the basal medium plus 0.1% yeast extract-25 mM fumarate, a hydrogenotrophic lawn of Wolinella succinogenes and phenol or phenylacetate, strains P-2 and PA-1, respectively, were isolated in coculture with W. succinogenes. With the lawn deleted, PA-1 was isolated in pure culture. Strain P-2 is apparently a new species of anaerobic, motile, gram-negative, spindle-shaped, small rod that as yet has been grown only in coculture with W. succinogenes. It used phenol, hydrocinnamate, benzoate, and phenylacetate as energy sources. Product recovery by the coculture, per mole of phenol and 4.4 mol of fumarate used, included 2.03, 0.12, 0.08, and 3.23 mol, respectively, of acetate, propionate, butyrate, and succinate. Carbon recovery was 75% and H recovery was 80%, although CO2 and a few other possible products were not determined. That P-2 is an obligate proton-reducing acetogen and possible pathways for its degradation of phenol are discussed. Strain PA-1 is apparently a new species of anaerobic, motile, relatively small, gram-negative rod. It utilized compounds such as phenylacetate, hydrocinnamate, benzoate, phenol, resorcinol, gallate, 4-aminophenol, 2-aminobenzoate, pyruvate, Casamino Acids, and aspartate as energy sources in coculture with W. succinogenes. Per mole of phenylacetate and 1.44 mol of fumarate used, 1.04, 0.53, and 0.78 mol of acetate, propionate, and succinate, respectively, were recovered from the coculture. Only about 50% of the carbon and H were recovered. In coculture with Methanospirillum hungatei, 0.96 mol of acetate and 0.25 mol of methane were recovered per mol of pyruvate used; 0.90 mol of acetate and 0.33 mol of methane, per mol of fumarate used; 0.93 mol of acetate and 0.54 mol of methane, per mol of aspartate used; and 1.71 mol of acetate and 0.57 mol of methane

  2. International Standardization of Pure Beta Emitters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Los Arcos, Jose Maria; Rodriguez, Leonor

    2006-01-01

    The paper describes the traditional methods of standardization of Pure Beta Emitters, their principal characteristics, advantage and drawbacks. It does comparisons between two metrological LSC methods: Triple to double coincidence ratio (TDCR) method and the CIEMAT/NIST method and presents the result obtained with several Key Comparisons serving as practical test of both methods. Both of them represent the siferrit of methods of standardization of pure (and mixed decay) radionuclides. ESIR WG of CCRI(II) is to implement a reference exchange system for the permanent equivalence of β, α and electron capture nuclides, similar to traditional SIR gamma. ESIR project is currently testing a new XAN scintillator and operational tests of the whole system at BIPM are expected by the end of 2006 (test restricted to ESIR NMI members)

  3. Square-root measurement for pure states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Siendong

    2005-01-01

    Square-root measurement is a very useful suboptimal measurement in many applications. It was shown that the square-root measurement minimizes the squared error for pure states. In this paper, the least squared error problem is reformulated and a new proof is provided. It is found that the least squared error depends only on the average density operator of the input states. The properties of the least squared error are then discussed, and it is shown that if the input pure states are uniformly distributed, the average probability of error has an upper bound depending on the least squared error, the rank of the average density operator, and the number of the input states. The aforementioned properties help explain why the square-root measurement can be effective in decoding processes

  4. Purely Functional Structured Programming

    OpenAIRE

    Obua, Steven

    2010-01-01

    The idea of functional programming has played a big role in shaping today's landscape of mainstream programming languages. Another concept that dominates the current programming style is Dijkstra's structured programming. Both concepts have been successfully married, for example in the programming language Scala. This paper proposes how the same can be achieved for structured programming and PURELY functional programming via the notion of LINEAR SCOPE. One advantage of this proposal is that m...

  5. DEVELOPMENT OF VEGETABLE PUREES AND DRINKS BY LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    At. Kraevska

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The object of this work was to investigate the possibility for development of vegetable purees and drinks by lactic acid fermentation. It was found that by the direct lactic acid fermentation of Lb.plantarum strain 226/1 the vitamin composition of vegetable purees is preserved and the biological value is increased. Drinks, prepared from fermented vegetable purees were remarkable with the pleasant lactic acid taste, the sucrose-acid composition was stable and balanced and they can be used both in the rational and in the dietary nutrition.

  6. Highly Sensitive Bacteriophage-Based Detection of Brucella abortus in Mixed Culture and Spiked Blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sergueev, Kirill V; Filippov, Andrey A; Nikolich, Mikeljon P

    2017-06-10

    For decades, bacteriophages (phages) have been used for Brucella species identification in the diagnosis and epidemiology of brucellosis. Traditional Brucella phage typing is a multi-day procedure including the isolation of a pure culture, a step that can take up to three weeks. In this study, we focused on the use of brucellaphages for sensitive detection of the pathogen in clinical and other complex samples, and developed an indirect method of Brucella detection using real-time quantitative PCR monitoring of brucellaphage DNA amplification via replication on live Brucella cells. This assay allowed the detection of single bacteria (down to 1 colony-forming unit per milliliter) within 72 h without DNA extraction and purification steps. The technique was equally efficient with Brucella abortus pure culture and with mixed cultures of B . abortus and α-proteobacterial near neighbors that can be misidentified as Brucella spp., Ochrobactrum anthropi and Afipia felis . The addition of a simple short sample preparation step enabled the indirect phage-based detection of B . abortus in spiked blood, with the same high sensitivity. This indirect phage-based detection assay enables the rapid and sensitive detection of live B . abortus in mixed cultures and in blood samples, and can potentially be applied for detection in other clinical samples and other complex sample types.

  7. Highly Sensitive Bacteriophage-Based Detection of Brucella abortus in Mixed Culture and Spiked Blood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sergueev, Kirill V.; Filippov, Andrey A.; Nikolich, Mikeljon P.

    2017-01-01

    For decades, bacteriophages (phages) have been used for Brucella species identification in the diagnosis and epidemiology of brucellosis. Traditional Brucella phage typing is a multi-day procedure including the isolation of a pure culture, a step that can take up to three weeks. In this study, we focused on the use of brucellaphages for sensitive detection of the pathogen in clinical and other complex samples, and developed an indirect method of Brucella detection using real-time quantitative PCR monitoring of brucellaphage DNA amplification via replication on live Brucella cells. This assay allowed the detection of single bacteria (down to 1 colony-forming unit per milliliter) within 72 h without DNA extraction and purification steps. The technique was equally efficient with Brucella abortus pure culture and with mixed cultures of B. abortus and α-proteobacterial near neighbors that can be misidentified as Brucella spp., Ochrobactrum anthropi and Afipia felis. The addition of a simple short sample preparation step enabled the indirect phage-based detection of B. abortus in spiked blood, with the same high sensitivity. This indirect phage-based detection assay enables the rapid and sensitive detection of live B. abortus in mixed cultures and in blood samples, and can potentially be applied for detection in other clinical samples and other complex sample types. PMID:28604602

  8. Microstructures and mechanical properties of pure Mg processed by rotary swaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gan, W.M.; Huang, Y.D.; Wang, R.; Wang, G.F.; Srinivasan, A.; Brokmeier, H.-G.; Schell, N.; Kainer, K.U.; Hort, N.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Grain size of pure Mg can be effectively reduced by rotary swaging processing. • The dominated texture of the swaged pure Mg was a basal fibre. • Twinning and non-basal plane sliding accommodated the swaging process. • Gradient texture distribution was observed through the rod diameter. • There existed a slight shear deformation on the surface of the swaged rod. - Abstract: Microstructures and tensile properties of commercial pure magnesium processed by rotary swaging (RS) technique were investigated. Bulk and gradient textures in the RS processed Mg were characterised by neutron and synchrotron diffractions, respectively. Grains of the pure Mg were gradually refined with increase in the RS passes, which largely contributed to an increase in the tensile yield strength. A dominated basal fibre texture was observed in the RS processed pure Mg. Accommodated twinning deformation was also observed. Both the optical observations and texture analyses through the diameter of the swaged rod showed a gradient evolution in microstructure

  9. Topological M Theory from Pure Spinor Formalism

    CERN Document Server

    Grassi, P A; Grassi, Pietro Antonio; Vanhove, Pierre

    2005-01-01

    We construct multiloop superparticle amplitudes in 11d using the pure spinor formalism. We explain how this construction reduces to the superparticle limit of the multiloop pure spinor superstring amplitudes prescription. We then argue that this construction points to some evidence for the existence of a topological M theory based on a relation between the ghost number of the full-fledged supersymmetric critical models and the dimension of the spacetime for topological models. In particular, we show that the extensions at higher orders of the previous results for the tree and one-loop level expansion for the superparticle in 11 dimensions is related to a topological model in 7 dimensions.

  10. Crystal structure of pure ZrO2 nanopowders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamas, D.G.; Rosso, A.M.; Anzorena, M. Suarez; Fernandez, A.; Bellino, M.G.; Cabezas, M.D.; Walsoee de Reca, N.E.; Craievich, A.F.

    2006-01-01

    The crystal structure of pure (undoped) zirconia nanopowders synthesized by different wet-chemical routes has been investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Whereas some previous authors reported the retention of the cubic phase in similar materials, we demonstrate here that pure zirconia nanopowders with average crystallite sizes ranging from 5 to 10 nm exhibit the tetragonal phase. In addition, our results suggest that a tetragonal-to-cubic transition for decreasing crystallite size could eventually occur at a very small critical crystallite size

  11. Nitrogen gas flushing can be bactericidal: The temperature-dependent destiny of Bacillus weihenstephanensis KBAB4 under a pure N2 atmosphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia eMunsch-Alatossava

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Tremendous food spoilage on one side and increased concern about the incidence of food-borne pathogens on the other side urge the development of additional steps to ensure food safety and quality. In previous studies, nitrogen (N2 gas flushing treatments of raw and pasteurized milk at cold chain-temperatures inhibited bacterial spoilage and highlighted different susceptibilities to the N2 treatment with the exclusion of certain bacterial types. Gram-negative Pseudomonas and Gram-positive Bacillus are the most common spoilage bacteria in raw and pasteurised milk, respectively. Here, we investigated the effects of pure N2 gas flushing on representative strains of these genera grown in mono- or co-cultures at 15°C and 25°C. Bacillus weihenstephanensis, which is a frequent inhabitant of fluid dairy products, is represented by the genome-sequenced KBAB4 strain. Among Pseudomonas, P. tolaasii LMG 2342T and strain C1, a raw milk psychrotroph, were selected. The N2 gas flushing treatment revealed: 1 temperature-dependent responses; 2 inhibition of the growth of both pseudomonads; 3 emergence of small colony variants for B. weihenstephanensis strain KBAB4 at 15°C induced by the N2 treatment or when grown in co-culture with Pseudomonas strains; 4 N2 gas flushing modulates (suppressed or stimulated bacterial antagonistic reactions in co-cultures; 5 most importantly, SEM and TEM analyses revealed that at 25°C the majority of the KBAB4 cells were killed by pure N2 gas flushing. This observation constitutes the first evidence that N2 gas flushing has bactericidal effects.

  12. Work at CLRI: In summary

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Development of skin equivalents and surrogates; Engineering the culturing of melanocytes. Keratinocytes; Bio evaluation of herbal preparations in wound healing; Preparation of controlled drug delivery systems based on collagen materials for smart collagen devices; Development of collagen based biomaterials for pain ...

  13. Scattering of massive open strings in pure spinor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, I.Y.

    2011-01-01

    In Park (2008) , it was proposed that the D-brane geometry could be produced by open string quantum effects. In an effort to verify the proposal, we consider scattering amplitudes involving massive open superstrings. The main goal of this paper is to set the ground for two-loop 'renormalization' of an oriented open superstring on a D-brane and to strengthen our skill in the pure spinor formulation of a superstring, an effective tool for multi-loop string diagrams. We start by reviewing scattering amplitudes of massless states in the 2D component method of the NSR formulation. A few examples of massive string scattering are worked out. The NSR results are then reproduced in the pure spinor formulation. We compute the amplitudes using the unintegrated form of the massive vertex operator constructed by Berkovits and Chandia (2002) . We point out that it may be possible to discover new Riemann type identities involving Jacobi θ-functions by comparing a NSR computation and the corresponding pure spinor computation.

  14. Graphical calculus for Gaussian pure states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menicucci, Nicolas C.; Flammia, Steven T.; Loock, Peter van

    2011-01-01

    We provide a unified graphical calculus for all Gaussian pure states, including graph transformation rules for all local and semilocal Gaussian unitary operations, as well as local quadrature measurements. We then use this graphical calculus to analyze continuous-variable (CV) cluster states, the essential resource for one-way quantum computing with CV systems. Current graphical approaches to CV cluster states are only valid in the unphysical limit of infinite squeezing, and the associated graph transformation rules only apply when the initial and final states are of this form. Our formalism applies to all Gaussian pure states and subsumes these rules in a natural way. In addition, the term 'CV graph state' currently has several inequivalent definitions in use. Using this formalism we provide a single unifying definition that encompasses all of them. We provide many examples of how the formalism may be used in the context of CV cluster states: defining the 'closest' CV cluster state to a given Gaussian pure state and quantifying the error in the approximation due to finite squeezing; analyzing the optimality of certain methods of generating CV cluster states; drawing connections between this graphical formalism and bosonic Hamiltonians with Gaussian ground states, including those useful for CV one-way quantum computing; and deriving a graphical measure of bipartite entanglement for certain classes of CV cluster states. We mention other possible applications of this formalism and conclude with a brief note on fault tolerance in CV one-way quantum computing.

  15. Single Spore Isolation as a Simple and Efficient Technique to obtain fungal pure culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noman, E.; Al-Gheethi, AA; Rahman, N. K.; Talip, B.; Mohamed, R.; H, N.; Kadir, O. A.

    2018-04-01

    The successful identification of fungi by phenotypic methods or molecular technique depends mainly on the using an advanced technique for purifying the isolates. The most efficient is the single spore technique due to the simple requirements and the efficiency in preventing the contamination by yeast, mites or bacteria. The method described in the present work is depends on the using of a light microscope to transfer one spore into a new culture medium. The present work describes a simple and efficient procedure for single spore isolation to purify of fungi recovered from the clinical wastes.

  16. A Comparison on the Consumption of Cultural Goods among University Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ziba Batvandi

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The consumption of culture and cultural goods can be defined as an economic and political activity. The activity in its pure and creative form can lead to the creation of culture. Based on the new developments in the world, the role of the university and the student has changed. In these new roles, cultural element is very important. In other words, cultural consumption and lifestyle are based on the students’ cultural life and promote them to a level that can play the expected role. This study aimed to compare the amount and type of cultural goods consumption in Marine Science and Technology University students, by taking three variables into account: gender, field of study and location. These findings could lead to cultural politics and communications in such a way that provide proper distribution of cultural products and cultural knowledge of students based on personal consumption data and regard necessary measures in the field of distribution of goods between different groups of students to create more opportunities to students that they are interested in. The results suggest a significant difference among students regarding academic, cultural, and social life. This study depicts these differences.

  17. UV-induced lethal sectoring and pure mutant clones in yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannan, M A; Duck, P; Nasim, A

    1976-08-01

    The induction of lethal sectoring and pure mutant clones by ultraviolet light has been studied in a homogeneous G1 population of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in a normal growth medium. At the lowest UV dose of 250 ergs, which corresponds to a shoulder in the survival curve, all mutants appeared as pure clones. At higher doses the frequency of mosaic mutants progressively increased. These results indicate a relationship between the highest frequency of complete mutants and the maximum repair activity. In addition, the frequency of lethal sectoring at all doses tested was too low to account for the origin of pure mutant clones.

  18. AKUMULASI TIMBAL (PB DAN STRUKTUR STOMATA DAUN PURING (CODIAEUM VARIEGATUM LAM. BLUME

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susi Sulistiana

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Tanaman mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengatasi atau mengeliminir pencemaran udara yang terjadi di kota, salah satunya adalah tanaman puring. Stomata adalah salah satu organ tumbuhan yang digunakan untuk berinteraksi dengan lingkungannya. Fungsi utama stomata adalah sebagai tempat pertukaran gas, seperti CO2 yang diperlukan oleh tumbuhan dalam proses fotosintesis. Namun, stomata juga bertindak sebagai salah satu jalur masuknya polutan khususnya polutan yang berasal dari udara. Untuk mempertegas pengaruh akumulasi timbal terhadap daun tanaman puring secara morfologi yang telah dilakukan oleh Sulistiana dan Setijorini tahun 2014, perlu dilakukan penelitian lanjutan dengan melakukan pengamatan anatomi daun terutama struktur stomata daun tanaman puring. Penelitian bertujuan membandingkan struktur stomata antar kultivar puring dan membuktikan adanya hubungan antara akumulasi timbal (Pb dengan struktur stomata daun dari beberapa kultivar puring. Bahan penelitian yang digunakan adalah daun segar dari 13 kultivar tanaman puring yang ditanam di Perumahan Batan Indah, Kecamatan Kademangan, Tangerang Selatan. Pengamatan struktur stomata daun dilakukan dengan cara pembuatan preparat paradermal Parameter yang diamati dalam penelitian meliputi jumlah stomata, jumlah sel epidermis, panjang stomata, lebar stomata, indeks stomata, dan kerapatan stomata. Hasil yang diperoleh adanya korelasi positif antara kadar Pb dan struktur stomata daun kultivar puring melalui parameter-paramater yang diamati terutama jumlah stomata, lebar stomata, indeks stomata, dan kerapatan stomata.

  19. Transport mechanism of lipid covered saquinavir pure drug nanoparticles in intestinal epithelium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xia, Dengning; He, Yuan; Li, Qiuxia

    2018-01-01

    are transported. To improve cellular uptake and transport of pure nanodrug in cells, here, a lipid covered saquinavir (SQV) pure drug NP (Lipo@nanodrug) was designed by modifying a pure SQV NP (nanodrug) with a phospholipid bilayer. We studied their endocytosis, intracellular trafficking mechanism using Caco-2...... their intracellular processing, helping to improve drug transport across intestinal epithelium. To our knowledge, this is the first presentation of the novel phospholipid bilayer covered SQV pure drug NP design, and a mechanistic study on intracellular trafficking in in vitro cell models has been described......Pure drug nanoparticles (NPs) represent a promising formulation for improved drug solubility and controlled dissolution velocity. However, limited absorption by the intestinal epithelium remains challenge to their clinical application, and little is known about how these NPs within the cells...

  20. A method for establishing human primary gastric epithelial cell culture from fresh surgical gastric tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aziz, Faisal; Yang, Xuesong; Wen, Qingping; Yan, Qiu

    2015-08-01

    At present, biopsy specimens, cancer cell lines and tissues obtained by gastric surgery are used in the study and analysis of gastric cancer, including the molecular mechanisms and proteomics. However, fibroblasts and other tissue components may interfere with these techniques. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a procedure for the isolation of viable human gastric epithelial cells from gastric surgical tissues. A method was developed to culture human gastric epithelial cells using fresh, surgically excised tissues and was evaluated using immunocytochemistry, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and cell viability assays. Low cell growth was observed surrounding the gastric tissue on the seventh day of tissue explant culture. Cell growth subsequently increased, and at 12 days post-explant a high number of pure epithelial cells were detected. The gastric cancer cells exhibited rapid growth with a doubling time of 13-52 h, as compared to normal cells, which had a doubling time of 20-53 h. Immunocytochemical analyses of primary gastric cells revealed positive staining for cytokeratin 18 and 19, which indicated that the culture was comprised of pure epithelial cells and contained no fibroblasts. Furthermore, PAS staining demonstrated that the cultured gastric cells produced neutral mucin. Granulin and carbohydrate antigen 724 staining confirmed the purity of gastric cancer and normal cells in culture. This method of cell culture indicated that the gastric cells in primary culture consisted of mucin-secreting gastric epithelial cells, which may be useful for the study of gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer.

  1. Enriched ammonia-tolerant methanogenic cultures as bioaugmentation inocula in continuous biomethanation processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fotidis, Ioannis; Treu, Laura; Angelidaki, Irini

    2017-01-01

    reactor (CSTR), resulted in up to 90% recovery of the methane production compared to the uninhibited production. However, cultivation of pure strains has practical difficulties due to the need of special growth media and sterile conditions. In contrast, acclimatized enriched cultures have minor sterility...... requirements. In the current study, an enriched ammonia-tolerant methanogenic culture was bioaugmented in a CSTR reactor operating under ammonia-induced, inhibited-steady-state. The results demonstrated that bioaugmentation, completely counteracted the ammonia toxicity effect. This indicates that a commercial...

  2. Scattering equations, supergravity integrands, and pure spinors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adamo, Tim; Casali, Eduardo [Department of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom)

    2015-05-25

    The tree-level S-matrix of type II supergravity can be computed in scattering equation form by correlators in a worldsheet theory analogous to a chiral, infinite tension limit of the pure spinor formalism. By defining a non-minimal version of this theory, we give a prescription for computing correlators on higher genus worldsheets which manifest space-time supersymmetry. These correlators are conjectured to provide the loop integrands of supergravity scattering amplitudes, supported on the scattering equations. We give non-trivial evidence in support of this conjecture at genus one and two with four external states. Throughout, we find a close correspondence with the pure spinor formalism of superstring theory, particularly regarding regulators and zero-mode counting.

  3. Scattering equations, supergravity integrands, and pure spinors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adamo, Tim; Casali, Eduardo

    2015-01-01

    The tree-level S-matrix of type II supergravity can be computed in scattering equation form by correlators in a worldsheet theory analogous to a chiral, infinite tension limit of the pure spinor formalism. By defining a non-minimal version of this theory, we give a prescription for computing correlators on higher genus worldsheets which manifest space-time supersymmetry. These correlators are conjectured to provide the loop integrands of supergravity scattering amplitudes, supported on the scattering equations. We give non-trivial evidence in support of this conjecture at genus one and two with four external states. Throughout, we find a close correspondence with the pure spinor formalism of superstring theory, particularly regarding regulators and zero-mode counting.

  4. Entanglement measure for general pure multipartite quantum states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heydari, Hoshang; Bjoerk, Gunnar

    2004-01-01

    We propose an explicit formula for a measure of entanglement of pure multipartite quantum states. We discuss the mathematical structure of the measure and give a brief explanation of its physical motivation. We apply the measure on some pure, tripartite, qubit states and demonstrate that, in general, the entanglement can depend on what actions are performed on the various subsystems, and specifically if the parties in possession of the subsystems cooperate or not. We also give some simple but illustrative examples of the entanglement of four-qubit and m-qubit states

  5. Pure spinors, free differential algebras, and the supermembrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fre, Pietro; Grassi, Pietro Antonio

    2007-01-01

    The Lagrangian formalism for the supermembrane in any 11d supergravity background is constructed in the pure spinor framework. Our gauge-fixed action is manifestly BRST, supersymmetric, and 3d Lorentz invariant. The relation between the Free Differential Algebras (FDA) underlying 11d supergravity and the BRST symmetry of the membrane action is exploited. The 'gauge-fixing' has a natural interpretation as the variation of the Chevalley cohomology class needed for the extension of 11d super-Poincare superalgebra to M-theory FDA. We study the solution of the pure spinor constraints in full detail

  6. Culture of somatic cells isolated from frozen-thawed equine semen using fluorescence-assisted cell sorting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brom-de-Luna, Joao Gatto; Canesin, Heloísa Siqueira; Wright, Gus; Hinrichs, Katrin

    2018-03-01

    Nuclear transfer using somatic cells from frozen semen (FzSC) would allow cloning of animals for which no other genetic material is available. Horses are one of the few species for which cloning is commercially feasible; despite this, there is no information available on the culture of equine FzSC. After preliminary trials on equine FzSC, recovered by density-gradient centrifugation, resulted in no growth, we hypothesized that sperm in the culture system negatively affected cell proliferation. Therefore, we evaluated culture of FzSC isolated using fluorescence-assisted cell sorting. In Exp. 1, sperm were labeled using antibodies to a sperm-specific antigen, SP17, and unlabeled cells were collected. This resulted in high sperm contamination. In Exp. 2, FzSC were labeled using an anti-MHC class I antibody. This resulted in an essentially pure population of FzSC, 13-25% of which were nucleated. Culture yielded no proliferation in any of nine replicates. In Exp. 3, 5 × 10 3 viable fresh, cultured horse fibroblasts were added to the frozen-thawed, washed semen, then this suspension was labeled and sorted as for Exp. 2. The enriched population had a mean of five sperm per recovered somatic cell; culture yielded formation of monolayers. In conclusion, an essentially pure population of equine FzSC could be obtained using sorting for presence of MHC class I antigens. No equine FzSC grew in culture; however, the proliferation of fibroblasts subjected to the same processing demonstrated that the labeling and sorting methods, and the presence of few sperm in culture, were compatible with cell viability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Topical application of a protein kinase C inhibitor reduces skin and hair pigmentation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Park, Hee-Young; Lee, Jin; González, Salvador; Middelkamp-Hup, Maritza A.; Kapasi, Sameer; Peterson, Shaun; Gilchrest, Barbara A.

    2004-01-01

    To determine whether inhibition of PKC-beta activity decreases pigmentation, paired cultures of primary human melanocytes were first pretreated with bisindolylmaleimide (Bis), a selective PKC inhibitor, or vehicle alone for 30 min, and then treated with TPA for an additional 90 min to activate PKC

  8. Type I supergravity effective action from pure spinor formalism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alencar, Geova

    2009-01-01

    Using the pure spinor formalism, we compute the tree-level correlation functions for three strings, one closed and two open, in N = 1 D = 10 superspace. Expanding the superfields in components, the respective terms of the effective action for the type I supergravity are obtained. All terms found agree with the effective action known in the literature. This result gives one more consistency test for the pure spinor formalism.

  9. Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Purely Intrathird Ventricle Craniopharyngioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishioka, Hiroshi; Fukuhara, Noriaki; Yamaguchi-Okada, Mitsuo; Yamada, Shozo

    2016-07-01

    Extended endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) is a safe and effective treatment for many suprasellar craniopharyngiomas, including those with third-ventricle involvement. Craniopharyngioma entirely within the third ventricle (purely intraventricular type), however, is generally regarded unsuitable for treatment with EETS. Three patients underwent total removal of a purely intraventricular craniopharyngioma with inferior extension via EETS by direct incision of the bulging, stretched ventricular floor and fine dissection from the ventricular wall. In 2 patients with an anteriorly displaced chiasm, the space between the chiasm and pituitary stalk created a wide corridor to the ventricle, whereas in the third case, in which the infrachiasmal space was somewhat narrowed, partial sacrifice of the pituitary gland was necessary to obtain sufficient space. Despite preservation of the stalk in 2 patients, hypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus developed after surgery. There was no other complication including obesity. Selected patients with purely intraventricular craniopharyngioma can be treated effectively and safely with EETS. Those with inferior extension in the interpeduncular fossa and anterior displacement of the chiasm may be suitable candidates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Pure state condition for the semi-classical Wigner function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozorio de Almeida, A.M.

    1982-01-01

    The Wigner function W(p,q) is a symmetrized Fourier transform of the density matrix e(q 1 ,q 2 ), representing quantum-mechanical states or their statistical mixture in phase space. Identification of these two alternatives in the case of density matrices depends on the projection identity e 2 = e; its Wigner correspondence is the pure state condition. This criterion is applied to the Wigner functions botained from standard semiclassical wave functions, determining as pure states those whose classical invariant tori satisfy the generalized Bohr-Sommerfeld conditions. Superpositions of eigenstates are then examined and it is found that the Wigner function corresponding to Gaussian random wave functions are smoothed out in the manner of mixedstate Wigner functions. Attention is also given to the pure-state condition in the case where an angular coordinate is used. (orig.)

  11. Methanogenic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria co-cultured on acetate: teamwork or coexistence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozuolmez, Derya; Na, Hyunsoo; Lever, Mark A; Kjeldsen, Kasper U; Jørgensen, Bo B; Plugge, Caroline M

    2015-01-01

    Acetate is a major product of fermentation processes and an important substrate for sulfate reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Most studies on acetate catabolism by sulfate reducers and methanogens have used pure cultures. Less is known about acetate conversion by mixed pure cultures and the interactions between both groups. We tested interspecies hydrogen transfer and coexistence between marine methanogens and sulfate reducers using mixed pure cultures of two types of microorganisms. First, Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (DSM 1744), a hydrogenotrophic sulfate reducer, was cocultured together with the obligate aceticlastic methanogen Methanosaeta concilii using acetate as carbon and energy source. Next, Methanococcus maripaludis S2, an obligate H2- and formate-utilizing methanogen, was used as a partner organism to M. concilii in the presence of acetate. Finally, we performed a coexistence experiment between M. concilii and an acetotrophic sulfate reducer Desulfobacter latus AcSR2. Our results showed that D. vulgaris was able to reduce sulfate and grow from hydrogen leaked by M. concilii. In the other coculture, M. maripaludis was sustained by hydrogen leaked by M. concilii as revealed by qPCR. The growth of the two aceticlastic microbes indicated co-existence rather than competition. Altogether, our results indicate that H2 leaking from M. concilii could be used by efficient H2-scavengers. This metabolic trait, revealed from coculture studies, brings new insight to the metabolic flexibility of methanogens and sulfate reducers residing in marine environments in response to changing environmental conditions and community compositions. Using dedicated physiological studies we were able to unravel the occurrence of less obvious interactions between marine methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria.

  12. Methanogenic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria co-cultured on acetate: teamwork or coexistence?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Derya eOzuolmez

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Acetate is a major product of fermentation processes and an important substrate for sulfate reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Most studies on acetate catabolism by sulfate reducers and methanogens have used pure cultures. Less is known about acetate conversion by mixed pure cultures and the interactions between both groups. We tested interspecies hydrogen transfer and coexistence between marine methanogens and sulfate reducers using mixed pure cultures of two types of microorganisms. First, Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (DSM 1744, a hydrogenotrophic sulfate reducer, was cocultured together with the obligate aceticlastic methanogen Methanosaeta concilii using acetate as carbon and energy source. Next, Methanococcus maripaludis S2, an obligate H2- and formate-utilizing methanogen, was used as a partner organism to M. concilii in the presence of acetate. Finally, we performed a coexistence experiment between M. concilii and an acetotrophic sulfate reducer Desulfobacter latus AcSR2. Our results showed that D. vulgaris was able to reduce sulfate and grow from hydrogen leaked by M. concilii. In the other coculture, M. maripaludis was sustained by hydrogen leaked by M. concilii as revealed by qPCR. The growth of the two aceticlastic microbes indicated co-existence rather than competition. Altogether, our results indicate that H2 leaking from M. concilii could be used by efficient H2-scavengers. This metabolic trait, revealed from coculture studies, brings new insight to the metabolic flexibility of methanogens and sulfate reducers residing in marine environments in response to changing environmental conditions and community compositions. Using dedicated physiological studies we were able to unravel the occurrence of less obvious interactions between marine methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria.

  13. Efficient purification of cell culture-derived classical swine fever virus by ultrafiltration and size-exclusion chromatography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruining WANG,Yubao ZHI,Junqing GUO,Qingmei LI,Li WANG,Jifei YANG,Qianyue JIN,Yinbiao WANG,Yanyan YANG,Guangxu XING,Songlin QIAO,Mengmeng ZHAO,Ruiguang DENG,Gaiping ZHANG

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Large-scale production of cell culture-based classical swine fever virus (CSFV vaccine is hampered by the adverse reactions caused by contaminants from host cell and culture medium. Hence, we have developed an efficient method for purifying CSFV from cell-culture medium. Pure viral particles were obtained with two steps of tangential-flow filtration (TFF and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC, and were compared with particles from ultracentrifugation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM, infectivity and recovery test, and real time fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR. TFF concentrated the virus particles effectively with a retention rate of 98.5%, and 86.2% of viral particles were obtained from the ultrafiltration retentate through a Sepharose 4 F F column on a biological liquid chromatography system. CSFV purified by TFF-SEC or ultracentrifugation were both biologically active from 1.0×10-4.25 TCID50·mL-1 to 3.0×10-6.25 TCID50·mL-1, but the combination of TFF and SEC produced more pure virus particles than by ultracentrifugation alone. In addition, pure CSFV particles with the expected diameter of 40—60 nm were roughly spherical without any visible contamination. Mice immunized with CSFV purified by TFF-SEC produced higher antibody levels compared with immunization with ultracentrifugation-purified CSFV (P<0.05. The purification procedures in this study are reliable technically and feasible for purification of large volumes of viruses.

  14. The role of vitamin D in melanogenesis with an emphasis on vitiligo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalid AlGhamdi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder caused by the destruction of functional melanocytes. Vitamin D is an essential hormone synthesized in the skin and is responsible for skin pigmentation. Low levels of vitamin D have been observed in vitiligo patients and in patients with other autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the relationship between vitamin D and vitiligo needs to be investigated more thoroughly. We reviewed the literature to date regarding the role of vitamin D in skin pigmentation. Our review revealed that vitamin D deficiency has been identified in many conditions, including premature and dysmature birth, pigmented skin, obesity, advanced age, and malabsorption. Vitamin D increases melanogenesis and the tyrosinase content of cultured human melanocytes by its antiapoptotic effect. However, a few growth-inhibitory effects on melanocytes were also reported. Vitamin D regulates calcium and bone metabolism, controls cell proliferation and differentiation, and exerts immunoregulatory activities. Vitamin D exerts its effect via a nuclear hormone receptor for vitamin D. The topical application of vitamin D increased the number of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-positive melanocytes. The topical application of vitamin D yields significant results when used in combination with phototherapy and ultraviolet exposure to treat vitiligo in humans. Vitamin D decreases the expression of various cytokines that cause vitiligo. In conclusion, application of vitamin D might help in preventing destruction of melanocytes thus causing vitiligo and other autoimmune disorders. The association between low vitamin D levels and the occurrence of vitiligo and other forms of autoimmunity is to be further evaluated.

  15. Vitiligo: A Possible Model of Degenerative Diseases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellei, Barbara; Pitisci, Angela; Ottaviani, Monica; Ludovici, Matteo; Cota, Carlo; Luzi, Fabiola; Dell'Anna, Maria Lucia; Picardo, Mauro

    2013-01-01

    Vitiligo is characterized by the progressive disappearance of pigment cells from skin and hair follicle. Several in vitro and in vivo studies show evidence of an altered redox status, suggesting that loss of cellular redox equilibrium might be the pathogenic mechanism in vitiligo. However, despite the numerous data supporting a pathogenic role of oxidative stress, there is still no consensus explanation underlying the oxidative stress-driven disappear of melanocytes from the epidermis. In this study, in vitro characterization of melanocytes cultures from non-lesional vitiligo skin revealed at the cellular level aberrant function of signal transduction pathways common with neurodegenerative diseases including modification of lipid metabolism, hyperactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), constitutive p53-dependent stress signal transduction cascades, and enhanced sensibility to pro-apoptotic stimuli. Notably, these long-term effects of subcytotoxic oxidative stress are also biomarkers of pre-senescent cellular phenotype. Consistent with this, vitiligo cells showed a significant increase in p16 that did not correlate with the chronological age of the donor. Moreover, vitiligo melanocytes produced many biologically active proteins among the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SAPS), such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metallo proteinase-3 (MMP3), cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 and 7 (IGFBP3, IGFBP7). Together, these data argue for a complicated pathophysiologic puzzle underlying melanocytes degeneration resembling, from the biological point of view, neurodegenerative diseases. Our results suggest new possible targets for intervention that in combination with current therapies could correct melanocytes intrinsic defects. PMID:23555779

  16. 3D cell culture to determine in vitro biocompatibility of bioactive glass in association with chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bédouin, Y; Pellen Mussi, P; Tricot-Doleux, S; Chauvel-Lebret, D; Auroy, P; Ravalec, X; Oudadesse, H; Perez, F

    2015-01-01

    This study reports the in vitro biocompatibility of a composite biomaterial composed of 46S6 bioactive glass in association with chitosan (CH) by using 3D osteoblast culture of SaOS2. The 46S6 and CH composite (46S6-CH) forms small hydroxyapatite crystals on its surface after only three days immersion in the simulated body fluid. For 2D osteoblast culture, a significant increase in cell proliferation was observed after three days of contact with 46S6 or 46S6-CH-immersed media. After six days, 46S6-CH led to a significant increase in cell proliferation (128%) compared with pure 46S6 (113%) and pure CH (122%). For 3D osteoblast culture, after six days of culture, there was an increase in gene expression of markers of the early osteoblastic differentiation (RUNX2, ALP, COL1A1). Geometric structures corresponding to small apatite clusters were observed by SEM on the surface of the spheroids cultivated with 46S6 or 46S6-CH-immersed media. We showed different cellular responses depending on the 2D and 3D cell culture model. The induction of osteoblast differentiation in the 3D cell culture explained the differences of cell proliferation in contact with 46S6, CH or 46S6-CH-immersed media. This study confirmed that the 3D cell culture model is a very promising tool for in vitro biological evaluation of bone substitutes' properties.

  17. Solution thermodynamics of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate in different pure solvents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouyang, Jinbo; Wang, Jingkang; Huang, Xin; Bao, Ying; Wang, Yongli; Yin, Qiuxiang; Liu, Ailing; Li, Xudong; Hao, Hongxun

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The solubility of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate in five pure solvents was experimentally determined. • The solubility data were correlated by Wilson model, NRTL model and UNIQUAC model. • Mixing thermodynamic properties of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate in five pure solvents were calculated. - Abstract: Solubility of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate in five pure solvents was determined within temperature range of (278.15 to 323.15) K by a gravimetric method. The results show that the solubility of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate in tested pure solvents increases with the increasing temperature. The solubility values were correlated by the Wilson model, NRTL model and UNIQUAC model. The UNIQUAC volume parameter, area parameter, and Wilson liquid molar volume parameter of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate were estimated by the group contribution method. It was found that the correlated results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, the mixing thermodynamic properties of valnemulin hydrogen fumarate in solutions, including the mixing Gibbs energy, the mixing enthalpy and entropy, were determined by using the Wilson model and the experimental solubility results.

  18. Solubility of salicylic acid in pure alcohols at different temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Junhyuk; Jang, Sunghyun; Cho, Hye Kyoung; Shin, Moon Sam; Kim, Hwayong

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Solubility data of salicylic acid in pure alkanols were measured. ► The experimental data were correlated with NRTL, UNIQUAC and Wilson models. ► The data are fit well with all three models for the six pure alcohols studied. ► Adjustable interaction parameters were suggested. - Abstract: This work focused on the experimental measurements and the numerical calculations of the solubility of salicylic acid in various alcohols. The solubility of salicylic acid in pure alcohols was determined using a (solid + liquid) equilibrium measurement apparatus at temperatures ranging from (278.15 to 318.15) K. Also, the melting temperature and fusion enthalpy of salicylic acid were determined by a differential scanning calorimeter (TA instrument Q100). The experimental results were correlated with the equation for solubility of a solid in a liquid with the nonrandom two liquid (NRTL), universal quasi-chemical (UNIQUAC) and Wilson models for liquid phase activity coefficients to validate the quality of the data taken. Adjustable interaction parameters were also provided. The experimental data fit appropriately with all three models for the pure alcohols studied.

  19. Thermodynamic equilibrium of hydroxyacetic acid in pure and binary solvent systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Qiaoyin; Xie, Chuang; Li, Yang; Su, Nannan; Lou, Yajing; Hu, Xiaoxue; Wang, Yongli; Bao, Ying; Hou, Baohong

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Solubility of hydroxyacetic acid in mono-solvents and binary solvent mixtures was measured. • Modified Apelblat, NRTL and Wilson model were used to correlate the solubility data in pure solvents. • CNIBS/R-K and Jouyban-Acree model were used to correlate the solubility in binary solvent mixtures. • The mixing properties were calculated based on the NRTL model. - Abstract: The solubility of hydroxyacetic acid in five pure organic solvents and two binary solvent mixtures were experimentally measured from 273.15 K to 313.15 K at atmospheric pressure (p = 0.1 MPa) by using a dynamic method. The order of solubility in pure organic solvents is ethanol > isopropanol > n-butanol > acetonitrile > ethyl acetate within the investigated temperature range, except for temperature lower than 278 K where the solubility of HA in ethyl acetate is slightly larger than that in acetonitrile. Furthermore, the solubility data in pure solvents were correlated with the modified Apelblat model, NRTL model, and Wilson model and that in the binary solvents mixtures were fitted to the CNIBS/R-K model and Jouyban-Acree model. Finally, the mixing thermodynamic properties of hydroxyacetic acid in pure and binary solvent systems were calculated and discussed.

  20. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences is a multi-disciplinary specialist journal ... research in Biological Science, Agricultural Sciences, Chemical Sciences, ... Comparative study of the physicochemical and bacteriological qualities of ...

  1. High-power pure blue laser diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohta, M.; Ohizumi, Y.; Hoshina, Y.; Tanaka, T.; Yabuki, Y.; Goto, S.; Ikeda, M. [Development Center, Sony Shiroishi Semiconductor Inc., Miyagi (Japan); Funato, K. [Materials Laboratories, Sony Corporation, Kanagawa (Japan); Tomiya, S. [Materials Analysis Laboratory, Sony Corporation, Kanagawa (Japan)

    2007-06-15

    We successfully developed high-power and long-lived pure blue laser diodes (LDs) having an emission wavelength of 440-450 nm. The pure-blue LDs were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on GaN substrates. The dislocation density was successfully reduced to {proportional_to}10{sup 6} cm{sup -2} by optimizing the MOCVD growth conditions and the active layer structure. The vertical layer structure was designed to have an absorption loss of 4.9 cm{sup -1} and an internal quantum efficiency of 91%. We also reduced the operating current density to 6 kA/cm{sup 2} under 750 mW continuous-wave operation at 35 C by optimizing the stripe width to 12 {mu}m and the cavity length to 2000 {mu}m. The half lifetimes in constant current mode are estimated to be longer than 10000 h. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  2. Pure spinors, free differential algebras, and the supermembrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fre, Pietro [Dipartimento di Fisica Teorica, Universita di Torino, and INFN-Sezione di Torino, Via P. Giuria 1, I-10125 Turin (Italy); Grassi, Pietro Antonio [Centro Studi e Ricerche E. Fermi, Compendio Viminale, I-00184 Rome (Italy) and DISTA, Universita del Piemonte Orientale, and INFN-Sezione di Torino, Via Bellini 25/G, Alessandria 15100 (Italy) and CERN, Theory Unit, CH-1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland)]. E-mail: pgrassi@insti.physics.sunysb.edu

    2007-02-12

    The Lagrangian formalism for the supermembrane in any 11d supergravity background is constructed in the pure spinor framework. Our gauge-fixed action is manifestly BRST, supersymmetric, and 3d Lorentz invariant. The relation between the Free Differential Algebras (FDA) underlying 11d supergravity and the BRST symmetry of the membrane action is exploited. The 'gauge-fixing' has a natural interpretation as the variation of the Chevalley cohomology class needed for the extension of 11d super-Poincare superalgebra to M-theory FDA. We study the solution of the pure spinor constraints in full detail.

  3. Probing photo-ionization: experiments on positive streamers in pure gases and mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nijdam, S; Van de Wetering, F M J H; Blanc, R; Van Veldhuizen, E M; Ebert, U

    2010-01-01

    Positive streamers are thought to propagate by photo-ionization; the parameters of photo-ionization depend on the nitrogen : oxygen ratio. Therefore we study streamers in nitrogen with 20%, 0.2% and 0.01% oxygen and in pure nitrogen as well as in pure oxygen and argon. Our new experimental set-up guarantees contamination of the pure gases to be well below 1 ppm. Streamers in oxygen are difficult to measure as they emit considerably less light in the sensitivity range of our fast ICCD camera than the other gases. Streamers in pure nitrogen and in all nitrogen-oxygen mixtures look generally similar, but become somewhat thinner and branch more with decreasing oxygen content. In pure nitrogen the streamers can branch so much that they resemble feathers. This feature is even more pronounced in pure argon, with approximately 10 2 hair tips cm -3 in the feathers at 200 mbar; this density can be interpreted as the free electron density creating avalanches towards the streamer stem. It is remarkable that the streamer velocity is essentially the same for similar voltage and pressure in all nitrogen-oxygen mixtures as well as in pure nitrogen, while the oxygen concentration and therefore the photo-ionization lengths vary by more than five orders of magnitude. Streamers in argon have essentially the same velocity as well. The physical similarity of streamers at different pressures is confirmed in all gases; the minimal diameters are smaller than in earlier measurements.

  4. Probing photo-ionization: experiments on positive streamers in pure gases and mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nijdam, S; Van de Wetering, F M J H; Blanc, R; Van Veldhuizen, E M; Ebert, U, E-mail: s.nijdam@tue.n [Eindhoven University of Technology, Department Applied Physics, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

    2010-04-14

    Positive streamers are thought to propagate by photo-ionization; the parameters of photo-ionization depend on the nitrogen : oxygen ratio. Therefore we study streamers in nitrogen with 20%, 0.2% and 0.01% oxygen and in pure nitrogen as well as in pure oxygen and argon. Our new experimental set-up guarantees contamination of the pure gases to be well below 1 ppm. Streamers in oxygen are difficult to measure as they emit considerably less light in the sensitivity range of our fast ICCD camera than the other gases. Streamers in pure nitrogen and in all nitrogen-oxygen mixtures look generally similar, but become somewhat thinner and branch more with decreasing oxygen content. In pure nitrogen the streamers can branch so much that they resemble feathers. This feature is even more pronounced in pure argon, with approximately 10{sup 2} hair tips cm{sup -3} in the feathers at 200 mbar; this density can be interpreted as the free electron density creating avalanches towards the streamer stem. It is remarkable that the streamer velocity is essentially the same for similar voltage and pressure in all nitrogen-oxygen mixtures as well as in pure nitrogen, while the oxygen concentration and therefore the photo-ionization lengths vary by more than five orders of magnitude. Streamers in argon have essentially the same velocity as well. The physical similarity of streamers at different pressures is confirmed in all gases; the minimal diameters are smaller than in earlier measurements.

  5. Highly Sensitive Bacteriophage-Based Detection of Brucella abortus in Mixed Culture and Spiked Blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirill V. Sergueev

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available For decades, bacteriophages (phages have been used for Brucella species identification in the diagnosis and epidemiology of brucellosis. Traditional Brucella phage typing is a multi-day procedure including the isolation of a pure culture, a step that can take up to three weeks. In this study, we focused on the use of brucellaphages for sensitive detection of the pathogen in clinical and other complex samples, and developed an indirect method of Brucella detection using real-time quantitative PCR monitoring of brucellaphage DNA amplification via replication on live Brucella cells. This assay allowed the detection of single bacteria (down to 1 colony-forming unit per milliliter within 72 h without DNA extraction and purification steps. The technique was equally efficient with Brucella abortus pure culture and with mixed cultures of B. abortus and α-proteobacterial near neighbors that can be misidentified as Brucella spp., Ochrobactrum anthropi and Afipia felis. The addition of a simple short sample preparation step enabled the indirect phage-based detection of B. abortus in spiked blood, with the same high sensitivity. This indirect phage-based detection assay enables the rapid and sensitive detection of live B. abortus in mixed cultures and in blood samples, and can potentially be applied for detection in other clinical samples and other complex sample types.

  6. Mathematical Model for Multicomponent Adsorption Equilibria Using Only Pure Component Data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marcussen, Lis

    2000-01-01

    A mathematical model for nonideal adsorption equilibria in multicomponent mixtures is developed. It is applied with good results for pure substances and for prediction of strongly nonideal multicomponent equilibria using only pure component data. The model accounts for adsorbent...

  7. Extraction and characterization of bound extracellular polymeric substances from cultured pure cyanobacterium (Microcystis wesenbergii).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lizhen; Qin, Boqiang; Zhang, Yunlin; Zhu, Guangwei; Gao, Guang; Huang, Qi; Yao, Xin

    2014-08-01

    Preliminary characterization of bound extracellular polymeric substances (bEPS) of cyanobacteria is crucial to obtain a better understanding of the formation mechanism of cyanobacterial bloom. However, the characterization of bEPS can be affected by extraction methods. Five sets (including the control) of bEPS from Microcystis extracted by different methods were characterized using three-dimensional excitation and emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectroscopy combined chemical spectrophotometry; and the characterization results of bEPS samples were further compared. The agents used for extraction were NaOH, pure water and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing cationic exchange resins, and hot water. Extraction methods affected the fluorescence signals and intensities in the bEPS. Five fluorescence peaks were observed in the excitation and emission matrix fluorescence spectra of bEPS samples. Two peaks (peaks T₁ and T₂) present in all extractions were identified as protein-like fluorophores, two (peaks A and C) as humic-like fluorophores, and one (peak E) as a fulvic-like substance. Among these substances, the humic-like and fulvic-like fluorescences were only seen in the bEPS extracted with hot water. Also, NaOH solution extraction could result in strong fluorescence intensities compared to the other extraction methods. It was suggested that NaOH at pH10.0 was the most appropriate method to extract bEPS from Microcystis. In addition, dialysis could affect the yields and characteristics of extracted bEPS during the determination process. These results will help us to explore the issues of cyanobacterial blooms. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. General entanglement-assisted transformation for bipartite pure quantum states

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Wei; Huang, Yan; Nai-LeLiu; Chen, Zeng-Bing

    2007-01-01

    We introduce the general catalysts for pure entanglement transformations under local operations and classical communications in such a way that we disregard the profit and loss of entanglement of the catalysts per se. As such, the possibilities of pure entanglement transformations are greatly expanded. We also design an efficient algorithm to detect whether a k × k general catalyst exists for a given entanglement transformation. This algorithm can also be exploited to witness the existence of standard catalysts.

  9. The neuroanatomy of pure apraxia of speech in stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graff-Radford, Jonathan; Jones, David T; Strand, Edythe A; Rabinstein, Alejandro A; Duffy, Joseph R; Josephs, Keith A

    2014-02-01

    The left insula or Broca's area have been proposed as the neuroanatomical correlate for apraxia of speech (AOS) based on studies of patients with both AOS and aphasia due to stroke. Studies of neurodegenerative AOS suggest the premotor area and the supplementary motor areas as the anatomical correlates. The study objective was to determine the common infarction area in patients with pure AOS due to stroke. Patients with AOS and no or equivocal aphasia due to ischemic stroke were identified through a pre-existing database. Seven subjects were identified. Five had pure AOS, and two had equivocal aphasia. MRI lesion analysis revealed maximal overlap spanning the left premotor and motor cortices. While both neurodegenerative AOS and stroke induced pure AOS involve the premotor cortex, further studies are needed to establish whether stroke-induced AOS and neurodegenerative AOS share a common anatomic substrate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Pure Gravities via Color-Kinematics Duality for Fundamental Matter

    CERN Document Server

    Johansson, Henrik

    2015-01-01

    We give a prescription for the computation of loop-level scattering amplitudes in pure Einstein gravity, and four-dimensional pure supergravities, using the color-kinematics duality. Amplitudes are constructed using double copies of pure (super-)Yang-Mills parts and additional contributions from double copies of fundamental matter, which are treated as ghosts. The opposite-statistics states cancel the unwanted dilaton and axion in the bosonic theory, as well as the extra matter supermultiplets in supergravities. As a spinoff, we obtain a prescription for obtaining amplitudes in supergravities with arbitrary non-self-interacting matter. As a prerequisite, we extend the color-kinematics duality from the adjoint to the fundamental representation of the gauge group. We explain the numerator relations that the fundamental kinematic Lie algebra should satisfy. We give nontrivial evidence supporting our construction using explicit tree and loop amplitudes, as well as more general arguments.

  11. Visibility in a pure model of golden spiral phyllotaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, Burghard

    2018-07-01

    This paper considers the geometry of plants with golden spiral phyllotaxis, i.e. growing leaf by leaf on a spiral with golden divergence angle, via the simplest mathematical model, a cylinder with regular arrangement of points on its surface. As is well-known, Fibonacci numbers appear by means of the order of parastichies. This fact is shown to be a straightforward application of logical consequences to a particular model with respect to pure visibility. This notion is very similar to that of contact parastichies. The 3-D cylindrical model of golden spiral phyllotaxis abstracts from the form of leaves and identifies them with points. Pure visibility is specified in the 2-D representation so that common sense parastichies can be scrutinized. The main Theorem states that the orders of the purely most visible parastichies are Fibonacci numbers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Perceptions of the Pure Pallet Program

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Dye, Michael T

    2006-01-01

    .... Recommendations center on educating personnel on the importance of suboptimization avoidance and making the warfighter the most important customer. This research also serves as a formal source of information from which to form conclusions and make judgments on how well Air Force personnel are implementing the pure pallet program.

  13. Exploitation of sweet sorghum biomass for biofuel production using mixed acidogenic and methanogenic cultures and pure cultures of ruminococcus albus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ntaikou, I.; Antonopoulou, G.; Marazioti, C.; Lyberatos, G.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: The present study focuses on the exploitation of sweet sorghum biomass for gas biofuel production in continuous and batch systems. Sweet sorghum is an annual C 4 plant of tropical origin, well-adapted to sub-tropical and temperate regions and highly productive in biomass. It is rich in readily fermentable sugars and thus it can be considered as an excellent raw material for biohydrogen production from many different fermentative microorganisms. Extraction of free sugars from the sorghum stalks was achieved using water at 30 degrees centigrade. After the extraction process a liquid fraction (sorghum extract), rich in sucrose, and a solid fraction (sorghum cellulosic-hemicellulosic residues or sorghum bagasse), containing the cellulose and hemicelluloses, were obtained. A two-step continuous process was developed for the biological hydrogen production and the subsequent production of biogas from sweet sorghum extract. In the first reactor sugars were fermented to hydrogen, volatile fatty acids and alcohols b mixed acidogenic culture derived from the indigenous microfauna of sweet sorghum. The hydrogen producing reactor was operated at five different hydraulic retention times (HRT), i.e 24h, 12h, 8h, 6h and 4h. The HRT of 12h proved to be the most effective leading to the production 10.4 L H 2 /kg sweet sorghum biomass. Subsequently, the effluent was fed to the methanogenic reactor, where all the residual organic compounds were digested by an acclimated methanogenic culture derived from activated sludge. The operation of the methanogenic reactor was studied at three different HRTs, i.e 20d, 15d and 10d with the latter being the most prosing leading to the production 35.2 L CH 4 /kg sweet sorghum biomass. Both continuous and batch cultures were used for the investigation of hydrogen production from sweet sorghum biomass using Ruminococcus albus. R. albus is an important, fibrolytic bacterium of the rumen that can hydrolyse both cellulose and hemicellulose

  14. INBOUND AND OUTBOUND MARKETING TECHNIQUES: A COMPARISON BETWEEN ITALIAN AND ROMANIAN PURE PLAYERS AND CLICK AND MORTAR COMPANIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa Rancati

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Despite the large number of blog posts and articles regarding the use of Inbound and Outbound Marketing techniques, no research articles compares the propensity of companies towards these opposite types of marketing techniques among different countries. The present study is mainly focused on literature review of Inbound vs Outbound Marketing and acknowledge the academic community, interested in Content Marketing studies, about the availability of data sets regarding the implementation of these techniques at the level of Italian and Romanian pure players and click and mortar companies, which will be explored in the near future through appropriate statistical methods within the framework of a cross-cultural research.

  15. Melanoma Therapy with Rhenium-Cyclized Alpha Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone Peptide Analogs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas P Quinn

    2005-11-22

    Malignant melanoma is the 6th most commonly diagnosed cancer with increasing incidence in the United States. It is estimated that 54,200 cases of malignant melanoma will be newly diagnosed and 7,600 cases of death will occur in the United States in the year 2003 (1). At the present time, more than 1.3% of Americans will develop malignant melanoma during their lifetime (2). The average survival for patients with metastatic melanoma is about 6-9 months (3). Moreover, metastatic melanoma deposits are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and external beam radiation therapy (3). Systematic chemotherapy is the primary therapeutic approach to treat patients with metastatic melanoma. Dacarbazine is the only single chemotherapy agent approved by FDA for metastatic melanoma treatment (5). However, the response rate to Dacarbazine is only approximately 20% (6). Therefore, there is a great need to develop novel treatment approaches for metastatic melanoma. The global goal of this research program is the rational design, characterization and validation of melanoma imaging and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Significant progress has been made in the design and characterization of metal-cyclized radiolabeled alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone peptides. Therapy studies with {sup 188}Re-CCMSH demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of the receptor-targeted treatment in murine and human melanoma bearing mice (previous progress report). Dosimetry calculations, based on biodistribution data, indicated that a significant dose was delivered to the tumor. However, {sup 188}Re is a very energetic beta-particle emitter. The longer-range beta-particles theoretically would be better for larger tumors. In the treatment of melanoma, the larger primary tumor is usually surgically removed leaving metastatic disease as the focus of targeted radiotherapy. Isotopes with lower beta-energies and/or shorter particle lengths should be better suited for targeting metastases. The {sup 177}Lu

  16. Heat engine driven by purely quantum information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jung Jun; Kim, Kang-Hwan; Sagawa, Takahiro; Kim, Sang Wook

    2013-12-06

    The key question of this Letter is whether work can be extracted from a heat engine by using purely quantum mechanical information. If the answer is yes, what is its mathematical formula? First, by using a bipartite memory we show that the work extractable from a heat engine is bounded not only by the free energy change and the sum of the entropy change of an individual memory but also by the change of quantum mutual information contained inside the memory. We then find that the engine can be driven by purely quantum information, expressed as the so-called quantum discord, forming a part of the quantum mutual information. To confirm it, as a physical example we present the Szilard engine containing a diatomic molecule with a semipermeable wall.

  17. Outcome of burns treated with autologous cultured proliferating epidermal cells: a prospective randomized multicenter intrapatient comparative trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gardien, K.L.M.; Marck, R.E.; Bloemen, M.C.T.; Waaijman, T.; Gibbs, S.; Uhlrich, M.M.W.; Middelkoop, E.

    2016-01-01

    Standard treatment for large burns is transplantation with meshed split skin autografts (SSGs). A disadvantage of this treatment is that healing is accompanied by scar formation. Application of autologous epidermal cells (keratinocytes and melanocytes) may be a suitable therapeutic alternative,

  18. Effect of Bound Entanglement on the Convertibility of Pure States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishizaka, Satoshi

    2004-01-01

    I show that bound entanglement strongly influences the quantum entanglement processing of pure states: If N distant parties share appropriate bound entangled states with positive partial transpose, all N-partite pure entangled states become inter-convertible by stochastic local operations and classical communication (SLOCC) at the single copy level. This implies that the Schmidt rank of a bipartite pure entangled state can be increased, and that two incomparable tripartite entanglement of the GHZ and W type can be inter-converted by the assistance of bound entanglement. Further, I propose the simplest experimental scheme for the demonstration of the corresponding bound-entanglement-assisted SLOCC. This scheme does not need quantum gates and is feasible for the current experimental technology of linear optics

  19. Purely non-local Hamiltonian formalism, Kohno connections and ∨-systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arsie, Alessandro; Lorenzoni, Paolo

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we extend purely non-local Hamiltonian formalism to a class of Riemannian F-manifolds, without assumptions on the semisimplicity of the product ○ or on the flatness of the connection ∇. In the flat case, we show that the recurrence relations for the principal hierarchy can be re-interpreted using a local and purely non-local Hamiltonian operators and in this case they split into two Lenard-Magri chains, one involving the even terms, the other involving the odd terms. Furthermore, we give an elementary proof that the Kohno property and the ∨-system condition are equivalent under suitable assumptions and we show how to associate a purely non-local Hamiltonian structure to any ∨-system, including degenerate ones

  20. Regional cerebral blood flow in pure dysarthria. A 3D-SSP study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Kensho; Kamogawa, Kenji; Okuda, Bungo; Kawabata, Keita; Tachibana, Hisao

    2007-01-01

    Pure dysarthria from brain infarction is a rare condition, and its pathophysiology remains unclear. To clarify the underlying mechanism of pure dysarthria, we investigated the lesion sites and regional cerebral blood flow in patients with pure dysarthria. We examined 18 consecutive patients with pure dysarthria (9 men and 9 women; mean age, 71 years) who underwent MRI and cerebral blood flow studies. To visualize the regional cerebral blood flow, we generated Z score images using the three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection (3D-SSP) method with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and N-isopropyl-p [ 123 I]iodoamphetamine. Data on the brain surface perfusion extracted by the 3D-SSP analysis were compared between the pure dysarthria (PD) patients and 9 control subjects. MRI revealed multiple lacunar infarctions involving the internal capsule and/or corona radiata in 11 patients, left internal capsule-corona radiata infarction in 4 patients, and pontine infarction in 3 patients. SPECT with 3D-SSP demonstrated bilateral frontal cortical hypoperfusion in all patients, particularly in the anterior opercular region. Based on intergroup comparisons, the PD group exhibited pronounced cortical hypoperfusion in the opercular and medial frontal regions, left more than right. In conclusion, pure dysarthria is considered to originate from frontal cortical hypoperfusion, mainly in the anterior opercular and medial frontal regions, which is probably due to interruption of the corticosubcortical neural networks relevant to speech expression and articulation. In addition, it is suggested that left hemispheric lesions may make a greater contribution to the development of pure dysarthria than do right ones. (author)

  1. Mixed Cultures Fermentation for the Production of Poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Shalin

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate (PHB is a biodegradable intracellular microbial product produced by many bacteria and it is comparable to some of the petrochemical derived thermoplastics such as polypropylene. One of the main barriers for the commercial exploitation is the high cost of the substrate for the production of biopolymer. The utilization of mixed microbial cultures facilitates the use of complex substrates thereby reducing the cost of PHB production. In the present study, mixed culture systems were evaluated for PHB production. Bacillus firmus NII 0830 was used for the production of PHB since it accumulates a large amount of PHB and a second organism Lactobacillus delbrueckii NII 0925 was used to provide lactic acid. FTIR and 1H NMR analyses revealed that the PHB extracted from pure culture and mixed culture showed exact match to that of standard PHB. Biodegradation studies of the PHB blends showed 87% degradation. It was also found that a consortium of organisms degraded the films faster than a single organism.

  2. Current and past strategies for bacterial culture in clinical microbiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagier, Jean-Christophe; Edouard, Sophie; Pagnier, Isabelle; Mediannikov, Oleg; Drancourt, Michel; Raoult, Didier

    2015-01-01

    A pure bacterial culture remains essential for the study of its virulence, its antibiotic susceptibility, and its genome sequence in order to facilitate the understanding and treatment of caused diseases. The first culture conditions empirically varied incubation time, nutrients, atmosphere, and temperature; culture was then gradually abandoned in favor of molecular methods. The rebirth of culture in clinical microbiology was prompted by microbiologists specializing in intracellular bacteria. The shell vial procedure allowed the culture of new species of Rickettsia. The design of axenic media for growing fastidious bacteria such as Tropheryma whipplei and Coxiella burnetii and the ability of amoebal coculture to discover new bacteria constituted major advances. Strong efforts associating optimized culture media, detection methods, and a microaerophilic atmosphere allowed a dramatic decrease of the time of Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture. The use of a new versatile medium allowed an extension of the repertoire of archaea. Finally, to optimize the culture of anaerobes in routine bacteriology laboratories, the addition of antioxidants in culture media under an aerobic atmosphere allowed the growth of strictly anaerobic species. Nevertheless, among usual bacterial pathogens, the development of axenic media for the culture of Treponema pallidum or Mycobacterium leprae remains an important challenge that the patience and innovations of cultivators will enable them to overcome. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  3. Preparation of pure phenols from tars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meyer, J

    1929-06-18

    A process is disclosed for preparing pure phenols from brown coal and shale tar, characterized in that the alkaline extract obtained from the tar is oxidized and concurrently the alkaline solution is separated from the existing impurities by heating with steam at high temperature, which finally reaches at least 150/sup 0/C.

  4. Controlled synthesis of phase-pure zeolitic imidazolate framework Co-ZIF-9

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Öztürk, Z.; Hofmann, J.P.; Lutz, M.; Mazaj, M.; Zabukovec Logar, N.; Weckhuysen, B.M.

    2015-01-01

    The synthesis of phase-pure Co-ZIF-9, an important cobalt-based zeolitic imidazolate framework, could be achieved by modification of the reported synthesis procedure through pH adjustment of the starting synthesis mixture. The phase-pure Co-ZIF-9 material obtained has been characterized by a

  5. Microbial culture selection for bio-hydrogen production from waste ground wheat by dark fermentation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Argun, Hidayet; Kargi, Fikret; Kapdan, Ilgi K. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, Buca, Izmir (Turkey)

    2009-03-15

    Hydrogen formation performances of different anaerobic bacteria were investigated in batch dark fermentation of waste wheat powder solution (WPS). Serum bottles containing wheat powder were inoculated with pure cultures of Clostridium acetobutylicum (CAB), Clostridium butyricum (CB), Enterobacter aerogenes (EA), heat-treated anaerobic sludge (ANS) and a mixture of those cultures (MIX). Cumulative hydrogen formation (CHF), hydrogen yield (HY) and specific hydrogen production rate (SHPR) were determined for every culture. The heat-treated anaerobic sludge was found to be the most effective culture with a cumulative hydrogen formation of 560 ml, hydrogen yield of 223 ml H{sub 2} g{sup -1} starch and a specific hydrogen production rate of 32.1 ml H{sub 2} g{sup -1} h{sup -1}. (author)

  6. Pure endmember extraction using robust kernel archetypoid analysis for hyperspectral imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Weiwei; Yang, Gang; Wu, Ke; Li, Weiyue; Zhang, Dianfa

    2017-09-01

    A robust kernel archetypoid analysis (RKADA) method is proposed to extract pure endmembers from hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The RKADA assumes that each pixel is a sparse linear mixture of all endmembers and each endmember corresponds to a real pixel in the image scene. First, it improves the re8gular archetypal analysis with a new binary sparse constraint, and the adoption of the kernel function constructs the principal convex hull in an infinite Hilbert space and enlarges the divergences between pairwise pixels. Second, the RKADA transfers the pure endmember extraction problem into an optimization problem by minimizing residual errors with the Huber loss function. The Huber loss function reduces the effects from big noises and outliers in the convergence procedure of RKADA and enhances the robustness of the optimization function. Third, the random kernel sinks for fast kernel matrix approximation and the two-stage algorithm for optimizing initial pure endmembers are utilized to improve its computational efficiency in realistic implementations of RKADA, respectively. The optimization equation of RKADA is solved by using the block coordinate descend scheme and the desired pure endmembers are finally obtained. Six state-of-the-art pure endmember extraction methods are employed to make comparisons with the RKADA on both synthetic and real Cuprite HSI datasets, including three geometrical algorithms vertex component analysis (VCA), alternative volume maximization (AVMAX) and orthogonal subspace projection (OSP), and three matrix factorization algorithms the preconditioning for successive projection algorithm (PreSPA), hierarchical clustering based on rank-two nonnegative matrix factorization (H2NMF) and self-dictionary multiple measurement vector (SDMMV). Experimental results show that the RKADA outperforms all the six methods in terms of spectral angle distance (SAD) and root-mean-square-error (RMSE). Moreover, the RKADA has short computational times in offline

  7. Multimedia programming with pure data

    CERN Document Server

    Chung, Bryan

    2013-01-01

    A quick and comprehensive tutorial book for media designers to jump-start interactive multimedia production with computer graphics, digital audio, digital video, and interactivity, using the Pure Data graphical programming environment.An introductory book on multimedia programming for media artists/designers who like to work on interactivity in their projects, digital art/design students who like to learn the first multimedia programming technique, and audio-visual performers who like to customize their performance sets

  8. On the question of pure or applied research in developing countries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sioshansi, P.; Lodhi, A.S.; Payrovan, H.

    1977-01-01

    One particular approach to the question of pure versus applied research is discussed in this article. It is pointed out how a modest applied research project has been initiated in this laboratory and how this line of work has subsequently developed to include pure research in related areas

  9. Melanin Transfer in Human 3D Skin Equivalents Generated Exclusively from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gledhill, Karl; Guo, Zongyou; Umegaki-Arao, Noriko; Higgins, Claire A; Itoh, Munenari; Christiano, Angela M

    2015-01-01

    The current utility of 3D skin equivalents is limited by the fact that existing models fail to recapitulate the cellular complexity of human skin. They often contain few cell types and no appendages, in part because many cells found in the skin are difficult to isolate from intact tissue and cannot be expanded in culture. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) present an avenue by which we can overcome this issue due to their ability to be differentiated into multiple cell types in the body and their unlimited growth potential. We previously reported generation of the first human 3D skin equivalents from iPSC-derived fibroblasts and iPSC-derived keratinocytes, demonstrating that iPSCs can provide a foundation for modeling a complex human organ such as skin. Here, we have increased the complexity of this model by including additional iPSC-derived melanocytes. Epidermal melanocytes, which are largely responsible for skin pigmentation, represent the second most numerous cell type found in normal human epidermis and as such represent a logical next addition. We report efficient melanin production from iPSC-derived melanocytes and transfer within an entirely iPSC-derived epidermal-melanin unit and generation of the first functional human 3D skin equivalents made from iPSC-derived fibroblasts, keratinocytes and melanocytes.

  10. Melanin Transfer in Human 3D Skin Equivalents Generated Exclusively from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl Gledhill

    Full Text Available The current utility of 3D skin equivalents is limited by the fact that existing models fail to recapitulate the cellular complexity of human skin. They often contain few cell types and no appendages, in part because many cells found in the skin are difficult to isolate from intact tissue and cannot be expanded in culture. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs present an avenue by which we can overcome this issue due to their ability to be differentiated into multiple cell types in the body and their unlimited growth potential. We previously reported generation of the first human 3D skin equivalents from iPSC-derived fibroblasts and iPSC-derived keratinocytes, demonstrating that iPSCs can provide a foundation for modeling a complex human organ such as skin. Here, we have increased the complexity of this model by including additional iPSC-derived melanocytes. Epidermal melanocytes, which are largely responsible for skin pigmentation, represent the second most numerous cell type found in normal human epidermis and as such represent a logical next addition. We report efficient melanin production from iPSC-derived melanocytes and transfer within an entirely iPSC-derived epidermal-melanin unit and generation of the first functional human 3D skin equivalents made from iPSC-derived fibroblasts, keratinocytes and melanocytes.

  11. chemf: A purely functional chemistry toolkit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höck, Stefan; Riedl, Rainer

    2012-12-20

    Although programming in a type-safe and referentially transparent style offers several advantages over working with mutable data structures and side effects, this style of programming has not seen much use in chemistry-related software. Since functional programming languages were designed with referential transparency in mind, these languages offer a lot of support when writing immutable data structures and side-effects free code. We therefore started implementing our own toolkit based on the above programming paradigms in a modern, versatile programming language. We present our initial results with functional programming in chemistry by first describing an immutable data structure for molecular graphs together with a couple of simple algorithms to calculate basic molecular properties before writing a complete SMILES parser in accordance with the OpenSMILES specification. Along the way we show how to deal with input validation, error handling, bulk operations, and parallelization in a purely functional way. At the end we also analyze and improve our algorithms and data structures in terms of performance and compare it to existing toolkits both object-oriented and purely functional. All code was written in Scala, a modern multi-paradigm programming language with a strong support for functional programming and a highly sophisticated type system. We have successfully made the first important steps towards a purely functional chemistry toolkit. The data structures and algorithms presented in this article perform well while at the same time they can be safely used in parallelized applications, such as computer aided drug design experiments, without further adjustments. This stands in contrast to existing object-oriented toolkits where thread safety of data structures and algorithms is a deliberate design decision that can be hard to implement. Finally, the level of type-safety achieved by Scala highly increased the reliability of our code as well as the productivity of

  12. Eco-Cities: Possible or Purely Utopian?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-12-01

    00-2009 to 00-00-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Eco-Cities: Possible or Purely Utopian? 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT...2005, Disney modified their building plans for Hong Kong Disneyland by shifting the angle of the front gate by twelve degrees in order to abide by

  13. Critical current of pure SNS junctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Golub, A.A.; Bezzub, O.P.

    1982-01-01

    Boundary conditions at the superconductor-normal metal interface are determined, taking into account the differences in the effective masses and the density of states of the metals constituting the transition and assumed to be pure. The potential barrier of the interface is chosen to be zero. The critical current of the junction is calculated [ru

  14. Acute guttate psoriasis patients have positive streptococcus hemolyticus throat cultures and elevated antistreptococcal M6 protein titers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Guang; Feng, Xiaoling; Na, Aihua; Yongqiang, Jiang; Cai, Qing; Kong, Jian; Ma, Huijun

    2005-02-01

    To further study the role of Streptococci hemolyticus infection and streptococcal M6 protein in the pathogenesis of acute guttate psoriasis, streptococcal cultures were taken from the throats of 68 patients with acute guttate psoriasis. PCR technique was applied to detect M6 protein encoding DNA from those cultured streptococci. Pure M6 protein was obtained by Sephacry/S-200HR and Mono-Q chromatography from proliferated Streptococcus hemolyticus. Antistreptococcal M6 protein titers were measured in the serum of patients with acute guttate psoriasis, plaque psoriasis and healthy controls by ELISA. A high incidence of Streptococcus hemolyticus culture was observed in the guttate psoriatic group compared with the plaque psoriasis and control groups. Fourteen strains of Streptococcus hemolyticus were cultured from the throats of 68 acute guttate psoriasis patients. Of these, 5 strains contain DNA encoding the M6 protein gene as confirmed by PCR technique. More than 85% purification of M6 protein was obtained from Streptococcus pyogenes. Applying our pure M6 protein with the ELISA methods, we found that the titer of antistreptococcal M6 protein was significantly higher in the serum of guttate psoriasis patients than in the control or plaque psoriasis groups (P M6 protein in their sera.

  15. Long-term follow-up of patients undergoing autologous noncultured melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation for vitiligo and other leukodermas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silpa-Archa, Narumol; Griffith, James L; Huggins, Richard H; Henderson, Marsha D; Kerr, Holly A; Jacobsen, Gordon; Mulekar, Sanjeev V; Lim, Henry W; Hamzavi, Iltefat H

    2017-08-01

    Persistence of pigmentation after a melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation procedure (MKTP) is an important consideration for efficacy. We sought to determine long-term repigmentation of MKTP in vitiligo and other leukodermas. A retrospective review of electronic medical records was conducted for all MKTPs performed at Henry Ford Hospital between January 2009 and April 2014. Repigmentation was assessed by a 5-point grading scale (poor to excellent) and Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI). One hundred patients had MKTP performed at 236 anatomically-based lesions (ABLs); 63 patients with 157 ABLs had long-term data available (12-72 months; median, 24 months). Segmental vitiligo, nonsegmental vitiligo, and physical leukoderma demonstrated improvement in VASI scores: -75.6 ± 24.6%, -59.2 ± 36.6%, and -32.4 ± 33.5%, respectively. In vitiligo, at 24, 48, and 72 months after MKTP, 53%, 64%, and 53% of ABLs, respectively, maintained >75% repigmentation. Skin phototype, age, and anatomic location of ABLs had no significant effect on the outcome of treatment. Limitations of the study include the retrospective design with uncontrolled, postoperative adjuvant treatments and inconsistent compliance to scheduled follow-up evaluations. MKTP provides satisfactory long-term repigmentation in the majority of appropriately selected patients with leukoderma. MKTP can maintain repigmentation for at least 72 months. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Critical opalescence in the pure Coulomb system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bobrov, V.B., E-mail: vic5907@mail.r [Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Izhorskaia St., 13, Bd. 2. Moscow 125412 (Russian Federation); Trigger, S.A., E-mail: satron@mail.r [Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Izhorskaia St., 13, Bd. 2. Moscow 125412 (Russian Federation); Institut fuer Physik, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Newtonstrasse 15, D-12489 Berlin (Germany)

    2011-04-18

    Highlights: The review of the critical opalescence problem is presented. Light scattering in a two-component electron-nuclear system is studied. The exact relations between the structure factors and compressibility are found. The obtained relations are valid for strong interaction for the Coulomb systems. The experimental verification of these relations is possible for various elements. - Abstract: Based on the dielectric formalism and quantum field theory methods, the phenomenon of critical opalescence is explained for light scattering in pure matter as a two-component electron-nuclear system with Coulomb interaction. A similar phenomenon is shown to occur in the case of neutron scattering in pure substances as well. The obtained results are valid for quantum case and arbitrary strong Coulomb interaction. Thus, the relations between structure factors derived for the electron-nuclear system are the exact result of the quantum statistical mechanics.

  17. (Invited) Pure Dopant Deposition of B and Ga for Ultrashallow Junctions in Si-based Devices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nanver, L.K.; Sammak, A.; Mohammadi, V.; Mok, K.R.C.; Qi, L.; Sakic, A.; Golshani, N.; Darakhshandeh, J.; Scholtes, T.M.L.; De Boer, W.B.

    2012-01-01

    Envisioning wide future relevance, work is reviewed here on the pure dopant deposition of boron (PureB), gallium (PureGa) and the combination of the two (PureGaB), as used in the fabrication of nanometer shallow p+n Si and/or Ge diodes. Focus is placed on the special properties that have put these

  18. Transgastric pure-NOTES peritoneoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography for staging of gastrointestinal cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Donatsky, Anders Meller; Vilmann, Peter; Meisner, Søren

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Human natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has mainly been based on simultaneous laparoscopic assistance (hybrid NOTES), forgoing the theoretical benefits of the NOTES technique. This is due to a lack of NOTES-specific instruments and endoscopes, making pure-NOTES...... procedures difficult and time consuming. An area where pure NOTES could be adopted at its present stage of development is minimally invasive staging of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of combining transgastric (TG) pure-NOTES peritoneoscopy...... and intraperitoneal endoscopic ultrasonography (ip-EUS) with intraluminal EUS (il-EUS) for peritoneal evaluation. METHODS: This was a feasibility and survival study where il-EUS followed by ip-EUS and peritoneoscopy was performed in 10 pigs subjected to TG pure NOTES. A score was given with regard to achieved...

  19. The b ghost of the pure spinor formalism is nilpotent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chandia, Osvaldo, E-mail: osvaldo.chandia@uai.c [Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales and Facultad de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago (Chile)

    2011-01-10

    The ghost for world-sheet reparametrization invariance is not a fundamental field in the pure spinor formalism. It is written as a combination of pure spinor variables which have conformal dimension two and such that it commutes with the BRST operator to give the world-sheet stress tensor. We show that the ghost variable defined in this way is nilpotent since the OPE of b with itself does not have singularities.

  20. Model answers in pure mathematics for a-level students

    CERN Document Server

    Pratt, GA; Schofield, C W

    1967-01-01

    Model Answers in Pure Mathematics for A-Level Students provides a set of solutions that indicate what is required and expected in an Advanced Level examination in Pure Mathematics. This book serves as a guide to the length of answer required, layout of the solution, and methods of selecting the best approach to any particular type of math problem. This compilation intends to supplement, not replace, the normal textbook and provides a varied selection of questions for practice in addition to the worked solutions. The subjects covered in this text include algebra, trigonometry, coordinate geomet