Brief history of the Society for Melanoma Research: A community of clinicians,researchers, and friends

To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Society of Melanoma Research and the first International Melanoma Research Congress held in June of 2003, we have described in brief, how the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) began, the purpose, goals, and governance of the SMR, and how the society has evolved to support new melanoma researchers. In celebration of the immense progress in treating melanoma patients over the last 20 years and the impact of the SMR on these advances, we have highlighted memories and insight from early SMR members and founders.     

Progress in melanoma treatment: Patient's perspectives

Upon the 20th Anniversary of the Society for Melanoma Research, we highlight the perspectives of patients aiming to help improve future experiences, outcomes, and their quality of life over the next 20 years. Five melanoma patients generously shared their inspiring and enlightening stories of diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Many patients had excellent medical teams that synergistically worked together to provide an accurate diagnosis, effective treatment options, and supportive care. However, it is clear that health inequities persist in communities where people of color are predominant, affecting early detection, patient experience, and outcomes. These stories shed light on the unique challenges faced by patients and how the lack of melanoma awareness and adequate resources, especially in communities of color or low socioeconomic status, can contribute to disparate outcomes in melanoma care. We expect that these stories will raise awareness about the progress in melanoma treatment but also the existent disparities in melanoma diagnosis and treatment and the importance of early detection and prevention.     

Diversity,equity, and inclusion in the melanoma research community

The inaugural Diversity and Inclusion in Science Session was held during the 2021 Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) congress. The goal of the session was to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in the melanoma research community and strategies to promote the advancement of underrepresented melanoma researchers. An international survey was conducted to assess the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) climate among researchers and clinicians within the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR). The findings suggest there are feelings and experiences of inequity, bias, and harassment within the melanoma community that correlate with one's gender, ethnic/racial group, and/or geographic location. Notably, significant reports of inequity in opportunity, discrimination, and sexual harassment demonstrate there is much work remaining to ensure all scientists in our community experience an academic workplace culture built on mutual respect, fair access, inclusion, and equitable opportunity.     

Novel Miscanthus hybrids: Modelling productivity on marginal land in Europe using dynamics of canopy development determined by light interception

New biomass crop hybrids for bioeconomic expansion require yield projections to determine their potential for strategic land use planning in the face of global challenges. Our biomass growth simulation incorporates radiation interception and conversion efficiency. Models often use leaf area to predict interception which is demanding to determine accurately, so instead we use low-cost rapid light interception measurements using a simple laboratory-made line ceptometer and relate the dynamics of canopy closure to thermal time, and to measurements of biomass. We apply the model to project the European biomass potentials of new market-ready hybrids for 2020–2030. Field measurements are easier to collect, the calibration is seasonally dynamic and reduces influence of weather variation between field sites. The model obtained is conservative, being calibrated by crops of varying establishment and varying maturity on less productive (marginal) land. This results in conservative projections of miscanthus hybrids for 2020–2030 based on 10% land use conversion of the least (productive) grassland and arable for farm diversification, which show a European potential of 80.7–89.7 Mt year⁻¹ biomass, with potential for 1.2–1.3 EJ year⁻¹ energy and 36.3–40.3 Mt year⁻¹ carbon capture, with seeded Miscanthus sacchariflorus × sinensis displaying highest yield potential. Simulated biomass projections must be viewed in light of the field measurements on less productive land with high soil water deficits. We are attempting to model the results from an ambitious and novel project combining new hybrids across Europe with agronomy which has not been perfected on less productive sites. Nevertheless, at the time of energy sourcing issues, seed-propagated miscanthus hybrids for the upscaled provision of bioenergy offer an alternative source of renewable energy. If European countries provide incentives for growers to invest, seeded hybrids can improve product availability and biomass yields over the current commercial miscanthus variety.     

The distance dependence prediction of the Janzen-Connell hypothesis: a meta-analysis

The Janzen-Connell hypothesis explains the maintenance of tropical diversity through the interacting effects of parent-centered dispersal patterns and distance- and density-dependent propagule survival. These effects were thought to support regular spacing of species within tropical forest, enhancing diversity. One of the predictions of the hypothesis is that seed and seedling survival should improve with increased parental distance. Although there are many independent tests of this hypothesis for individual species, there are few synthetic studies that have brought these data together to test its validity across species. This paper reports the results of a meta-analysis of the effect of distance on enhancing propagule survival, employing an odds-ratio effect size metric. We found no general support for the distance-dependent prediction of the hypothesis, and conclude that further testing to explore this hypothesis as a diversity-maintaining mechanism is unnecessary. However, we did find that distance from parent slightly reduces survivorship in the temperate zone, as contrasted with the tropics, and we saw stronger evidence in support of the hypothesis for seedlings than for seeds. The phenomenon of enhanced propagule survival with distance from the parent may be important for the population biology of particular species, but it is not a general phenomenon across communities, life history stages or life forms.     

Nest site selection by yellow-faced honeyeaters Lichenostomus chrysops

When choosing subsequent nest sites, species that produce multiple broods in a single breeding season have the option of dispersing from a site where they previously suffered depredation, i.e., a predator-avoidance tactic. In our study on yellow-faced honeyeaters Lichenostomus chrysops it was found that 89% of nest failures were attributed to nest depredation, the primary cause of reproductive failure. Pairs re-nested further from depredated nesting attempts than from successful nesting attempts and progressively higher above the ground as the breeding season progressed. Pairs nesting in dioecious Coprosma quadrifida plants only nested in non-fruiting male plants. Artificial nests were used to test the hypothesis that nest height and plant preferences were strategies to reduce the risk of depredation. There was no evidence that either higher nests or nests in non-fruiting C. quadrifida achieved reduced levels of depredation during 14 days of artificial nest exposure. Specific nest site characteristics were not found to be associated with nest outcome for either natural or artificial nests. Our study provides further evidence that species may choose a diverse range of nest sites in order to avoid predators from developing specific search images and then, following depredation, compensate by rapidly re-nesting away from the failed attempt.     

Behavioral responses of a sex-role reversed pipefish to a gradient of perceived predation risk

Conspicuous behaviors such as courtship and mating often makeanimals susceptible to predation. When perceiving themselvesat an elevated level of risk, animals frequently reduce conspicuousbehaviors in tradeoff for a decrease in probability of beingpreyed upon. In the present study, we used two experiments toexamine the effect of perceived predation risk from cod (Gadusmorhud) on nonreproductive and reproductive behaviors in thesex-role reversed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle). In the firstexperiment, no differences due to predation risk were detectedin the nonreproductive behaviors of either males or females.In the second experiment, predation risk had significant effectson reproductive behaviors. Pipefish were allowed to court andcopulate at four different predation levels. We created predationlevels differing in perceived predation risk by controllingthe number of sensory modes through which pipefish could detectthe presence of a cod. As predation risk increased, pipefishcopulated and courted less frequently, swam alone (displayedand searched for conspecifics) less often, and waited longerbefore commencing courtship. These changes in behavior minimizedthe amount of time spent above the eelgrass and presumably reducedconspicuousness to visual predators. Pipefish also copulatedafter a smaller amount of courtship as predation risk increased,indicating that they may trade information concerning mate qualityfor a reduction in predation risk. No differences were foundin any response variable between males and females. The roleof operational sex ratios and intersexual competition in determiningwhich sex assumes greater costs in mate acquisition is questioned.     

Prostaglandin H Synthetase-Mediated Metabolism of Dopamine: Implication for Parkinson's Disease

Abstract: Differences in prostaglandin H synthetase (PHS) activity in the substantia nigra of age- and post-mortem interval-matched parkinsonian, Alzheimer's, and normal control brain tissue were assessed. Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂, an index of PHS activity) was higher in substantia nigra of parkinsonian brain tissue than Alzheimer's or control tissue. Incubation of substantia nigra slices with arachidonic acid (AA) increased PGE₂ synthesis. Dopamine stimulated PHS synthesis of PGE₂. [³H]Dopamine was activated by PHS to electrophilic intermediate(s) that covalently bound to DNA, microtubulin protein, bovine serum albumin, and sulfhydryl reagents. When AA was replaced by hydrogen peroxide, PHS/H₂O₂-supported binding proceeded at rates similar to those observed with PHS/AA. Indomethacin and aspirin inhibited AA-mediated cooxidation of dopamine but not H₂O₂-mediated metabolism. PHS-mediated metabolism of dopamine was not affected by monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Substrate requirements and effects of specific inhibitors suggest cooxidation of dopamine is mediated by the hydroperoxidase activity of PHS. ³²P-postlabeling was used to detect dopamine-DNA adducts. PHS/AA activation of dopamine in the presence of DNA resulted in the formation of five dopamine-DNA adducts, i.e., 23, 43, 114, 70, and 270 amol/µg DNA. DNA adduct formation was PHS, AA, and dopamine dependent. PHS catalyzed cooxidation of dopamine in dopaminergic neuronal degeneration is discussed.