A Method for Determining the Activity State of Hair Follicles

A histological method is described for determining the proportion of growing hair follicles h skin samples. A variation of the Sacpic staining method, modified for bulk processing, produces high contrast staining of the principal tissue types present in skin. In particular, the inner root sheath is accentuated, facilitating detection of active follicles. Skin preparations from a range of species are used to illustrate structural characteristics of follicles viewed in cross section at various stages of the hair cycle and to establish criteria for classification of the state of activity of follicles. The hair cycle may be divided into quiescent and active states at the points of rapid transition (early pronanagen and mid catagen). Data from repeated skin biopsies from ferrets and goats are also used to demonstrate quantitative estimation of follicle activity, change in compound follicle size, and the relationship between follicle type and fiber medullation.     

Isolation of RNA from apple skin

A method has been developed for the isolation of RNA from apple skin. The method involves an adaptation of the Manning (1991) method and includes a high-salt extraction step and a final purification step through a CsCl cushion. The RNA isolated was of high quality and produced good hybridization signals in northern blot analyses.     

The effect of treating seed potato tubers with benzimidazole, imidazole and phenylpyrrole fungicides on the control of rot and skin blemish diseases

Over 6 yr the effectiveness of imazalil, prochloraz and fenpiclonil, applied either alone or in a mixture, in controlling gangrene, dry rot, skin spot and silver scurf on potato tubers in store was compared with that of 2-aminobutane and thiabendazole. An assessment was also made of their efficiency in controlling the development of these diseases on the daughter tubers of seed tubers treated at harvest or before planting. Overall, 2-aminobutane was more effective in controlling gangrene (Phoma foveata) in store than the spray-applied fungicides. Deposits of imazalil, thiabendazole and fenpiclonil were greater when sprays were applied with an electrostatic sprayer than with a hydraulic sprayer. The opposite was found with the mixture of prochloraz Mn and tolclofos-methyl. More effective gangrene control was associated with the highest deposits. Fenpiclonil and the mixture of thiabendazole and imazalil were more effective in controlling dry rot (Fusarium solani var. coeruleum) than imazalil alone. The development of dry rot was, however, increased by 2-aminobutane treatment on eight out of 14 stocks. 2-aminobutane gave the greatest reduction (83%) in the severity of skin spot during storage whereas thiabendazole alone, and the mixture of thiabendazole and imazalil, gave mean reductions of 70% and 65% respectively. This mixture and fenpiclonil gave the greatest reduction in the severity of silver scurf although, in general, reductions in silver scurf with fungicide treatment were less than with skin spot. The type of sprayer used to apply a fungicide did not affect the effectiveness of the fungicides in controlling either skin spot or silver scurf on tubers in store, or on the daughter tubers. The incidence of gangrene and dry rot on daughter tubers was not reduced consistently by fungicide treatment of seed tubers of the six stocks tested. However, the severity of skin spot and silver scurf was reduced by fungicide treatments of all eight stocks but the reduction in disease was greater for skin spot than for silver scurf. All fungicides gave reductions in the severity of skin spot, and fenpiclonil and the mixture of thiabendazole and imazalil were the most effective for silver scurf. The effectiveness of the fungicides in controlling these diseases was similar for seed treated at harvest and that treated before planting.     

Cloned goats (Capra hircus) from adult ear cells

The average number of available oocytes recovered per ovary collected during the breeding season in dairy goats was 5.5 (1815/330). 66.17% (1201/1815) of oocytes extruded the first polar body after maturation in vitro for 20 h. 75.44% (906/1201) of matured oocytes with membrane evagination around the MII chromosomes were enucleated. Ear skin fibroblast cells were derived from an adult female dining Grey goat (C. hircus). The cells were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen after passage 2. Thawed cells were further cultured for 3-6 passages and were subjected to serum starvation by 0.5% FBS for 2-10 d, then used as donor cells for nuclear transfer. 98.12% (889/906) of the enucleated oocytes were reconstructed by intracytoplasmic injection of karyoplast. The reconstructed embryos were activated by 5μ mol/L ionomycin for 4.5 min and further activated by culturing with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 3 h. After 36 h of culture in mCR1aaBF, 76.69% (645/841) of the cloned embryos cleaved. There were no signifi     

股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣对手外伤组织缺损修复的应用效果及对创面愈合程度的影响

摘要 目的：探讨股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣对手外伤组织缺损修复的应用效果及对创面愈合程度的影响。方法：选取我院2018年12月到2020年12月共收治的119例手外伤组织缺损患者作为研究对象,随机分为2组,分别为对照组（n=59,应用胸腹带蒂皮瓣修复术）和观察组（n=60,应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣修复术）。对比两组患者治疗优良率,对比两组患者治疗前后手部创面面积、创面愈合程度以及组织愈合时间,对比两组患者治疗后的Jamar握力、TAM和DASH评分情况,对比两组患者的皮瓣成活率、皮瓣危象率和血管吻合时间。结果：通过对比两组患者治疗优良率发现,观察组患者优的人数为21例、良为35例,优良率为93.33%,对照组患者优的人数为16例,良为30例,优良率为77.97%,观察组高于对照组（P＜0.05）;治疗后,与对照组相比,观察组患者的手部创面面积、组织愈合时间和DASH评分显著减少,创面愈合程度以及TAM与Jamar握力显著增加（P＜0.05）;通过对比两组患者的皮瓣成活率、术后皮瓣危象率以及血管吻合时间发现,两组患者的术后皮瓣危象率、血管吻合时间对比无明显差异（P＞0.05）,两组患者的术后皮瓣成活率对比差异显著,观察组明显高于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论：对手外伤组织缺损患者应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣修复术均具有明显的修复效果,但是应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣能够提升治疗效果,提升患者创面愈合程度减少愈合时间,提升患者手部运动情况,提升术后皮瓣成活率,值得临床应用推广。     

Synthesis and biological evaluations of oleanolic acid indole derivatives as hyaluronidase inhibitors with enhanced skin permeability

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a natural cosmeceutical compound with various skin beneficial activities including inhibitory effect on hyaluronidase but the anti-hyaluronidase activity and mechanisms of action of its synthetic analogues remain unclear. Herein, a series of OA derivatives were synthesised and evaluated for their inhibitory effects on hyaluronidase. Compared to OA, an induction of fluorinated (6c) and chlorinated (6g) indole moieties led to enhanced anti-hyaluronidase activity (IC₅₀ = 80.3 vs. 9.97 and 9.57 µg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, spectroscopic and computational studies revealed that 6c and 6g can bind to hyaluronidase protein and alter its secondary structure leading to reduced enzyme activity. In addition, OA indole derivatives showed feasible skin permeability in a slightly acidic environment (pH = 6.5) and 6c exerted skin protective effect by reducing cellular reactive oxygen species in human skin keratinocytes. Findings from the current study support that OA indole derivatives are potential cosmeceuticals with anti-hyaluronidase activity.     

Genetic analysis of Pycr1 and Pycr2 in mice

The final step in proline biosynthesis is catalyzed by three pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductases, PYCR1, PYCR2, and PYCR3, which convert pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) to proline. Mutations in human PYCR1 and ALDH18A1 (P5C Synthetase) cause Cutis Laxa (CL), whereas mutations in PYCR2 cause hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 10 (HLD10). Here, we investigated the genetics of Pycr1 and Pycr2 in mice. A null allele of Pycr1 did not show integument or CL-related phenotypes. We also studied a novel chemically-induced mutation in Pycr2. Mice with recessive loss-of-function mutations in Pycr2 showed phenotypes consistent with neurological and neuromuscular disorders, including weight loss, kyphosis, and hind-limb clasping. The peripheral nervous system was largely unaffected, with only mild axonal atrophy in peripheral nerves. A severe loss of subcutaneous fat in Pycr2 mutant mice is reminiscent of a CL-like phenotype, but primary features such as elastin abnormalities were not observed. Aged Pycr2 mutant mice had reduced white blood cell counts and altered lipid metabolism, suggesting a generalized metabolic disorder. PYCR1 and -2 have similar enzymatic and cellular activities, and consistent with previous studies, both were localized in the mitochondria in fibroblasts. Both PYCR1 and -2 were able to complement the loss of Pro3, the yeast enzyme that converts P5C to proline, confirming their activity as P5C reductases. In mice, Pycr1; Pycr2 double mutants were sub-viable and unhealthy compared to either single mutant, indicating the genes are largely functionally redundant. Proline levels were not reduced, and precursors were not increased in serum from Pycr2 mutant mice or in lysates from skin fibroblast cultures, but placing Pycr2 mutant mice on a proline-free diet worsened the phenotype. Thus, Pycr1 and -2 have redundant functions in proline biosynthesis, and their loss makes proline a semi-essential amino acid. These findings have implications for understanding the genetics of CL and HLD10, and for modeling these disorders in mice.     

The small Rho GTPase Rac1 controls normal human dermal fibroblasts proliferation with phosphorylation of the oncoprotein c-myc

Proliferation of dermal fibroblasts is crucial for the maintenance of skin. The small Rho GTPase, Rac1, has been identified as a key transducer of proliferative signals in various cell types, but in normal human dermal fibroblasts its significance to cell growth control has not been studied. In this study, we applied the method of RNA interference to suppress endogenous Rac1 expression and examined the consequences on human skin fibroblasts. Rac1 knock-down resulted in inhibition of DNA synthesis. This effect was not mediated by inhibition of the central transducer of proliferative stimuli, ERK1/2 or by activation of the pro-apoptotic p38. Rather, as a consequence of the suppressed Rac1 expression we observed a significant decrease in phosphorylation of c-myc, revealing for the first time that in human fibroblasts Rac1 exerts control on proliferation through c-myc phosphorylation. Thus Rac1 activates proliferation of normal fibroblasts through stimulation of c-myc phosphorylation without affecting ERK1/2 activity.     

Comparison of molecular species of various transphosphatidylated phosphatidylserine (PS) with bovine cortex PS by mass spectrometry

The exogenous introduction of a molecular species mixture of bovine cortex phosphatidylserine (BC-PS) has been claimed to improve memory function in subjects suffering from age-associated memory impairment and dementia. However, it has been also reported that oral administration of another molecular species mixture of transphosphatidylated-soybean phosphatidylserine (T-Soy-PS) showed a little effect in older individuals with memory complaints. In this study, a new type of mixture of transphosphatidylated-fish liver phosphatidylserine (T-FL-PS) species, as well as intact molecular species of the two commercial products of T-Soy-PS made in the United States and Europe, were characterized by mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry, and molecular species of various transphosphatidylated PSs, including T-FL-PS, T-Soy-PS and transphosphatidylated-squid skin phosphatidylserine (T-SS-PS) were then compared with those of BC-PS for the first time. The results show that (i) the presence of a relatively high content of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-containing species (more than 45%) is remarkable in T-FL-PS, (ii) DHA-ether PS species are found only in T-FL-PS, especially the species (about 17%) made from marine fish liver, rather than BC-PS and T-SS-PS, and (iii) DHA species present in both T-FL-PS and T-SS-PS are significantly enriched, compared with those in BC-PS (about 10%) and T-Soy-PS (no DHA species). We conclude that mixtures of T-FL-PS and T-SS-PS species are considered to be qualified alternatives of BC-PS supplement used as brain nutrients. It is expected that intact structural information on molecular species in current and potential transphosphatidylated PS products provided here will be useful in the further study and development of therapeutic roles of the phospholipid at molecular species level.