GENETIC BASIS AND EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE OF VENTRAL SKIN COLOR MARKINGS IN NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES (EUBALAENA GLACIALIS)

Approximately one third of the North Atlantic right whale population has white ventral skin patches. Most white-marked animals have both a belly and a chin patch, and the distribution of white pigment suggests that the patches represent a single ventral marking that varies in size and location. Population frequencies and cow-calf inheritance patterns indicate that the white mark is an autosomal recessive trait. There is no evidence to suggest that ventral coloration patterns are currently under selection. White-marked and black cows appear to experience similar levels of reproductive success based on calving intervals and length of sighting histories. Also, white-marked animals were equally common among cows and nulliparous adult females and among live vs. dead animals. Male reproductive success could not be tested because calf paternity is not known; white-marked and black males exhibit similar survival rates. White-marked cows were more common among females that took some or all of their calves to the Bay of Fundy summer nursery area compared to females that did not visit Fundy. This suggests that female habitat-use patterns may influence nuclear gene flow. Increased sample sizes and additional markers are needed to further investigate gene flow.     

Elemental composition changes between breast tissue with and without silicone gel sheeting and hypertrophic scar tissue

Hypertrophic scars occur after dermal trauma and are characterized by being elevated above normal skin level as a result of an abundance of collagen. The application of silicone gel sheeting (SGS) has been found to be an effective method of treatment, causing them to regress much quicker than they would do naturally. Normal skin and hypertrophic scar tissue were characterized using proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Skin tissue that had been covered in SGS was also analyzed. For each element and sample type, the concentrations in the epidermis were plotted against the dermis. By considering the concentrations of breast tissue with and without SGS, it could be seen if the SGS changed the compositional structure of the skin. It was found that for the elements P, S, Cl, and K the SGS has no effect on the structure of the skin, as both breast types (with and without SGS) have regression lines that overlap. However, this work shows that there are significant differences for P in the dermis and Cl in the epidermis between the breast tissue with SGS and its control. Therefore, this work shows that the effect the SGS has on concentration occurs similarly for both the epidermis and dermis.     

Zinc protects against ultraviolet A1-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in cultured human fibroblasts

Ultraviolet Al (UVA1) radiation generates reactive oxygen species and the oxidative stress is known as a mediator of DNA damage and of apoptosis. We exposed cultured human cutaneous fibroblasts to UVA1 radiation (wavelengths in the 340–450-nm range with emission peak at 365 nm) and, using the alkaline unwinding method, we showed an immediate significant increase of DNA strand breaks in exposed cells. Apoptosis was determined by detecting cytoplasmic nucleosomes (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method) at different time points in fibroblasts exposed to different irradiation doses. In our conditions, UVA1 radiation induced an early (8 h) and a delayed (18 h) apoptosis. Delayed apoptosis increased in a UVA dosedependent manner. Zinc is an important metal for DNA protection and has been shown to have inhibitory effects on apoptosis. The addition of zinc (6.5 mg/L) as zinc chloride to the culture medium significantly decreased immediate DNA strand breaks in human skin fibroblasts. Moreover, zinc chloride significantly decreased UVA1-induced early and delayed apoptosis. Thus, these data show for the first time in normal cutaneous cultured cells that UVA1 radiation induces apoptosis. This apoptosis is biphasic and appears higher 18 h after the stress. Zinc supplementation can prevent both immediate DNA strand breakage and early and delayed apoptosis, suggesting that this metal could be of interest for skin cell protection against UVA1 irradiation.     

Simplifying the phytohaemagglutinin skin-testing technique in studies of avian immunocompetence

1. Researchers involved in ecology and toxicology, as well as many other aspects of avian biology, use phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) skin testing as a means of evaluating the immune status of individuals.
2. Immune function, one measure of individual quality, can be used as a sensitive, non-lethal variable that may be negatively affected in animals exposed to degraded, contaminated or otherwise disturbed ecological zones.
3. Typically this test has been applied by challenging one wing web with the immunostimulant PHA, while the other 'control' wing is injected with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Injection sites on the wing web are measured before and 24 h after injection with PHA or PBS. The immune response is considered to be the difference between the two wings.
4. Results from PHA skin tests conducted on 608 birds in seven studies representing passerines, waterfowl, upland game birds and raptors are examined.
5. Numerous advantages to eliminating the PBS injection as the experimental control are: (i) decrease by half, the time required for testing; (ii) decrease handling-related stress on the birds (proportional to handling time); (iii) reduce the probability of errors at injection time; (iv) spare the other wing for different tests or uses (e.g. tuberculin DTH testing); and (v) decrease the coefficient of variation that is due to measurement inaccuracies.
6. The only disadvantage identified is that hypersensitive individuals (outliers) could be missed, which in this case represents 2 of 608 individuals.     

Paramylon extracted from Euglena gracilis EOD-1 augmented the expression of SIRT1

Euglena gracilis, a type of microalgae, contains several nutrients and accumulates paramylon, a β-1,3-glucan. In recent studies, paramylon has shown to exhibit various activities including immunomoduratory and hepatoprotective effects. In the present study, using an in vitro cell culture system, we aimed to determine whether paramylon derived from the E. gracilis EOD-1 strain, which produces large amounts of paramylon, can augment SIRT1 expression in epidermal cells via activating gut–skin interactions. Results showed that paramylon augmented the expression of SIRT1 in Caco-2 cells, a human intestinal cell line. Furthermore, microarray analysis of Caco-2 cells treated with paramylon showed that paramylon activates epidermal cells through inducing the secretion of factors from intestinal cells. Then, we focused on skin cells as target cells of paramylon-activated intestinal cells. Results showed that secretory factors from Caco-2 cells treated with paramylon augmented the expression of SIRT1 in HaCaT cells, a human keratinocyte cell line, and that expression level of genes related to the growth and maintenance of epidermal cells were significantly changed in Caco-2 cells treated with paramylon as evidenced by microarray analysis. All these results suggest that paramylon can activate epidermal cells by inducing the production of secretory factors from intestinal cells.     

γ干扰素释放试验与结核菌素皮肤试验筛查预测活动性结核病的比较

为评估γ干扰素释放试验（T-SPOT ．TB）和结核菌素皮肤试验（TST ）在我国活动性肺结核病患者的家庭接触者中预测活动性结核病的能力,选取157例家庭接触者行T-SPOT ．TB和TST筛查,并前瞻性随访6年。将121例参与随访的家庭接触者纳入分析,T-SPOT ．TB阳性率为49．6％,与年龄﹝ OR＝1．03（95％CI 1．00～1．05）,P＝0．032﹞和接触菌阳患者﹝ OR＝2．13（95％ CI为1．01～4．51）,P＝0．048﹞呈正相关。TST≥5 mm和TST≥10 mm的接触者分别占57．5％和37．2％,其中TST≥10 mm与接触菌阳患者呈正相关﹝ OR＝2．30（95％ CI为1．05～5．06）,P＝0．038﹞。共随访626人年,7例发展为活动性结核病,发病率为11．0／1000人年。T-SPOT ．TB的阳性预测值（PPV）为8．3％,阴性预测值（NPV）为96．7％。TST≥5 mm和TST≥10 mm的PPV分别为7．7％和9．5％,NPV均为95．8％。总之,活动性肺结核病患者的家庭接触者发展为活动性结核病的风险高于一般人群,而T-SPOT ．TB与TST对活动性结核病的预测能力相当。     

Processing silk hydrogel and its applications in biomedical materials

This review mainly introduces the types of silk hydrogels, their processing methods, and applications. There are various methods for hydrogel preparation, and many new processes are being developed for various applications. Silk hydrogels can be used in cartilage tissue engineering, drug release materials, 3D scaffolds for cells, and artificial skin, among other applications because of their porous structure and high porosity and the large surface area for growth, migration, adhesion and proliferation of cells that the hydrogels provide. All of these advantages have made silk hydrogels increasingly attractive. In addition, silk hydrogels have wide prospects for application in the field of biomedical materials. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:630–640, 2015     

从苹果锈果病组织中分离到类病毒RNA分子的研究

用鉴定类病毒环状分子结构的双向聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳方法测定结果表明,在患有锈果、花脸、裂果等症状及不显症状的苹果锈果病成熟果中,存在着一种环状低分子量RNA,称之为ASSD-RNA-1,其分子量略小于马铃薯纺垂形块茎类病毒(PSTV),在病树枝条中除存在ASSD-RNA-1之外,还存在另一种环状分子,称为ASSD-RNA-2,其分子置比PSTV略大,在热力学上ASSD-RNA-2较ASSD-RNA-1稳定,变性温度前者高于后者,在成熟的病果中未检出ASSD-RNA-2,研究了患病组织核酸提取物的侵染性,提供了锈果病类病毒病毒病原的又一证据。     

人永生化角朊细胞表达干细胞表型的流式细胞术分析

观察人永生化角朊细胞系HaCaT细胞表达的几种干细胞表型,为以该细胞系构建人组织工程皮肤和进行基因操作提供相应的实验依据。方法:采用无血清培养基对HaCaT细胞进行培养,获取处于对数生长期的细胞进行直接荧光双标法、直接荧光单标法和间接荧光单标法以分别CD49fCD71、角蛋白K19、CD29和CD133,依托流式细胞仪检测上述抗原在HaCaT细胞的表达情况。结果:特异性较高的角朊干细胞表型CD49f D71-和K19 在HacaT细胞的百分率分别为16．6±2．8%和14．94±1．23%。CD29 HaCaT细胞为49．55±6．68%,可能包括了角朊干细胞和短暂扩增细胞。分别反映细胞黏附特性和增殖能力的CD49f HaCaT细胞和CD71 HaCaT细胞各占98．1±0．8%和82．1±3．9%。HaCaT细胞仅表达3．43±0．77%的干细胞表型CD133。结论:人永生化角朊细胞系HaCaT细胞的表型特征表明它具有较高的角朊干细胞和短暂扩增细胞比例以及很强的黏附基底膜特性和增殖能力,提示它可以作为构建人组织工程皮肤种子细胞和基因修饰角朊干细胞的替代物。