Characterization of Malignant Melanoma Using Vibrational Spectroscopy

Malignant melanoma, a malignant neoplasm of epidermal melanocytes is the third most common skin cancer. In many cases, melanoma develops from nevus, which is considered as the nonmalignant stage. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR-MSP), which is based on characteristic molecular vibrational spectra of cells, was used to investigate spectral differences between melanoma, nevus, and the corresponding normal epidermis. In the present work, FTIR-MSP was performed on formalin-fixed biopsies of melanoma and nevi along with the adjoining histologically normal epidermis to understand the biochemical variations from the epidermis and identify suitable parameters for differentiation of nevi from melanoma. The comparative analysis of various parameters calculated from the spectral data of the normal epidermis and the abnormal regions showed that the changes in the nucleic acids was a significant indicator of the abnormal nature of the tissues. The RNA/DNA ratio was decreased in case of both melanoma and nevus compared to the epidermis. The amide II/amide I ratio was greater for nevus and melanoma compared to the epidermis. In contrast to other organs, the analysis of carbohydrates was not found as a suitable indicator in case of malignant melanoma. Shifts in band wave number were found to be a major distinguishing feature between the melanoma and compound nevi. The present study helps in the identification of spectral features suitable for distinction of melanoma from nevus that appear similar even in FTIR spectral features and thus can pave the way for development of in vivo screening systems based on these diagnostic markers

Expression of Ligands to NKp46 in Benign and Malignant Melanocytes

Human melanoma cell lines were shown to express ligands for the natural cytotoxicity receptor, NKp46, expressed by natural killer (NK) cells. We aimed to examine the expression of ligands for NKp46 by various primary human melanocytic cells and melanocytic lesions. Sections from primary nevi and melanomas were tested for expression of NKp46 ligands employing chimeric NKp46-Fc for staining. The melanocytes present in the reticular dermis were negative for NKp46 ligands in common nevi; in malignant melanocytic lesions, the deeper melanocytes were focally positive. In dermoepidermal junction of all melanocytic lesions, the melanocytes showed enhanced expression of NKp46 ligands. Melanophages in all lesions were consistently positive for NKp46 ligands. These observations establish the expression of NKp46 ligands by primary-transformed melanocytes. Normal melanocytes did not express ligands to NKp46. Therefore, the results show (i) a correlation between the malignant potential of the lesion and the expression of NKp46 ligands in the reticular dermis, and (ii) enhanced expression of NKp46 ligands in the active proliferation zone (dermoepidermal junction) of nevi and melanomas. Ligands to NKp46 were expressed on the membrane and within the cells. The physiological role of NKp46 ligands in the progression of malignancy within melanocytic lesions should be explored further

An overview of grid-edge control with the digital transformation

Distribution networks are evolving to become more responsive with increasing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) and digital transformation at the grid edges. This evolution imposes many challenges to the operation of the network, which then calls for new control and operation paradigms. Among others, a so-called grid-edge control is emerging to harmonise the coexistence of the grid control system and DER’s autonomous control. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the grid-edge control with various control architectures, layers, and strategies. The challenges and opportunities for such an approach at the grid edge with the integration of DERs and digital transformation are summarised. The potential solutions to support the network operation by using the inherent controllability of DER and the availability of the digital transformation at the grid edges are discussed

Impact of endophyte inoculation on the morphological identity of cultivars of Lolium perenne (L) and Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.)

Publication history: Accepted - 9 April 2020; Published online - 5 May 2020Grass endophytes have been shown to confer enhanced environmental resilience to symbiont cultivars with reports of modified growth. If inoculating with an endophyte (E+) made an accession morphologically distinct from its registered endophyte free (E−) accession, there could be protection and ownership issues for testing authorities and breeders. This study investigated if, in official Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) field trials, the morphological characteristics of E+and E− accessions of perennial ryegrass and tall fescue cultivars were sufficiently modified to designate them as mutually distinct and also distinct from their definitive accessions (Def), held by the testing authorities. Testing perennial ryegrass on 17 characters at 2 sites generated 48,960 observations and for tall fescue on 9 characters at 1 site, 12,960 observations (each for 3 accessions of 4 cultivars × 60 plants × 2 growing cycles). Distinctness required a p < 0.01 difference in a single character from the combined over years analysis (COYD). A few significant differences were recorded between E− and E+accessions. Cultivar Carn E+ was smaller than Carn E− for Infloresence Length (p < 0.01) in both years but COYD analysis (p < 0.05) was insufficient to declare distinctiveness. Overall, the number of observed differences between E−/E+ accessions was less or similar to the number expected purely by chance. In contrast, comparisons between Def and E− or E+ accessions showed a number of significant differences that were substantially more numerous than expected by chance. These results showed no conclusive evidence of endophyte inclusion creating false PBR distinctions but unexpectedly, several E− and E+ accessions were distinguished from their official definitive stock.This study was jointly funded by the EU Community Plant Variety Office, Angers, France and Euroseeds, Brussels, Belgium

The Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors in Health and Disease

The Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors (NCRs), NKp46, NKp44, and NKp30, were some of the first human activating Natural Killer (NK) cell receptors involved in the non-MHC-restricted recognition of tumor cells to be cloned over 20 years ago. Since this time many host- and pathogen-encoded ligands have been proposed to bind the NCRs and regulate the cytotoxic and cytokine-secreting functions of tissue NK cells. This diverse set of NCR ligands can manifest on the surface of tumor or virus-infected cells or can be secreted extracellularly, suggesting a remarkable NCR polyfunctionality that regulates the activity of NK cells in different tissue compartments during steady state or inflammation. Moreover, the NCRs can also be expressed by other innate and adaptive immune cell subsets under certain tissue conditions potentially conferring NK recognition programs to these cells. Here we review NCR biology in health and disease with particular reference to how this important class of receptors regulates the functions of tissue NK cells as well as confer NK cell recognition patterns to other innate and adaptive lymphocyte subsets. Finally, we highlight how NCR biology is being harnessed for novel therapeutic interventions particularly for enhanced tumor surveillance

NK cells and cancer: you can teach innate cells new tricks

Natural killer (NK) cells are the prototype innate lymphoid cells endowed with potent cytolytic function that provide host defence against microbial infection and tumours. Here, we review evidence for the role of NK cells in immune surveillance against cancer and highlight new therapeutic approaches for targeting NK cells in the treatment of cancer

Stress-driven increase in proline levels, and not proline levels themselves, correlates with the ability to withstand excess salt in a group of 17 Italian rice genotypes

In most plant species, a rapid increase in free proline content occurs following exposure to hyperosmotic stress conditions. However, inconsistent results were reported concerning the role of such an increase on the plant response to water shortage or excess salt. Therefore, the possibility that proline accumulation may help the cell to withstand stress conditions, or that it simply represents a stress marker, is still a matter of debate. A possible relationship between proline accumulation and salt tolerance was investigated in a set of 17 Italian rice varieties. Rice seedlings were exposed to increasing salt concentrations during germination and early growth. The resulting levels of free proline were measured separately in shoots and roots and compared to those in untreated controls. Results were related to the corresponding ability of a given genotype to tolerate stress conditions. Neither absolute proline levels in untreated or in salt-stressed seedlings showed a straightforward relationship to the relative tolerance to salt, estimated as conductivity values able to reduce growth by 10 or 50%. Conversely, a highly significant correlation was found between the increase in proline levels in shoots and the ability to withstand stress. The results strengthen a recent hypothesis suggesting than an increase in proline metabolic rates, more than the resulting proline content, may help the cell to counteract the effects of abiotic stress conditions

PV plants performance analysis under mutable operating condition

This paper investigates the performances of PV plant installed in Southern Italy under mutable environmental conditions. This analysis has been performed on a measurement campaign, demonstrating how the performances of the PV system are influenced by the variability of solar irradiance. In fact, the more the irradiance level is high, the more will be the corresponding joule and thermal losses affecting the whole system. This evidence demonstrates the inadequacy of evaluation methods requiring a single instantaneous experimental verification of the minimum efficiency level used, for instance, for functional testing of photovoltaic systems

Multiarea Voltage Controller for Active Distribution Networks

The aim of this paper was to develop a multi-area decentralized controller for improving the voltage profile of large active distribution networks. Voltages at control buses of each area are kept as close as possible to their reference values by managing the reactive power of distributed generators within the same areas. Moreover, in order to avoid exchanging a considerable amount of data on more or less large portions of the network, the proposed methodology adopted an equivalent reduced network for each area. This equivalent network model is seen at control buses and nodes where distributed generation units are connected. With this simplification, each area controller will have to evaluate simultaneously, the unknown parameters of the reduced network and the optimal control laws for the voltage profile optimization of its control area. To comply with this exigency, a multi-objective optimization problem was formulated. The solution of this problem formulation was found by adopting an algorithm operating in the continuous time domain. Test results are provided on a 49-bus distribution network, demonstrating the effectiveness of the developed methodology