Epithelial-to-mesenchymal stem cell transition in a human organ: Lessons from Lichen Planopilaris

YesEpithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is critical for embryonic development and wound healing, and occurs in fibrotic disease and carcinoma. Here, we show that EMT also occurs within the bulge, the epithelial stem cell (eSC) niche of human scalp hair follicles, during the inflammatory permanent alopecia, lichen planopilaris. We show that a molecular EMT signature can be experimentally induced in healthy human eSCs in situ by antagonizing E-cadherin, combined with transforming growth factor-β1, epidermal growth factor, and IFN-γ administration, which to our knowledge has not been reported previously. Moreover, induction of EMT within primary human eSCs can be prevented and even partially reversed ex vivo by peroxisome proliferator−activated receptor-γ agonists, likely through suppression of the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway. Furthermore, we show that peroxisome proliferator−activated receptor-γ agonists also attenuates the EMT signature even in lesional lichen planopilaris hair follicles ex vivo. We introduce lichen planopilaris as a model disease for pathological EMT in human adult eSCs, report a preclinical assay for therapeutically manipulating eSC EMT within a healthy human (mini-)organ, and show that peroxisome proliferator−activated receptor-γ agonists are promising agents for suppressing and partially reversing EMT in human hair follicles eSCs ex vivo, including in lichen planopilaris

Acoustic far-field hypersonic surface wave detection with single plasmonic nanoantennas

The optical properties of small metallic particles allow us to bridge the gap between the myriad of subdiffraction local phenomena and macroscopic optical elements. The optomechanical coupling between mechanical vibrations of Au nanoparticles and their optical response due to collective electronic oscillations leads to the emission and the detection of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) by single metallic nanoantennas. We take two Au nanoparticles, one acting as a source and the other as a receptor of SAWs and, even though these antennas are separated by distances orders of magnitude larger than the characteristic subnanometric displacements of vibrations, we probe the frequency content, wave speed, and amplitude decay of SAWs originating from the damping of coherent mechanical modes of the source. Two-color pump-probe experiments and numerical methods reveal the characteristic Rayleigh wave behavior of emitted SAWs, and show that the SAW-induced optical modulation of the receptor antenna allows us to accurately probe the frequency of the source, even when the eigenmodes of source and receptor are detuned

INPUT DEVICE RESEARCH FOR DIGITAL PATHOLOGY. AN ERGONOMIC OUTLOOK

Introduction/ Background Digital Pathology represents a technological innovation that introduces changes in the traditional work of pathologists. In this regard, an important issue that has not been enough emphasized is the image handling from an ergonomic point of view to avoid work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Aims The aim of this study was to investigate a proper input device for digital pathology. Methods Research was conducted in two phases: 1. Comparative study to find an optimal external controller. Eight medical students analyzed 11 input devices: keyboard (HP), conventional mouse (HP), vertical mouse (CLS), touchpad (Logitech), 3 trackballs (Logitech, Kensington Expert and Ulove), Rollermouse (Contour), Ergopointer (Märzhäuser Sensotech), gamepad (Logitech) and a touchless device (Leap-Motion), using them with the Image Viewer software (Ventana). The web-based Fitts´ law test (UC Berkeley) was used to objectify the accuracy of each device, randomly. 12 items were included in the questionnaire: comfort, technical aspects (cursor movement and objective achievement), prospects, overall satisfaction, prior experience, and others. 2. Evaluation by two experienced pathologists (MPR and ANO, 55 and 50 year-old, respectively) the best rated input device and comparison with a voice recognition system (Invox Medical Dictation) using a headset microphone (Plantronics), rating perceived workload using NASA Task Load Index with 28 whole slide images. Digital Image Hub (Leica) with a 4 MegaPixel display (Barco) was used. Data were processed with SPSS 21.0. Results Correlation between technical aspects of the evaluated devices and accuracy (Fitts´ law test), and comfort with overall satisfaction existed (p<0.05). The assessment concluded that vertical mouse was the best rated input device. However, it has a slightly higher perceived workload in comparison with the voice recognition system, which was the proper controller for digital pathology in this study. Conclusion: We describe a methodology that can study and compare input devices for future workstations in digital pathology. Pathologists should be involved in this process trying to find ergonomic devices that prevent MSD. Voice recognition can function as a good handsfree device for digital pathology and could be considered in physical disability situations. Further studies using electromyography, accelerometry and 3D reconstruction analysis could provide additional ergonomic information

Tailored Hypersound Generation in Single Plasmonic Nanoantennas.

Ultrashort laser pulses impinging on a plasmonic nanostructure trigger a highly dynamic scenario in the interplay of electronic relaxation with lattice vibrations, which can be experimentally probed via the generation of coherent phonons. In this Letter, we present studies of hypersound generation in the range of a few to tens of gigahertz on single gold plasmonic nanoantennas, which have additionally been subjected to predesigned mechanical constraints via silica bridges. Using these hybrid gold/silica nanoantennas, we demonstrate experimentally and via numerical simulations how mechanical constraints allow control over their vibrational mode spectrum. Degenerate pump-probe techniques with double modulation are performed in order to detect the small changes produced in the probe transmission by the mechanical oscillations of these single nanoantennas.Fil: Della Picca, Fabricio Leandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica; ArgentinaFil: Berte, Rodrigo. Ministry Of Education Brazil; . Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Rahmani, Mohsen. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Albella, Pablo. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Bujjamer, Juan. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica; ArgentinaFil: Poblet, Martín. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica; ArgentinaFil: Cortés, Emiliano. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Maier, Stefan A.. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Bragas, Andrea Veronica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentin

外泌汗腺与已确定的皮肤白色脂肪组织室内的人毛囊相关

Summary 一直以来的假设是汗腺分布于皮肤,未与毛囊相连(毛发“根部”)。与其相关的脂肪腺以及其他专用腺和使毛发站立的肌肉被统称为毛囊皮脂腺。换句话说,汗腺和毛囊皮脂腺一直被视为单独的结构,汗腺通向毛发之间(而不是毛发旁边)的皮肤表面。手掌和脚底的汗腺发育方式不同,因此不在本研究范围内。这项来自西班牙和英国曼彻斯特的研究使用多种技术,包括通过显微镜观察在毛发移植期间从头皮采集的毛囊剖面以及通过人工和计算机辅助3D方式重建头皮皮肤剖面,最后展现出,在生长毛发的区域,汗腺最深的部位(螺旋结构)实际上在脂肪腺和毛发肌肉连接点下方紧靠毛囊皮脂腺最深的部位,位于毛囊鞘旁。此外,这些结构聚集在从下层脂肪向上延伸至最低层皮肤(网状真皮层)的脂肪的锥形突出内。作者们推断,汗腺、毛囊皮脂腺和这种特殊的脂肪组织(统称为“附属皮肤单位”)会在特定皮肤病中和伤口愈合期间相互作用,也会与药物治疗发生反应。 Linked Article: Poblet et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:1163–117