An Alkyl Ether Carboxylate and Alkyl Carboxylate Formulated Cleanser Decreases Facial Sebum and Inflammatory Acne Without Inducing Dry Xerotic Skin in Thai Females

Many Thai females feel that their facial skin is oily and suffer from acne. Previously we have confirmed that a facial cleanser formulated with alkyl ether carboxylate (AEC) and alkyl carboxylate (AC) effectively removed sebum and decreased acne prompt without inducing dry skin on Japanese male subjects. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of this formulated facial cleanser on Thai female subjects with moderate or mild grade acne in Bangkok, Thailand. We designed a controlled clinical trial. Sixteen female subjects used AEC/AC formulated cleanser twice a day after discontinuing their currently using facial cleansers. Assessment of the efficacy was conducted prior to the start of the study, and at the end of weeks 2 and 4. Following usage of this cleanser for 4 weeks, sebum secretion levels on the forehead skin significantly decreased. Corresponding to decrease in facial sebum, 10 subjects had decrease in non-inflammatory acne. Furthermore eight subjects decreased in inflammatory acne, and the decreases in the number of inflammatory acne within 4 weeks were statistically significant. These decreases in sebum and acne prompt were recognized by subjects. Despite the sebum were cleansed well, the cutaneous capacitance increased significantly within 4 weeks, and there were no complaints of dryness or irritation of the skin during the study. From these results, we conclude that washing the face with cleanser formulated with AEC and AC is effective for acne care in Thai female

Diversification history in the Dendrocincla fuliginosa complex (Aves: Dendrocolaptidae): insights from broad geographic sampling

Dendrocincla woodcreepers are ant-following birds widespread throughout tropical America. Species in the genus are widely distributed and show little phenotypic variation. Notwithstanding, several subspecies have been described, but the validity of some of these taxa and the boundaries among them have been discussed for decades. Recent genetic evidence based on limited sampling has pointed to the paraphyly of D. fuliginosa, showing that its subspecies constitute a complex that also includes D. anabatina and D. turdina. In this study we sequenced nuclear and mitochondrial markers for over two hundred individuals belonging to the D. fuliginosa complex to recover phylogenetic relationships, describe intraspecific genetic diversity and provide historical biogeographic scenarios of diversification. Our results corroborate the paraphyly of D. fuliginosa, with D. turdina and D. anabatina nested within its recognized subspecies. Recovered genetic lineages roughly match the distributions of described subspecies and congruence among phylogenetic structure, phenotypic diagnosis and distribution limits were used to discuss current systematics and taxonomy within the complex, with special attention to Northern South America. Our data suggest the origin of the complex in western Amazonia, associated with the establishment of upland forests in the area during the early Pliocene. Paleoclimatic cycles and river rearrangements during the Pleistocene could have, at different times, both facilitated dispersal across large Amazonian rivers and the Andes and isolated populations, likely playing an important role in differentiation of extant species. Previously described hybridization in the headwaters of the Tapajós river represents a secondary contact of non-sister lineages that cannot be used to test the role of the river as primary source of diversification. Based on comparisons of D. fuliginosa with closely related understory upland forest taxa, we suggest that differential habitat use could influence diversification processes in a historically changing landscape, and should be considered for proposing general mechanisms of diversification.Peer reviewe

Detecting new microRNAs in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes identifies miR-3085 as a human, chondrocyte-selective, microRNA

Objective: To use deep sequencing to identify novel microRNAs in human osteoarthritic cartilage which have a functional role in chondrocyte phenotype or function. Design: A small RNA library was prepared from human osteoarthritic primary chondrocytes using in-house adaptors and analysed by Illumina sequencing. Novel candidate microRNAs were validated by northern blot and qRT-PCR. Expression was measured in cartilage models. Targets of novel candidates were identified by microarray and computational analysis, validated using 3’-UTR-luciferase reporter plasmids. Protein levels were assessed by western blot and functional analysis by cell adhesion. Results: We identified 990 known microRNAs and 1621 potential novel microRNAs in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes, 60 of the latter were expressed in all samples assayed. MicroRNA-140-3p was the most highly expressed microRNA in osteoarthritic cartilage. Sixteen novel candidate microRNAs were analysed further, of which 6 remained after northern blot analysis. Three novel microRNAs were regulated across models of chondrogenesis, chondrocyte differentiation or cartilage injury. One sequence (novel #11), annotated in rodents as microRNA-3085-3p, was preferentially expressed in cartilage, dependent on chondrocyte differentiation and, in man, is located in an intron of the cartilage-expressed gene CRTAC-1. This microRNA was shown to target the ITGA5 gene directly (which encodes integrin alpha5) and inhibited adhesion to fibronectin (dependent on alpha5beta1 integrin). Conclusion: Deep sequencing has uncovered many potential microRNA candidates expressed in human cartilage. At least three of these show potential functional interest in cartilage homeostasis and osteoarthritis. Particularly, novel #11 (microRNA-3085-3p) which has been identified for the first time in man

The microRNA-29 family in cartilage homeostasis and osteoarthritis

MicroRNAs have been shown to function in cartilage development and homeostasis, as well as in progression of osteoarthritis. The objective of the current study was to identify microRNAs involved in the onset or early progression of osteoarthritis and characterise their function in chondrocytes. MicroRNA expression in mouse knee joints post-DMM surgery was measured over 7 days. Expression of miR-29b-3p was increased at day 1 and regulated in the opposite direction to its potential targets. In a mouse model of cartilage injury and in end-stage human OA cartilage, the miR-29 family were also regulated. SOX9 repressed expression of miR-29a-3p and miR-29b-3p via the 29a/b1 promoter. TGFβ1 decreased expression of miR-29a, b and c (3p) in primary chondrocytes, whilst IL-1β increased (but LPS decreased) their expression. The miR-29 family negatively regulated Smad, NFκB and canonical WNT signalling pathways. Expression profiles revealed regulation of new WNT-related genes. Amongst these, FZD3, FZD5, DVL3, FRAT2, CK2A2 were validated as direct targets of the miR-29 family. These data identify the miR-29 family as microRNAs acting across development and progression of OA. They are regulated by factors which are important in OA and impact on relevant signalling pathways

Serum microRNA array analysis identifies miR-140-3p, miR-33b-3p and miR-671-3p as potential osteoarthritis biomarkers involved in metabolic processes.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in circulation have emerged as promising biomarkers. In this study, we aimed to identify a circulating miRNA signature for osteoarthritis (OA) patients and in combination with bioinformatics analysis to evaluate the utility of selected differentially expressed miRNAs in the serum as potential OA biomarkers. Methods: Serum samples were collected from 12 primary OA patients, and 12 healthy individuals were screened using the Agilent Human miRNA Microarray platform interrogating 2549 miRNAs. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the deregulated miRNAs. Expression levels of selected miRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in all serum and in articular cartilage samples from OA patients (n = 12) and healthy individuals (n = 7). Bioinformatics analysis was used to investigate the involved pathways and target genes for the above miRNAs. Results: We identified 279 differentially expressed miRNAs in the serum of OA patients compared to controls. Two hundred and five miRNAs (73.5%) were upregulated and 74 (26.5%) downregulated. ROC analysis revealed that 77 miRNAs had area under the curve (AUC) > 0.8 and p < 0.05. Bioinformatics analysis in the 77 miRNAs revealed that their target genes were involved in multiple signaling pathways associated with OA, among which FoxO, mTOR, Wnt, pI3K/akt, TGF-β signaling pathways, ECM-receptor interaction, and fatty acid biosynthesis. qRT-PCR validation in seven selected out of the 77 miRNAs revealed 3 significantly downregulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-33b-3p, hsa-miR-671-3p, and hsa-miR-140-3p) in the serum of OA patients, which were in silico predicted to be enriched in pathways involved in metabolic processes. Target-gene analysis of hsa-miR-140-3p, hsa-miR-33b-3p, and hsa-miR-671-3p revealed that InsR and IGFR1 were common targets of all three miRNAs, highlighting their involvement in regulation of metabolic processes that contribute to OA pathology. Hsa-miR-140-3p and hsa-miR-671-3p expression levels were consistently downregulated in articular cartilage of OA patients compared to healthy individuals. Conclusions: A serum miRNA signature was established for the first time using high density resolution miR-arrays in OA patients. We identified a three-miRNA signature, hsa-miR-140-3p, hsa-miR-671-3p, and hsa-miR-33b-3p, in the serum of OA patients, predicted to regulate metabolic processes, which could serve as a potential biomarker for the evaluation of OA risk and progression.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Geophysical Observatory in Kamchatka region for monitoring of phenomena connected with seismic activity

Regular monitoring of some geophysical parameters in association with seismicity has been carried out since last year at the Japan-Russian Complex Geophysical Observatory in the Kamchatka region. This observatory was organized in connection with the ISTC project in Russia and was motivated by the results of the FRONTIER/RIKEN and FRONTIER/NASDA research projects in Japan. The main purpose of the observations is to investigate the electromagnetic and acoustic phenomena induced by the lithosphere processes (especially by seismic activity). The seismicity of the Kamchatka area is analyzed and a description of the observatory equipment is presented. At present, the activity of the observatory includes the seismic (frequency range &#x2206;F = 0.5 – 40 Hz) and meteorological recordings, together with seismo-acoustic (&#x2206;F = 30 – 1000 Hz) and electromagnetic observations: three-component magnetic ULF variations ( &#x2206;F = 0.003 – 30 Hz), three-component electric potential variations ( &#x2206;F <u><</u> 1.0 Hz), and VLF transmitter’s signal perturbations ( &#x2206;F ~ 10 – 40 kHz)

Critical Exponents, Hyperscaling and Universal Amplitude Ratios for Two- and Three-Dimensional Self-Avoiding Walks

We make a high-precision Monte Carlo study of two- and three-dimensional self-avoiding walks (SAWs) of length up to 80000 steps, using the pivot algorithm and the Karp-Luby algorithm. We study the critical exponents $\nu$ and $2\Delta_4 -\gamma$ as well as several universal amplitude ratios; in particular, we make an extremely sensitive test of the hyperscaling relation $d\nu = 2\Delta_4 -\gamma$. In two dimensions, we confirm the predicted exponent $\nu = 3/4$ and the hyperscaling relation; we estimate the universal ratios $\ / \ = 0.14026 \pm 0.00007$, $\ / \ = 0.43961 \pm 0.00034$ and $\Psi^* = 0.66296 \pm 0.00043$ (68\% confidence limits). In three dimensions, we estimate $\nu = 0.5877 \pm 0.0006$ with a correction-to-scaling exponent $\Delta_1 = 0.56 \pm 0.03$ (subjective 68\% confidence limits). This value for $\nu$ agrees excellently with the field-theoretic renormalization-group prediction, but there is some discrepancy for $\Delta_1$. Earlier Monte Carlo estimates of $\nu$, which were $\approx\! 0.592$, are now seen to be biased by corrections to scaling. We estimate the universal ratios $\ / \ = 0.1599 \pm 0.0002$ and $\Psi^* = 0.2471 \pm 0.0003$; since $\Psi^* > 0$, hyperscaling holds. The approach to $\Psi^*$ is from above, contrary to the prediction of the two-parameter renormalization-group theory. We critically reexamine this theory, and explain where the error lies.Comment: 87 pages including 12 figures, 1029558 bytes Postscript (NYU-TH-94/09/01

Spiral and Interlocking Grain in Eucalyptus Dunnii

Spiral grain in 181 trees from a 9-year-old plantation-grown Eucalyptus dunnii was normally distributed with mean 0.33 degrees (to the left) and standard deviation 1.7 degrees, and was affected by family and by crown asymmetry. Interlocking grain was common, exhibiting a mean amplitude of 3.4 degrees (standard deviation 1.5 degrees) and a mean wavelength of 39 mm (standard deviation 12 mm). The relatively large amplitude of interlocking grain means that most trees will have spiral grain that alternates between left and right during each year. The wavelength of interlocking grain is influenced by tree size, but amplitude of interlocking is under genetic control. Both spiral grain and the amplitude of any interlocking were heritable (h2 = 0.99 and 0.63 respectively)