Onychomycoses. Journal of Medical Mycology

International audienc

Identification des dermatophytes par spectrométrie de masse MALDI-TOF

Introduction L’identification des dermatophytes par les méthodes microbiologiques conventionnelles est souvent longue et fastidieuse. La technique de spectrométrie de masse et sa variante MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation-Time of Flight) est un nouvel outil utilisé pour l’identification des bactéries et des levures dans les laboratoires d’analyses médicales. Nous avons récemment développé une méthode standardisée pour l’identification en routine des champignons filamenteux à partir de culture en milieu solide. L’objectif de cette étude est d’étendre cette méthode standardisée à l’identification des dermatophytes dans l’activité de routine du laboratoire. Matériel et méthode Une banque de référence contenant les spectres de masse de 44 souches parfaitement caractérisées correspondants à 13 espèces de dermatophytes a été générée sur un UltraFlex (BruckerDaltonics, Allemagne) couplé au logiciel MaldiBiotyper v2.1. Par la suite, 133 souches isolées de prélèvements cliniques ont été identifiées en comparant leur spectre à ceux inclus dans la banque de référence : l’identification d’espèce a été retenue si le Log Score (LS) obtenu était supérieur ou égal à 1,7. Enfin, l’identification par MALDI-TOF a été considérée comme correcte en cas de concordance avec l’identification morphologique ou moléculaire des isolats cliniques. Résultats L’identification par spectrométrie de masse(SM) a été correcte pour 130 (97,8 %) des isolats. Pour 2 isolats identifiés conventionnellement comme Microsporum canis, l’identification par SM n’a pas pu générer de spectre avec un LS valide. Pour un isolat correspondant à Microsporum audouinii, la SM a généré une mauvaise identification. Tous les isolats ont pu être identifiés après seulement 3 à 6 jours de culture avant l’apparition des caractères morphologiques conventionnels d’identification. Conclusion Le protocole de SM utilisé pour l’identification des champignons filamenteux au laboratoire est applicable aux dermatophytes. Une identification d’espèce peut être obtenue en 3 à 6 jours alors qu’une identification conventionnelle qui nécessite notamment des milieux de cultures complémentaires demande 2 à 3 semaines

The post-mortem resilience of facial creases and the possibility for use in identification of the dead

The post-mortem resilience of facial creases was studied using donated bodies in order to establish the efficacy of crease analysis for identification of the dead. Creases were studied on normal (pre-embalmed) and bloated (embalmed) cadavers at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) to establish whether facial bloating would affect facial crease visibility. Embalming was chosen to simulate the effects produced by post-mortem bloating. The results suggested that creases are resilient and changes were only detected for creases located on the periphery of the face, particularly at areas where the skin is thick, such as at the cheeks. Two new creases not previously classified were identified; these creases were called the vertical superciliary arch line and the lateral nose crease. This research suggests that facial creases may be resilient enough after death to be utilised for human identification

COUNTERACTING AGING PHENOMENA BY NEW PURE TETRAPEPTIDES WITH TARGETED EFFICACY

Summary In the skin, proteoglycans are present both in the epidermjs and the dermis. In the latter layer, a group of small proteoglycans ( < 60 kDa) plays an important role in fibrillogenesis, growth factors modu lation and derma! homeostasis. The epidermis also synthesizes severa! small proteoglycans, in volved in keratinocyte functionality. The knowledge about the alteration of the synthesis and the structure of such small proteoglycans during skin aging used to be rather lirillted in the past. In fundamental studies, Laboratoires Sérobiologiques could recently identify two small proteoglycans whose influence in skin proper functioning is significant, and whose synthesis decreases with agi ng. Lumican is located in the dermjs, where it is invo lved in the formation of the collagen fibers and consequently in the skin firmness and thickness. Syndecan-l occurs preferentially in the supra-basai layers of the epidermis; it is jointly implicated in the epidermal cohesion. The dermo-epidermal junction assures the connection between dermis and epiderrills. With certain anchor molecules like collagen XVII, hemidesmosomes attach the basai cells to the basai membrane. The stimulation of the synthesis of lumican in derma! cells, of syndecan-l in epidermal cells and of collagen XVII in the basai layer counteracts the aging process on three different levels in the skin . In order to identify ingredients with a corresponding activity, skin specific DNA-arrays were used, allowing to selectively analyze the expression of genes highly implicated in the skin physiology. Two efficient acetylated tetrapeptides (respectively AcTPl and AcTP2) were selected. The efficacy of both peptides was further demonstrated on celi cultures, skin models and finally in clinica] studies. 63 Counteracting aging phenomena by new pure tetrapeptides with targeted efficacy Riassunto I proteoglicani sono presenti sia a livello dell'epidermide che del derma. Nel derma un gruppo di proteoglicani a basso peso molecolare (p.m) ( <60k Da) g ioca un ruolo importante nella fibri llo genesi, nella modulazione dei fattori di crescita e nell 'omeostasi di questo strato cellulare. Comunque, anche l'epidermide sintetizza d iversi piccoli proteoglicani, coinvolti nella fun zional ità dei cheratinociti. Negli anni passati l'alterazione che si verifica durante l' invecchiamento nella sintesi di stru tture quali i proteoglicani a basso p.m era poco conosciuta. Recentemente i laboratori della Seròbiologique hanno identifi cato due piccoli proteoglicani che influenzano in modo s ignificativo le funzioni cutanee, la cui sintesi viene a ridursi durante l' invecchiamento. Così il proteoglicano denominato Lumican è localizzato nel derma dove è coinvolto nella formazione delle fibre di collageno e quindi nello spessore e nella compattezza della cute. Il proteoglicano Syntecam-l s i riscontra normalmente negli strati soprabasali dell'epidermide ed è implicato nella coesione delle cellule epiderm iche. La g iunzione dermo-epidermica rappresenta il punto di congiunzio ne tra epidermide e derma attraverso l'atti vità di legame svolta da alcu ne molecole quali il collagene XVII e gli emodesmosomi . La stimolazione esercitata rispettivamente da Lumican a li vello delle cellule derm iche e del coll agene XVII esercita un effetto positi vo sul processo dell ' invecchiamento cutaneo a tre di versi li velli . Per verificare l'effettiva attività svolta dagli ingredienti in studio, ne è stata verificata l'efficacia con una serie di DNA specifici anali zzando seletti vamente l'espressione dei geni implicati a li vello fisiologico. Sono stati così selezionati due specifici tetrapeptidi acetilati (AcTPI e AcTP2). L'efficacia di entrambi i peptidi è stata d imostrata su culture cellulari , su modelli di cute ed infine a li vello cli nico. 6

Categorizing facial creases: A review

Ensuring uniformity in the nomenclature standardization of facial creases is important to enable the scholarly community to follow and debate the advancements in research. This review highlights the prevailing disparity in the nomenclature that refers to the same facial crease by researchers and laypeople, and suggests uniform names for the facial creases based on available literature. The previous and current trends in facial crease classification are also discussed. The nomenclature of the facial creases considered for this review include the following: the nasolabial fold, corner of the mouth lines, upper and lower lip creases around the mouth region, the mandibular folds, the bifid nose, the transverse nasal line, the vertical glabellar line, chin crease, the mental crease, four type of creases around the eyes, forehead creases, and periauricular creases. A figure illustrating the above facial creases is included as reference. It is hoped that the proposed standardization of nomenclature would ensure a more scientific referencing of facial creases enabling more effective scientific interaction among the scholarly community as well as the laypeople interested in the research and application of facial creases

Introduction to skin aging

YesCutaneous science has seen considerable development in the last 25 years, in part due to the -Omics revolution, and the appreciation that this organ is hardwired into the body’s key neuroimmuno- endocrine axes. Moreover, there is greater appreciation of how stratification of skin disorders will permit more targeted and more effective treatments. Against this has been how the remarkable extension in the average human life-span, though in the West at least, this parallels worrying increases in lifestyle-associated conditions like diabetes, skin cancer etc. These demographic trends bring greater urgency to finding clinical solutions for numerous age-related deficits in skin function caused by extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Mechanisms for aging skin include the actions of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mtDNA mutations, and telomere shortening, as well as hormonal changes. We have also significantly improved our understanding of how to harness the skin’s considerable regenerative capacity e.g., via its remarkable investment of stem cell subpopulations. In this way we hope to develop new strategies to selectively target the skin’s capacity to undergo optimal wound repair and regeneration. Here, the unsung hero of the skin regenerative power may be the humble hair follicle, replete with its compliment of epithelial, mesenchymal, neural and other stem cells. This review introduces the topic of human skin aging, with a focus on how maintenance of function in this complex multi-cell type organ is key for retaining quality of life into old age