Ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer

Spontaneous and environment induced genomic alterations in yeast model

While genomic alterations are fundamental to biological evolution, enabling adaptation and diversity, they can also result in detrimental outcomes, such as the development of genetic diseases including cancer. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae serves as an exemplary model for investigating the mechanisms behind various genomic alterations, including point mutations, chromosomal rearrangements, and whole-chromosome aneuploidy. In this review, we highlight the application of genetic screening systems to assess the mutagenic effects of physical and chemical agents efficiently. Additionally, we discuss the utilization of high-throughput sequencing technologies to uncover comprehensive genomic alterations and rare genetic events. We provide a detailed summary of the features of genomic alterations and discuss the genetic mechanisms driving these changes under both spontaneous and stress-induced conditions. Given the high conservation of DNA replication and repair machinery across different organisms, the insights gained from studies on yeast offer valuable perspectives for understanding the delicate balance between genome plasticity and integrity in other species.

Patterns of spontaneous and induced genomic alterations in Yarrowia lipolytica

This study explored the genomic alterations in Yarrowia lipolytica, a key yeast in industrial biotechnology, under both spontaneous and mutagen-induced conditions. Our findings reveal that spontaneous mutations occur at a rate of approximately 4 × 10-10 events per base pair per cell division, primarily manifesting as single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) and small insertions and deletions (InDels). Notably, C-to-T/G-to-A transitions and C-to-A/G-to-T transversions dominate the spontaneous SNVs, while 1 bp deletions, likely resulting from template slippage, are the most frequent InDels. Furthermore, chromosomal aneuploidy and rearrangements occur, albeit at a lower frequency. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, methylmethane sulfonate (MMS), and Zeocin significantly enhances the rates of SNVs and alters their mutational spectra in distinct patterns. Notably, Zeocin-induced SNVs are predominantly T-to-A and T-to-G substitutions, often occurring within the 5'-TGT*-3' motif (* denotes the mutated base). Additionally, Zeocin exhibits a higher potency in stimulating InDels compared to UV and MMS. Translesion DNA synthesis is implicated as the primary mechanism behind most Zeocin-induced SNVs and some InDels, whereas non-homologous end joining serves as the main pathway for Zeocin-mediated InDels. Intriguingly, the study identifies the gene YALI1_E21053g, encoding a protein kinase, as negatively associated with Zeocin resistance. Overall, our results not only deepened our knowledge about the genome evolution in Y. lipolytica but also provided reference to develop innovative strategies to harness its genetic potential.IMPORTANCEYarrowia lipolytica exhibits high environmental stress tolerance and lipid metabolism capabilities, making it a microorganism with significant industrial application potential. In this study, we investigated the genomic variation and evolutionary patterns of this yeast under both spontaneous and induced mutation conditions. Our results reveal distinctive mutation spectra induced by different mutagenic conditions and elucidate the underlying genetic mechanisms. We further highlight the roles of non-homologous end joining and translesion synthesis pathways in Zeocin-induced mutations, demonstrating that such treatments can rapidly confer drug resistance to the cells. Overall, our research enhances the understanding of how yeast genomes evolve under various conditions and provides guidance for developing more effective mutagenesis and breeding techniques.

Langerhans cells orchestrate apoptosis of DNA-damaged keratinocytes upon high-dose UVB skin exposure

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of the skin causes mutations that can promote the development of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. High-dose UVB exposure triggers a vigorous skin reaction characterized by inflammation resulting in acute sunburn. This response includes the formation of sunburn cells and keratinocytes (KC) undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis) when repair mechanisms of DNA damage are inadequate. The primary objective of this research was to clarify the involvement of Langerhans cells (LC) in the development of acute sunburn following intense UVB skin irradiation. To address this, we subjected the dorsal skin of mice to a single high-dose UVB exposure and analyzed the immediate immune response occurring within the skin tissue. Acute sunburn triggered an activation of LC, coinciding with a rapid influx of neutrophils that produced TNF-α. Furthermore, our investigation unveiled a marked increase in DNA-damaged KC and the subsequent induction of apoptosis in these cells. Importantly, we demonstrate a crucial link between the inflammatory cascade, the initiation of apoptosis in DNA-damaged KC, and the presence of LC in the skin. LC were observed to modulate the chemokine response in the skin following exposure to UVB, thereby affecting the trafficking of neutrophils. Skin lacking LC revealed diminished inflammation, contained fewer TNF-α-producing neutrophils, and due to the prevention of apoptosis induction, a lingering population of DNA-damaged KC, presumably carrying the risk of enduring genomic alterations. In summary, our results underscore the pivotal role of LC in preserving the homeostasis of UVB-irradiated skin. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate mechanisms underlying acute sunburn responses and their implications for UV-induced skin cancer.

Isopimpinellin inhibits UVA-induced overproduction of MMPs via suppression of MAPK/AP-1 signaling in human dermal fibroblasts

Corydalis heterocarpa is an edible halophyte and an ingredient in traditional Korean medicine. In the present study, isopimpinellin (IPN), a bioactive coumarin, was isolated from the medicinal halophyte C. heterocarpa, and the effects of IPN against UVA-induced photoaging were investigated in human dermal fibroblasts. Photoaging is a skin disorder that manifests itself as premature skin aging due to chronic exposure to UV radiation. The symptoms of photoaging mainly arise from degraded skin connective tissue produced by overly expressed matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). IPN treatment decreased the UVA-induced formation of reactive oxygen species and decreased MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-9 collagenases at the protein level. The UVA-mediated suppression of tissue inhibitors of MMP-1 and -2 was attenuated with IPN. The presence of 10 μM IPN inhibited the MAPK-mediated phosphorylation of c-Fos and c-Jun. In conclusion, the overall result of the current study indicated that IPN inhibited the UVA-induced overexpression of MMPs via blocking the MAPK/AP-1 pathway.

Overview of proficiency testing results for the in vivo determination of sun protection factor

A sunscreen product is allowed to be marketed if a protection is provided against ultraviolets (UV) including UVA rays and UVB rays expressed by the sun protection factor (SPF). UVB is radiation that is in the region of the ultraviolet spectrum which extends from about 290 to 320 nm in wavelength and that is primarily responsible for sunburn, ageing of the skin, and the development of skin cancer. Thus, since April 2009, the Bureau Interprofessionnel d'Etudes Analytiques (BIPEA) set up a proficiency testing scheme (PTS) for the determination of SPF in vivo of sunscreen products according to ISO 24444 standard [Cosmetics - Sun protection test methods - in vivo determination of the sun protection factor (SPF)] to evaluate the analytical performances of laboratories on these analyses. This PTS gathers twenty-six laboratories around the world with one trial a year. For each test, the statistical treatment of the data is performed according to ISO 13528 standard [Statistical methods for use in proficiency testing by interlaboratory comparison]. The assigned and tolerance values are calculated from the participants' data and the performances of the laboratories are evaluated individually and collectively according to ISO 17043 standard [Conformity assessment - General requirements for proficiency testing]. This paper presents the design of the PT program, its development, and an attentive analysis of laboratories results, which highlight the global performances obtained by laboratories on this type of analysis. The evaluation of the results shows, in fact, a relatively constant dispersion of data since the implementation of the PT program (variability between 10% and 50%).

The incidence of atypical fibroxanthoma and pleomorphic dermal sarcoma in Denmark from 2002 to 2022

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess trends in the incidence rates and overall survival of atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) and pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS) in the Danish population from 2002 to 2022.

METHODS

We included all patients diagnosed with AFX or PDS in the Danish National Pathology Register (DNPR) during the study period. We computed the age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) per 100,000 and the average annual percent change (AAPC) and developed an age-period-cohort (APC) model of incidence.

RESULTS

We included a total of 1118 patients, 78.3 % of whom were men. The median age upon diagnosis for AFX and PDS was 77.6 and 78.4 years, respectively. 84.5 % of the 1118 patients received an AFX diagnosis, while 15.5 % received a PDS diagnosis. The AAIR rose from 0.2 per 100,000 individuals in 2002 to 0.5 per 100,000 by 2022, with a peak increase of 0.75 per 100,000 in 2014. The AAPC for both tumors was 5.3 (95 % CI 2.9 %-7.7 %). We found a significant difference in overall survival between AFX and PDS, with PDS having worse overall survival than AFX.

CONCLUSION

This study, which included the largest non-selected national population to date, found a significant increase in the incidence of AFX and PDS between 2002 and 2015, followed by a decrease.

Exosomes and tumor virus interlink: A complex side of cancer

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) based cancer research reveals several complicated sides of cancer. EVs are classified as several subpopulations such as microvesicles, apoptotic bodies, and exosomes. In cancer, exosomes play a significant role as a cellular messenger in tumor development and progression. Tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) are also a theranostic tool for cancer. Tumor virus-infected cell-derived EVs promote cancer development. Exosomes (a subpopulation of EVs) play a significant role in converting noninfecting cells to infected cells. It transports several biological active cargo (DNA, RNA, protein, and virions) towards the noninfected cells. This cellular transport enhances infection rates via reprogramming of noninfected cells. In this review, we explore tumor viruses, exosomes and tumor viruses interlink, the theranostic landscape of exosomes in tumor virus-associated cancer and the future orientation of exosomes-based virus oncology.

A convolutional neural networks method for tropospheric ozone vertical distribution retrieval from Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy measurements

The vertical distribution of tropospheric ozone (O3) is crucial for understanding atmospheric physicochemical processes. A Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) method for the retrieval of tropospheric O3 vertical distribution from ground-based Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) measurements to tackle the issue of stratospheric O3 absorption interference faced by MAX-DOAS in obtaining tropospheric O3 profiles. Firstly, a hybrid model, named PCA-F_Regression-SVR, is developed to screen features sensitive to O3 inversion based on the MAX-DOAS spectra and EAC4 reanalysis O3 profiles, which incorporates Principal Component Analysis (PCA), F_Regression function, and Support Vector Regression (SVR) algorithm. Thus, these screened features for ancillary inversion include the profiles of temperature, specific humidity, fraction of cloud coverage, eastward and northward wind, the profiles of SO2, NO2, and HCHO, as well as season and time features to serve as sensitive factors. Secondly, the preprocessed MAX-DOAS spectra dataset and the sensitive factor dataset are utilized as input, while the O3 profiles of the EAC4 reanalysis dataset incorporating the surface O3 concentrations are employed as output for constructing the CNN model. The Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) decreases from 26 % to approximately 19 %. Finally, the CNN model is applied for inversion and comparison of tropospheric O3 profiles using independent input data. The CNN model effectively reproduces the O3 profiles of the EAC4 dataset, showing a Gaussian-like spatial distribution with peaks primarily around 950 hPa (550 m). Since the reanalysis data used for model training has been smoothed, the CNN model is insensitive to extreme values. This behavior can be attributed to the MAPE loss function, which evaluates Absolute Percentage Errors (APEs) of O₃ concentration at all altitudes, resulting in varying retrieval accuracy across different altitudes while maintaining overall MAPE control. Temporally, the CNN model tends to overestimate surface O3 in summer by around 20 μg/m3, primarily due to the influence of the temperature feature in the sensitivity factor dataset. In conclusion, leveraging MAX-DOAS spectra enables the retrieval of tropospheric O3 vertical distribution through the established CNN model.

Enhanced skin cancer diagnosis through grid search algorithm-optimized deep learning models for skin lesion analysis

Skin cancer is a widespread and perilous disease that necessitates prompt and precise detection for successful treatment. This research introduces a thorough method for identifying skin lesions by utilizing sophisticated deep learning (DL) techniques. The study utilizes three convolutional neural networks (CNNs)-CNN1, CNN2, and CNN3-each assigned to a distinct categorization job. Task 1 involves binary classification to determine whether skin lesions are present or absent. Task 2 involves distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions. Task 3 involves multiclass classification of skin lesion images to identify the precise type of skin lesion from a set of seven categories. The most optimal hyperparameters for the proposed CNN models were determined using the Grid Search Optimization technique. This approach determines optimal values for architectural and fine-tuning hyperparameters, which is essential for learning. Rigorous evaluations of loss, accuracy, and confusion matrix thoroughly assessed the performance of the CNN models. Three datasets from the International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC) Archive were utilized for the classification tasks. The primary objective of this study is to create a robust CNN system that can accurately diagnose skin lesions. Three separate CNN models were developed using the labeled ISIC Archive datasets. These models were designed to accurately detect skin lesions, assess the malignancy of the lesions, and classify the different types of lesions. The results indicate that the proposed CNN models possess robust capabilities in identifying and categorizing skin lesions, aiding healthcare professionals in making prompt and precise diagnostic judgments. This strategy presents an optimistic avenue for enhancing the diagnosis of skin cancer, which could potentially decrease avoidable fatalities and extend the lifespan of people diagnosed with skin cancer. This research enhances the discipline of biomedical image processing for skin lesion identification by utilizing the capabilities of DL algorithms.

Transforming Skin Cancer Diagnosis: A Deep Learning Approach with the Ham10000 Dataset

Skin cancer (SC) is one of the three most common cancers worldwide. Melanoma has the deadliest potential to spread to other parts of the body among all SCs. For SC treatments to be effective, early detection is essential. The high degree of similarity between tumor and non-tumors makes SC diagnosis difficult even for experienced doctors. To address this issue, authors have developed a novel Deep Learning (DL) system capable of automatically classifying skin lesions into seven groups: actinic keratosis (AKIEC), melanoma (MEL), benign keratosis (BKL), melanocytic Nevi (NV), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), dermatofibroma (DF), and vascular (VASC) skin lesions. Authors introduced the Multi-Grained Enhanced Deep Cascaded Forest (Mg-EDCF) as a novel DL model. In this model, first, researchers utilized subsampled multigrained scanning (Mg-sc) to acquire micro features. Second, authors employed two types of Random Forest (RF) to create input features. Finally, the Enhanced Deep Cascaded Forest (EDCF) was utilized for classification. The HAM10000 dataset was used for implementing, training, and evaluating the proposed and Transfer Learning (TL) models such as ResNet, AlexNet, and VGG16. During the validation and training stages, the performance of the four networks was evaluated by comparing their accuracy and loss. The proposed method outperformed the competing models with an average accuracy score of 98.19%. Our proposed methodology was validated against existing state-of-the-art algorithms from recent publications, resulting in consistently greater accuracies than those of the classifiers.

Human adipose and umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles mitigate photoaging via TIMP1/Notch1

UVB radiation induces oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation, leading to skin wrinkling, compromised barrier function, and an increased risk of carcinogenesis. Addressing or preventing photoaging may offer a promising therapeutic avenue for these conditions. Recent research indicated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit significant therapeutic potential for various skin diseases. Given that extracellular vesicles (EV) can deliver diverse cargo to recipient cells and elicit similar therapeutic effects, we investigated the roles and underlying mechanisms of both adipose-derived MSC-derived EV (AMSC-EV) and umbilical cord-derived MSC-derived EV (HUMSC-EV) in photoaging. Our findings indicated that in vivo, treatment with AMSC-EV and HUMSC-EV resulted in improvements in wrinkles and skin hydration while also mitigating skin inflammation and thickness alterations in both the epidermis and dermis. Additionally, in vitro studies using human keratinocytes (HaCaTs), human dermal fibroblast cells (HDFs), and T-Skin models revealed that AMSC-EV and HUMSC-EV attenuated senescence, reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage, and alleviated inflammation induced by UVB. Furthermore, EV treatment enhanced cell viability and migration capacity in the epidermis and promoted extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in the dermis in photoaged cell models. Mechanistically, proteomics results showed that TIMP1 was highly expressed in both AMSC-EV and HUMSC-EV and could exert similar effects as MSC-EV. In addition, we found that EV and TIMP1 could inhibit Notch1 and downstream targets Hes1, P16, P21, and P53. Collectively, our data suggests that both AMSC-EV and HUMSC-EV attenuate skin photoaging through TIMP1/Notch1.

Nanocarrier-Based Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems for Dermatological Therapy

Dermatoses are among the most prevalent non-fatal conditions worldwide. Given this context, it is imperative to introduce safe and effective dermatological treatments to address the diverse needs and concerns of individuals. Transdermal delivery technology offers a promising alternative compared to traditional administration methods such as oral or injection routes. Therefore, this review focuses on the recent achievements of nanocarrier-based transdermal delivery technology for dermatological therapy, which summarizes diverse delivery strategies to enhance skin penetration using various nanocarriers including vesicular nanocarriers, lipid-based nanocarriers, emulsion-based nanocarriers, and polymeric nanocarrier according to the pathogenesis of common dermatoses. The fundamentals of transdermal delivery including skin physiology structure and routes of penetration are introduced. Moreover, mechanisms to enhance skin penetration due to the utilization of nanocarriers such as skin hydration, system deformability, disruption of the stratum corneum, surface charge, and tunable particle size are outlined as well.

A prospective study analyzing the use of free public sunscreen dispensers

SETTING

This study evaluates the impact of sunscreen dispensers in increasing sunscreen usage and awareness in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

INTERVENTION

In June 2022, three touchless sunscreen dispensers offering free Health Canada-approved SPF 30 sunscreen were installed in areas of high pedestrian traffic. A team of four city workers gathered observational data over a 17-day span between July and August 2022.

OUTCOMES

Seven days of monitoring took place at the city ballpark, seven at a children's park, and three at the city beachfront boardwalk. In total, 1202 individuals were observed near the dispensers, of whom 209 utilized the dispensers, yielding a usage rate of 17.4 per 100 persons. The usage rate varied by location, with the children's park recording a higher average (40.0 users per 100 persons), and was also weather-dependent, with increased usage on sunny days (average of 52.2 users per 100 persons). The majority of users were classified with a Fitzpatrick skin type of I or II. The sunscreen bags, designed for 2000 applications, did not require refilling during the observation period. The QR code associated with the dispensers was scanned 14 times.

IMPLICATIONS

The findings of this study indicate that installing sunscreen dispensers in public spaces may increase the frequency of sunscreen application. Both the location of the dispensers and the perception of weather conditions seem to impact usage rates.

Monolithically integrated neuromorphic electronic skin for biomimetic radiation shielding

Melanogenesis, a natural responsive mechanism of human skin to harmful radiation, is a self-triggered defensive neural activity safeguarding the body from radiation exposure in advance. With the increasing significance of radiation shielding in diverse medical health care and wearable applications, a biomimetic neuromorphic optoelectronic system with adaptive radiation shielding capability is often needed. Here, we demonstrate a transparent and flexible metal oxide-based photovoltaic neuromorphic defensive system. By using a monolithically integrated ultraflexible optoelectronic circuitry and electrochromic device, seamless neural processing for ultraviolet (UV) radiation shielding including history-based sensing, memorizing, risk recognition, and blocking can be realized with piling the entire signal chain into the flexible devices. The UV shielding capability of the system can be evaluated as autonomous blocking up to 97% of UV radiation from 5 to 90 watts per square meter in less than 16.9 seconds, demonstrating autonomously modulated sensitivity and response time corresponding to UV environmental conditions and supplied bias.

The potential of x-ray virtual histology in the diagnosis of skin tumors

BACKGROUND

Histopathological analysis represents the gold standard in clinical practice for diagnosing skin neoplasms. While the current diagnostic workflow has specialized in producing robust and accurate results, interpreting tissue architecture and malignant cellular morphology correctly remains one of the greatest challenges for pathologists. This paper aims to explore the prospect of applying x-ray virtual histology to human skin tumor excisions and correlating it with the histological validation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seven skin biopsies containing intriguing melanoma types and pigmented skin lesions were scanned using x-ray Computed micro-Tomography (μCT) and then sectioned for conventional histology assessment.

RESULTS

The tissue microarchitecture reconstructed by μCT offers detailed insights into diagnosing the malignancy or benignity of the skin lesions. Three-dimensional reconstruction via x-ray virtual histology reveals infiltrative patterns in basal cell carcinoma and evaluated invasiveness in melanoma. The technology enables the identification of pagetoid distributions of neoplastic cells and the assessment of melanoma depth in three dimensions.

CONCLUSION

Although the proposed approach is not intended to replace conventional histology, the non-destructive nature of the sample and the clarity provided by virtual inspection demonstrate the promising impact of μCT as a valid support method prior to conventional histological sectioning. Indeed, μCT images can suggest the optimal sectioning position before using a microtome, as is commonly performed in histological practice. Moreover, the three-dimensional nature of the proposed approach paves the way for a more accurate assessment of significant prognostic factors in melanoma, such as Breslow thickness, by considering the whole micro-volume rather than a two-dimensional observation.

Reduced estrogenic risks of a sunscreen additive: Theoretical design and evaluation of functionally improved salicylates

Salicylic esters (SEs), the widely used ultraviolet (UV) absorbers in sunscreen products, have been found to have health risks such as skin sensitization and estrogenic effects. This study aims to design SE substitutes that maintain high UV absorbance while reducing estrogenicity. Using molecular docking and Gaussian09 software for initial assessments and further application of a combination of two-dimensional and three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (2D-QSAR and 3D-QSAR, respectively) models, we designed 73 substitutes. The best-performing molecules, ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS)-5 and EHS-15, significantly reduced estrogenicity (44.54 % and 17.60 %, respectively) and enhanced UV absorbance (249.56 % and 46.94 %, respectively). Through screening for human health risks, we found that EHS-5 and EHS-15 were free from skin sensitivity and eye irritation and exhibited reduced skin permeability compared with EHS. Furthermore, the photolysis and synthetic pathways of EHS-5 and EHS-15 were deduced, demonstrating their good photodegradability and potential synthesizability. In addition, we analyzed the mechanisms underlying the changes in estrogenic effects and UV absorption properties. We identified covalent hydrogen bond basicity and acidity Propgen value for atomic molecular properties and the highest occupied molecular orbital eigenvalue as the main factors affecting the estrogenic effect and UV absorbance of SEs, respectively. This study focuses on the design and screening of SEs, exhibiting enhanced functionality, reduced health risks, and synthetic feasibility.

New theoretical insights on the nonradiative relaxation mechanism of the core structure of mycosporines: The amino-cyclohexenone central template

We present a comprehensive computational study describing the excited state dynamics and consequent photostability of amino-cyclohexenone (ACyO), the central template of mycosporine systems, widely recognized for their photoprotection of aquatic species. Photoexcitation to the first excited electronic state (S1, 1nπ*) of ACyO is considered an optically dark transition, while photoexcitation to the second excited electronic state (S21ππ*) is an optically bright 1ππ* transition and largely responsible for UV absorption properties of this molecule. We show that following initial photoexcitation to S2, ACyO relaxes via two competing deactivation mechanisms, each mediated by an S1/S0 conical intersection, which directs the excited state population to the electronic ground state (S0). Our ab initio computational results are supported with nonadiabatic dynamics simulation results, yielding an excited state lifetime of ∼280 fs for this system in vacuo. These results explain the inherent photostability of this core structure, commonplace in a wide range of microorganisms.

Skin cancer classification leveraging multi-directional compact convolutional neural network ensembles and gabor wavelets

Skin cancer (SC) is an important medical condition that necessitates prompt identification to ensure timely treatment. Although visual evaluation by dermatologists is considered the most reliable method, its efficacy is subjective and laborious. Deep learning-based computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) platforms have become valuable tools for supporting dermatologists. Nevertheless, current CAD tools frequently depend on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with huge amounts of deep layers and hyperparameters, single CNN model methodologies, large feature space, and exclusively utilise spatial image information, which restricts their effectiveness. This study presents SCaLiNG, an innovative CAD tool specifically developed to address and surpass these constraints. SCaLiNG leverages a collection of three compact CNNs and Gabor Wavelets (GW) to acquire a comprehensive feature vector consisting of spatial-textural-frequency attributes. SCaLiNG gathers a wide range of image details by breaking down these photos into multiple directional sub-bands using GW, and then learning several CNNs using those sub-bands and the original picture. SCaLiNG also combines attributes taken from various CNNs trained with the actual images and subbands derived from GW. This fusion process correspondingly improves diagnostic accuracy due to the thorough representation of attributes. Furthermore, SCaLiNG applies a feature selection approach which further enhances the model's performance by choosing the most distinguishing features. Experimental findings indicate that SCaLiNG maintains a classification accuracy of 0.9170 in categorising SC subcategories, surpassing conventional single-CNN models. The outstanding performance of SCaLiNG underlines its ability to aid dermatologists in swiftly and precisely recognising and classifying SC, thereby enhancing patient outcomes.

In Vitro Studies of Genistein Lipophilic Derivatives as Potential UV Radiation Protectors

The major environmental factor responsible for skin cancer is ultraviolet (UV) radiation, present in sunlight. UV radiation is directly linked to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which accumulate in exposed cells and cause serious damage. The antioxidant systems present in cells cannot always sufficiently neutralize the ROS. Therefore, supplementation with exogenous antioxidants has been proposed. The antioxidant properties of some isoflavones, such as genistein, have already been well-proven. Genistein has limited bioavailability. However, its derivatives, with increased lipophilicity, could facilitate its transfer into cells, where they can expose its antioxidative potential. This study aims to investigate three genistein derivatives, with greater lipophilicity than the native compound, regarding their cytotoxicity, antioxidative properties, and effect on the cell cycle in normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) and a melanoma cancer cell line (Me45). Results showed that lipophilic modification of the genistein molecule changes the biological response of NHDF and Me45 cell lines to UV-C radiation, but the lipophilicity cannot be directly linked with the activity of the compounds. A comparison of the effects of the genistein derivatives on healthy and cancerous cells suggests that their mode of action strongly depends on the type of cell involved.

Unravelling the success of transferosomes against skin cancer: Journey so far and road ahead

Skin cancer remains one of the most prominent types of cancer. Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer are commonly found together, with melanoma being the more deadly type. Skin cancer can be effectively treated with chemotherapy, which mostly uses small molecular medicines, phytoceuticals, and biomacromolecules. Topical delivery of these therapeutics is a non-invasive way that might be useful in effectively managing skin cancer. Different skin barriers, however, presented a major obstacle to topical cargo administration. Transferosomes have demonstrated significant potential in topical delivery by improving cargo penetration through the circumvention of diverse skin barriers. Additionally, the transferosome-based gel can prolong the residence of drug on the skin, lowering the frequency of doses and their associated side effects. However, the choice of appropriate transferosome compositions, such as phospholipids and edge activators, and fabrication technique are crucial for achieving improved entrapment efficiency, penetration, and regulated particle size. The present review discusses skin cancer overview, current treatment strategies for skin cancer and their drawbacks. Topical drug delivery against skin cancer is also covered, along with the difficulties associated with it and the importance of transferosomes in avoiding these difficulties. Additionally, a summary of transferosome compositions and fabrication methods is provided. Furthermore, topical delivery of small molecular drugs, phytoceuticals, and biomacromolecules using transferosomes and transferosomes-based gel in treating skin cancer is discussed. Thus, transferosomes can be a significant option in the topical delivery of drugs to manage skin cancer efficiently.

Terphenyllin induces CASP3-dependent apoptosis and pyroptosis in A375 cells through upregulation of p53

BACKGROUND

Melanoma, one of the most lethal forms of skin cancer, has the potential to develop in any area where melanocytes are present. Currently, postoperative recurrence due to the emergence of systemic drug resistance represents a significant challenge in the treatment of melanoma. In this study, terphenyllin (TER), a distinctive inhibitory impact on melanoma cells was identified from the natural p-terphenyl metabolite. This study aimed to elucidate the intrinsic mechanism of this inhibitory effect, which may facilitate the discovery of novel chemotherapeutic agents.

METHODS

A transcriptome sequencing and metabolomic analysis of TER-treated A375 cells was conducted to identify potential pathways of action. The key proteins were knocked out and backfilled using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and molecular cloning. Subsequently, the results of cytosolic viability, LDH release, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were employed to demonstrate the cell death status of the drug-treated cells.

RESULTS

The p53 signalling pathway was markedly upregulated following TER treatment, leading to the activation of CASP3 via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The activated CASP3 initiated apoptosis, while simultaneously continuing to cleave the GSDME, thereby triggering pyroptosis. The knockout of p53, a key protein situated upstream of this pathway, resulted in a significant rescue of TER-induced cell death, as well as an alleviation of the decrease in cell viability. However, the knockout of key proteins situated downstream of the pathway (CASP3 and GSDME) did not result in a rescue of TER-induced cell death, but rather a transformation of the cells from apoptosis and pyroptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The induction of apoptosis and pyroptosis in A375 cells by TER is mediated via the p53-BAX/FAS-CASP3-GSDME signalling pathway. This lays the foundation for TER as a potential anti-melanoma drug in the future. It should be noted that CASP3 and GSDME in this pathway solely regulate the mode of cell death, rather than determine whether cell death occurs. This distinction may prove valuable in future studies of apoptosis and pyroptosis.

Landscape analysis of environmental data sources for linkage with SEER cancer patients database

One of the challenges associated with understanding environmental impacts on cancer risk and outcomes is estimating potential exposures of individuals diagnosed with cancer to adverse environmental conditions over the life course. Historically, this has been partly due to the lack of reliable measures of cancer patients' potential environmental exposures before a cancer diagnosis. The emerging sources of cancer-related spatiotemporal environmental data and residential history information, coupled with novel technologies for data extraction and linkage, present an opportunity to integrate these data into the existing cancer surveillance data infrastructure, thereby facilitating more comprehensive assessment of cancer risk and outcomes. In this paper, we performed a landscape analysis of the available environmental data sources that could be linked to historical residential address information of cancer patients' records collected by the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. The objective is to enable researchers to use these data to assess potential exposures at the time of cancer initiation through the time of diagnosis and even after diagnosis. The paper addresses the challenges associated with data collection and completeness at various spatial and temporal scales, as well as opportunities and directions for future research.

Plant natural compounds in the cancer treatment: A systematic bibliometric analysis

Plant-derived natural compounds are significant resources for the discovery of potential anticancer drugs. While research in the plant-based anticancer field has surged in recent years, systematic bibliometric analyses covering a longer period and containing up-to-date publications remain scarce. Here, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of literature on the anticancer properties of plant natural compounds over the past three decades, leveraging the bibliometric framework and open-access platform, KNIME. Our findings showed that the number of plant anticancer-related publications underwent an accelerating growth from 1992 to 2023. The country and institution analyses revealed that countries with traditional medical systems contributed a large portion of publications in the plant anticancer field, such as India, China, and South Korea. This study also highlighted the top ten eminent researchers and publications, assisting researchers in identifying pivotal literature. The primary publications were domains of chemistry and biology-related fields, such as Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Plant Sciences, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Additionally, we noted that flavonoids have been focal plant compounds in anticancer, with strong anticancer potential. Our study provides new insights into the progress and trends in the plant anticancer field and will assist researchers in grasping the future research direction.

Retrospective Single-Center Case Study of Clinical Variables and the Degree of Actinic Elastosis Associated with Rare Skin Cancers

(1) Background: Rare skin cancers include epithelial, neuroendocrine, and hematopoietic neoplasias as well as cutaneous sarcomas. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and sunburns are important drivers for the incidence of certain cutaneous sarcomas; however, the pathogenetic role of UV light is less clear in rare skin cancers compared to keratinocyte cancer and melanoma. In this study, we compared the degree of actinic elastosis (AE) as a surrogate for lifetime UV exposure among selected rare skin cancers (atypical fibroxanthoma [AFX], pleomorphic dermal sarcoma [PDS], dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans [DFSP], Kaposi sarcoma [KS], Merkel cell carcinoma [MCC], and leiomyosarcoma [LMS]) while taking into account relevant clinical variables (age, sex, and body site). (2) Methods: We newly established a semi-quantitative score for the degree of AE ranging from 0 = none to 3 = total loss of elastic fibers (basophilic degeneration) and multiplied it by the perilesional vertical extent (depth), measured histometrically (tumor-associated elastosis grade (TEG)). We matched the TEG of n = 210 rare skin cancers from 210 patients with their clinical variables. (3) Results: TEG values were correlated with age and whether tumors arose on UV-exposed body sites. TEG values were significantly higher in AFX and PDS cases compared to all other analyzed rare skin cancer types. As expected, TEG values were low in DFSP and KS, while MCC cases exhibited intermediate TEG values. (4) Conclusions: High cumulative UV exposure is more strongly associated with AFX/PDS and MCC than with other rare skin cancers. These important results expand the available data associated with rare skin cancers while also offering insight into the value of differentiating among these tumor types based on their relationship with sun exposure, potentially informing preventative, diagnostic and/or therapeutic approaches.

Photoprotection-related properties of a raw extract from Gordonia hongkongensis EUFUS-Z928: A culturable rare actinomycete associated with the Caribbean octocoral Eunicea fusca

UV filters in current sunscreen formulations can have negative effects on human health, such as endocrine disruption and allergic reactions, as well as on the environment, including bioaccumulation and coral health toxicity. As a result, there is a need to find alternative compounds that serve as safer and more ecofriendly active ingredients. This study successfully isolated actinomycetes from the octocoral Eunicea fusca and assessed their potential as producers of photoprotective compounds. The use of bio-based chemical agents, particularly natural products, has been a highly effective strategy for discovering bioactive compounds, especially in marine invertebrates and their associated microbiota. Eighteen bacterial isolates were obtained and subsequently employed to prepare raw methanolic extracts from seven-day submerged cultures in Zobell marine broth. The resulting extracts were screened for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity and characterized by total phenolic and flavonoid content measurements. After screening, the Gordonia hongkongensis EUFUS-Z928-derived raw extract exhibited the best antioxidant profile, i.e. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging of 4.93 and 6.00 µmol Trolox per gram of extract, respectively, and selected for further photoprotection-related analysis. Thus, this extract demonstrated a UV-absorbing capacity of 46.33% of the in vitro sun protection factor calculated for 30 µg/mL oxybenzone but did not exhibit any cytotoxicity on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa cell line) at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry chemical characterization of this extract showed compounds with structural features associated with free radical scavenging and UV absorption (i.e. photoprotection-related activities). These findings highlighted the potential of the microbiota associated with E. fusca and confirmed the feasibility of exploiting its metabolites for photoprotection-related purposes.

Modeling pulsed dye laser treatment of psoriatic plaques by combining numerical methods and image-derived lesion morphologies

OBJECTIVES

Knowledge of the physical effects of pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment of psoriatic lesions is essential in unraveling the remedial mechanisms of this treatment and hence also in maximizing in its disease-modifying potential. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to provide estimates of these physical effects (for laser wavelengths of 585 and 595 nm), with the aim of identifying pathogenic processes that may be affected by these conditions.

METHODS

We modeled the laser light propagation and subsequent photothermal heating by numerically solving the transient diffusion and heat equations simultaneously. To this end, we used the finite element method in conjunction with an image-derived psoriatic lesion morphology (which was defined by segmenting blood vessels from a confocal microscopy image of a fluorescently labeled section of a 3 mm punch biopsy of a psoriatic lesion). The resulting predictions of the generated temperature field within the lesion were then used to assess the possibility of stalling or arresting some suspected pathogenic processes.

RESULTS

According to our results, it is conceivable that perivascular nerves are thermally denatured, as almost all locations that reach 60°C were found to be within 18 µm (at 585 nm) and 11 µm (at 595 nm) of a blood vessel wall. Furthermore, activation of TRPV1 and TRPV2 channels in perivascular neuronal and immune cells is highly likely, since a critical temperature of 43°C is generated at locations within up to 350 µm of a vessel wall (at both wavelengths) and sustained for up to 700 ms (at 585 nm) and 40 ms (at 595 nm), while a critical temperature of 52°C is reached by locations within 80 µm (at 585 nm) and 30 µm (at 595 nm) of a vessel wall and sustained for up to 100  ms (at 585 nm) and 30 ms (at 595 nm). Finally, we found that the blood vessel coagulation-inducing temperature of 70°C is sustained in the vascular epithelium for up to 19 and 5 ms at 585 and 595 nm, respectively, rendering partial or total loss of vascular functionality a distinct possibility.

CONCLUSIONS

The presented approach constitutes a useful tool to provide realistic estimates of the photothermal effects of PDL treatment of psoriatic plaques (as well as other selective photothermolysis-based treatments), yielding information that is essential in guiding future experimental studies toward unraveling the remedial mechanisms of these treatments.

Translation of Epigenetics in Cell-Free DNA Liquid Biopsy Technology and Precision Oncology

Technological advancements in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) liquid biopsy have triggered exponential growth in numerous clinical applications. While cfDNA-based liquid biopsy has made significant strides in personalizing cancer treatment, the exploration and translation of epigenetics in liquid biopsy to clinical practice is still nascent. This comprehensive review seeks to provide a broad yet in-depth narrative of the present status of epigenetics in cfDNA liquid biopsy and its associated challenges. It highlights the potential of epigenetics in cfDNA liquid biopsy technologies with the hopes of enhancing its clinical translation. The momentum of cfDNA liquid biopsy technologies in recent years has propelled epigenetics to the forefront of molecular biology. We have only begun to reveal the true potential of epigenetics in both our understanding of disease and leveraging epigenetics in the diagnostic and therapeutic domains. Recent clinical applications of epigenetics-based cfDNA liquid biopsy revolve around DNA methylation in screening and early cancer detection, leading to the development of multi-cancer early detection tests and the capability to pinpoint tissues of origin. The clinical application of epigenetics in cfDNA liquid biopsy in minimal residual disease, monitoring, and surveillance are at their initial stages. A notable advancement in fragmentation patterns analysis has created a new avenue for epigenetic biomarkers. However, the widespread application of cfDNA liquid biopsy has many challenges, including biomarker sensitivity, specificity, logistics including infrastructure and personnel, data processing, handling, results interpretation, accessibility, and cost effectiveness. Exploring and translating epigenetics in cfDNA liquid biopsy technology can transform our understanding and perception of cancer prevention and management. cfDNA liquid biopsy has great potential in precision oncology to revolutionize conventional ways of early cancer detection, monitoring residual disease, treatment response, surveillance, and drug development. Adapting the implementation of liquid biopsy workflow to the local policy worldwide and developing point-of-care testing holds great potential to overcome global cancer disparity and improve cancer outcomes.

Multifunctional Three-in-One Sensor on t-ZnO for Ultraviolet and VOC Sensing for Bioengineering Applications

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is considered to be one of the most explored and reliable sensing materials for UV detection due to its excellent properties, like a wide band gap and high exciton energy. Our current study on a photodetector based on tetrapodal ZnO (t-ZnO) reported an extremely high UV response of ~9200 for 394 nm UV illumination at 25 °C. The t-ZnO network structure and morphology were investigated using XRD and SEM. The sensor showed a UV/visible ratio of ~12 at 25 °C for 394 nm UV illumination and 443 nm visible illumination. By increasing the temperature, monotonic decreases in response and recovery time were observed. By increasing the bias voltage, the response time was found to decrease while the recovery time was increased. The maximum responsivity shifted to higher wavelengths from 394 nm to 400 nm by increasing the operating temperature from 25 °C to 100 °C. The t-ZnO networks exhibited gas-sensing performances at temperatures above 250 °C, and a maximum response of ~1.35 was recorded at 350 °C with a good repeatability and fast recovery in 16 s for 100 ppm of n-butanol vapor. This study demonstrated that t-ZnO networks are good biosensors that can be used for diverse biomedical applications like the sensing of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and ultraviolet detection under a wide range of temperatures, and may find new possibilities in biosensing applications.

Downregulation of SMAD4 protects HaCaT cells against UVB-induced damage and oxidative stress through the activation of EMT

As a member of the SMAD family, SMAD4 plays a crucial role in several cellular biological processes. However, its function in UVB radiation-induced keratinocyte damage is not yet clarified. Our study aims to provide mechanistic insight for the development of future UVB protective therapies and therapeutics involving SMAD4. HaCaT cells were treated with UVB, and the dose dependence and time dependence of UVB were measured. The cell function of UVB-treated HaCaT cells and the activity of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) after overexpression or silencing of SMAD4 was observed by flow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western Blots (WB). We found that a significant decrease in SMAD4 was observed in HaCaT cells induced by UVB. Our data confirm SMAD4 as a direct downstream target of miR-664. The down-regulation of SMAD4 preserved the viability of the UVB-treated HaCaT cells by inhibiting autophagy or apoptosis. Furthermore, the silencing of SMAD4 activated the EMT process in UVB-treated HaCaT cells. Down-regulation of SMAD4 plays a protective role in UVB-treated HaCaT cells via the activation of EMT.

In vitro safety evaluation of (6-methoxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthen-2-yl)methyl (E)-3-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (K-116) - the novel potential UV filter designed by means of a double chromophore strategy

The use of topical photoprotection is necessary to reduce adverse effects caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Despite the high standards set for UV filters, many of them may contribute to the occurrence of adverse effects. The newly synthesised compound K-116, the (E)-cinnamoyl xanthone derivative, could be an alternative. We conducted extended in vitro safety evaluation of compound K-116. The research included assessment of irritation potential on skin tissue, evaluation of penetration through the epidermis, and assessment of phototoxicity, and mutagenicity. Additionally, the eco-safety of compound K-116 was evaluated, including an examination of its degradation pathway in the Cunninghamella echinulata model, as well as in silico simulation of the toxicity of both the parent compound and its degradation products. The research showed that compound K-116 tested in future application conditions is deprived of skin irritant potential additionally it does not penetrate through the epidermis. Results showed that K-116 concentrate is not phototoxic and not mutagenic. The eco-safety studies showed that it undergoes biodegradation in 27% in Cunninghamella echinulata model. The parent compound and formed metabolite are less toxic than reference UV filters (octinoxate and octocrylene).

Thermally Conductive and UV-EMI Shielding Electronic Textiles for Unrestricted and Multifaceted Health Monitoring

Skin-attachable electronics have garnered considerable research attention in health monitoring and artificial intelligence domains, whereas susceptibility to electromagnetic interference (EMI), heat accumulation issues, and ultraviolet (UV)-induced aging problems pose significant constraints on their potential applications. Here, an ultra-elastic, highly breathable, and thermal-comfortable epidermal sensor with exceptional UV-EMI shielding performance and remarkable thermal conductivity is developed for high-fidelity monitoring of multiple human electrophysiological signals. Via filling the elastomeric microfibers with thermally conductive boron nitride nanoparticles and bridging the insulating fiber interfaces by plating Ag nanoparticles (NPs), an interwoven thermal conducting fiber network (0.72 W m-1 K-1) is constructed benefiting from the seamless thermal interfaces, facilitating unimpeded heat dissipation for comfort skin wearing. More excitingly, the elastomeric fiber substrates simultaneously achieve outstanding UV protection (UPF = 143.1) and EMI shielding (SET > 65, X-band) capabilities owing to the high electrical conductivity and surface plasmon resonance of Ag NPs. Furthermore, an electronic textile prepared by printing liquid metal on the UV-EMI shielding and thermally conductive nonwoven textile is finally utilized as an advanced epidermal sensor, which succeeds in monitoring different electrophysiological signals under vigorous electromagnetic interference. This research paves the way for developing protective and environmentally adaptive epidermal electronics for next-generation health regulation.

Lipid-based nanoparticles as a promising treatment for the skin cancer

The prevalence of skin disorders, especially cancer, is increasing worldwide. Several factors are involved in causing skin cancer, but ultraviolet (UV) light, including sunlight and tanning beds, are considered the leading cause. Different methods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cryotherapy, and photodynamic therapy are mostly used for the skin cancer treatment. However, drug resistance and toxicity against cancer cells are related to these treatments. Lipid-nanoparticles have attracted significant interest as delivery systems due to non-invasive and targeted delivery based on the type of active drug. However, the stratum corneum, the outer layer of the skin, is inherently impervious to drugs. Due to their ability to penetrate the deep layers of the skin, skin delivery systems are capable of delivering drugs to target cells in a protected manner. The aim of this review was to examine the properties and applications of nanoliposomes used in the treatment and prevention of numerous types of skin cancer.

PRESOLRE: study protocol for a primary school-based, cluster randomised controlled trial of three sun exposure risk prevention strategies on Reunion Island

INTRODUCTION

Reunion Island, a French overseas department, is located in the southern hemisphere, close to the Capricorn tropic. This island has a multicultural and multiethnic population of 860 000 inhabitants, a quarter of whom are at high risk of developing skin cancer due to intense ultraviolet radiation. Melanoma is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. The early prevention of melanoma is based on sun protection in childhood, but French regulations are not adapted to the environmental conditions of this tropical region.The main objective of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of three sun protection programs conducted in Reunionese primary schools through a pupil knowledge questionnaire.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

PRESOLRE is an interventional, open-label, cluster-randomised controlled trial, in four parallel arms, that is being conducted throughout 2022-2023 on Reunion Island. The trial design assumes an escalation interventional effect using: first, a control arm without proposed intervention (arm 1); second, an arm whose classes are encouraged to use the validated educational programme 'Living With the Sun' (LWS) (arm 2); third, an arm whose classes are encouraged to use both 'LWS' combined with 'Mission Soleil Réunion's sun protection awareness programme (arm 3); fourth, an arm benefiting from an intervention similar to arm 3, combined with the distribution of hats, sunglasses and sun creams (arm 4). In all, 1780 pupils from 18 classes of 20 pupils, on average, will be included. Randomisation applies to the classes of pupils (so defined as clusters). The primary outcome is based on the proportion of correct answers to the knowledge questions after the awareness programme, compared between the four arms using a linear mixed model with random intercept.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study obtained ethics approval in 2022 (ID: 2022-A00350-43). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05367180.

Tobacco smoking is associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma but not with basal cell carcinoma or melanoma in adult subjects at risk of skin cancer: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

The relationship between tobacco smoking and cutaneous photodamage or malignancies is still unclear. In addition to smoking, both ultraviolet radiation and immunosuppression have an impact on carcinogenesis. The purpose was to study the association of smoking with cutaneous photoaging, actinic keratosis (AK), skin cancers, and pigment cell nevi in adult subjects at risk of any type of skin cancer.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study at Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, between May 2017 and October 2020, 488 subjects (aged 21-79 years, 246 males and 242 females, 94 with immunosuppression) were examined for a variety of skin lesions, photoaging severity, nevi, tobacco pack-years (TPY), as well as for possible confounding factors.

RESULTS

In logistic regression analyses, no marked association was found between TPY and total skin photoaging, facial photoaging, AK, or nevi, especially when other confounding factors, such as age, were considered. In addition, TPY was not associated with melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or any type of skin cancer. However, ever smokers produced an elevated crude odds ratio (OR=1.99; 95% CI: 1.02-3.88, p=0.043) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to non-smokers. In further analysis, TPY of ≤10 produced an elevated multivariable adjusted odds ratio (AOR=4.90; 95% CI: 1.31-18.26, p=0.018) for SCC, but TPY >10 did not (AOR=1.14; 95% CI: 0.22-6.05, p=0.876).

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking was associated, though not dose-dependently, with an increased likelihood of SCC, but it was not associated with basal cell carcinoma or melanoma. However, the impact of smoking on cutaneous photoaging severity, AK, and nevi, appears to be weak.

Assessment of prevalence of sunscreen use and related practices among people living in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional survey-based study

BACKGROUND

The use of sunscreen significantly reduces the risk of skin cancer and helps maintain skin health; however, improper use can decrease its effectiveness. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with sunscreen use in Saudi Arabia as well as identifying areas of weakness in sunscreen practices.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted with a diverse population sample in Saudi Arabia. Participants were asked about their sunscreen usage habits, motivations, and knowledge of proper application techniques. Demographic information, including age, gender, and skin type, were also collected.

RESULTS

A total of 2321 individuals participated in the study. More than two-thirds of the participants reported using sunscreen either always, regularly, or often, primarily to maintain a light skin color and prevent skin cancer. Factors associated with sunscreen use included younger age (18-40 years old), female gender, history of sunburn, and fair skin. Despite the majority reporting healthy sun exposure habits, several shortcomings were identified in sunscreen practices, including incorrect application and suboptimal reapplication frequency.

CONCLUSION

While sunscreen use is common among the study population, there is a need for improved education on proper application techniques. National awareness campaigns, especially those utilizing popular social media and digital platforms in Saudi Arabia, should focus on disseminating accurate sunscreen use guidelines to maximize sun protection and skin health.

Protocol for a cluster-randomized trial of a school-based skin cancer preventive intervention for adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescents infrequently use sun protection and engage in intentional tanning more frequently compared to other age groups, leading to increased ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure that heightens skin cancer risk across the lifespan. High schools are therefore an ideal setting for offering skin cancer preventive interventions. Yet, there are limited UVR protection interventions for high school students, especially those that are personalized, tested using randomized designs, and include long-term outcome assessment to determine the durability of intervention effects.

METHOD

The Sun-safe Habits Intervention and Education (SHINE) cluster-randomized trial will test a novel, personalized intervention that targets high school adolescents' sun protection and tanning behaviors, and tracks their outcomes for up to one year following intervention. Enrolled high schools will be randomized to receive either the personalized SHINE intervention, which includes facial UVR photographs and sun protection action planning, or standard education using publicly available materials. Students in both conditions will receive information about skin cancer, sun protection, and skin self-examination. Outcome variables will include students' sun protection and tanning behaviors and sunburn occurrence. Potential moderators (e.g., race/ethnicity) and mediators (e.g., self-efficacy) will also be assessed and tested.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial examines the efficacy of a personalized intervention targeting sun protection and tanning of high school students. The project will lead to new scientific understanding of the theoretical mechanisms underlying outcomes and moderators of the intervention effects, which will inform future intervention tailoring to meet the needs of vulnerable subgroups.

Sunscreen compound benzophenone-3 and its relationship with white blood cell counts

BACKGROUND

Evidence from animal models suggests a role for the organic ultraviolet filter benzophenone-3's (BP-3) on white blood cells (WBCs). However, BP-3's effect on WBCs in humans is unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2003 to 2016. We included participants >6 years with data on urinary BP-3, urinary creatinine, and WBC count. Quintiles of urinary creatinine-normalized BP-3 (CnBP-3) levels were used in linear regression models adjusting for age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, education level, family income to poverty threshold ratio, survey cycle, and season.

RESULTS

Of the 16 959 participants, 8564 (50.5%) were females, 6602 (38.9%) were White, and 3870 (22.8%) were Black. The mean (standard deviation) age was 37.6 (22.7) years, BMI was 26.8 (7.40) kg/m2, WBC count was 7.22 (2.53) × 109/L, neutrophil count was 4.15 (1.86) × 109/L, and lymphocyte count was 2.25 (1.33) × 109/L and median (interquartile range) of CnBP-3 was 12.1 (44.9) µg/gm. The highest quintile of CnBP-3 was associated with significantly lower WBC and neutrophil counts compared to the lowest quintile of CnBP-3 (Δ quintiles = -137 × 106/L, 95% CI: -249 to -24, p = 0.02 and = -177 × 106/L, 95% CI: -323 to -30, p = 0.02, respectively). In contrast, we did not observe a difference in lymphocyte count between the lowest and highest quintiles of CnBP-3 in unadjusted or adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSION

We found an inverse relationship between BP-3 levels and WBC and neutrophil counts, and not with lymphocyte count. Further research is needed to confirm our findings.

Myopia prevalence and ocular biometry in children and adolescents at different altitudes: a cross-sectional study in Chongqing and Tibet, China

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the differences in myopia prevalence and ocular biometry in children and adolescents in Chongqing and Tibet, China.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

The study included children and adolescents aged 6-18 years in Chongqing, a low-altitude region, and in Qamdo, a high-altitude region of Tibet.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 448 participants in Qamdo, Tibet, and 748 participants in Chongqing were enrolled in this study.

METHODS

All participants underwent uncorrected visual acuity assessment, non-cycloplegic refraction, axial length (AL) measurement, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement and corneal tomography. And the participants were grouped according to age (6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-18 years group), and altitude of location (primary school students: group A (average altitude: 325 m), group B (average altitude: 2300 m), group C (average altitude: 3250 and 3170 m) and group D (average altitude: 3870 m)).

RESULTS

There was no statistical difference in mean age (12.09±3.15 vs 12.2±3.10, p=0.549) and sex distribution (males, 50.4% vs 47.6%, p=0.339) between the two groups. The Tibet group presented greater spherical equivalent (SE, -0.63 (-2.00, 0.13) vs -0.88 (-2.88, -0.13), p<0.001), shorter AL (23.45±1.02 vs 23.92±1.19, p<0.001), lower prevalence of myopia (39.7% vs 47.6%, p=0.008) and flatter mean curvature power of the cornea (Km, 43.06±1.4 vs 43.26±1.36, p=0.014) than the Chongqing group. Further analysis based on age subgroups revealed that the Tibet group had a lower prevalence of myopia and higher SE in the 12-14, and 15-18 years old groups, shorter AL in the 9-11, 12-14 and 15-18 years old groups, and lower AL to corneal radius of curvature ratio (AL/CR) in all age subgroups compared with the Chongqing group, while Km was similar between the two groups in each age subgroup. Simple linear regression analysis showed that SE decreased with age in both the Tibet and Chongqing groups, with the Tibet group exhibiting a slower rate of decrease (p<0.001). AL and AL/CR increased with age in both the Tibet and Chongqing groups, but the rate of increase was slower in the Tibet group (p<0.001 of both). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that AL had the greatest effect on SE in both groups, followed by Km. In addition, the children and adolescents in Tibet presented thinner corneal thickness (CCT, p<0.001), smaller white to white distance (WTW, p<0.001), lower IOP (p<0.001) and deeper anterior chamber depth (ACD, p=0.015) than in Chongqing. Comparison of altitude subgroups showed that the prevalence of myopia (p=0.002), SE (p=0.031), AL (p=0.001) and AL/CR (p<0.001) of children at different altitudes was statistically different but the Km (p=0.189) were similar. The highest altitude, Tengchen County, exhibited the lowest prevalence of myopia and greatest SE among children, and the mean AL also decreased with increasing altitude.

CONCLUSIONS

Myopia prevalence in Tibet was comparable with that in Chongqing for students aged 6-8 and 9-11 years but was lower and myopia progressed more slowly for students aged 12-14 and 15-18 years than in Chongqing, and AL was the main contributor for this difference, which may be related to higher ultraviolet radiation exposure and lower IOP in children and adolescents at high altitude in Tibet. Differences in AL and AL/CR between Tibet and Chongqing children and adolescents manifested earlier than in SE, underscoring the importance of AL measurement in myopia screening.

New trends on personalized sunscreens

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Nowadays, there are emerging trends in customized and personalized photoprotection, focusing on the innovative approaches to enhance sun protection efficacy tailored to individual needs.

METHODS

We conducted an electronic search of the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Skin Group Specialised Skin Register, and TESEO. Specific search terms related to personalized photoprotection and the variables of age, genetic predisposition, skin phototype, photodermatosis, and physiological conditions such as pregnancy, as well as lifestyle habits were used.

RESULTS/CONCLUSION

The article highlights the challenges and opportunities in adopting personalized photoprotection strategies, aiming to promote skin health and prevent the harmful effects of UV radiation in the era of precision medicine.

Ribosomal S6 kinase 2-forkhead box protein O4 signaling pathway plays an essential role in melanogenesis

Although previous studies have examined the signaling pathway involved in melanogenesis through which ultraviolet (UV) or α-melanocyte-stimulating hormones (α-MSH) stimuli act as key inducers to produce melanin at the stratum basal layer of the epidermis, the signaling pathway regulating melanogenesis is still controversial. This study reports that α-MSH, not UVA and UVB, acted as a major stimulus of melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. Signaling pathway analysis using gene knockdown technology and chemical inhibitors, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (RSK2) played an important role in melanogenesis. Unexpectedly, LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, increased melanogenesis without UV or α-MSH stimulation, suggesting that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may not be a major signaling pathway for melanogenesis. Chemical inhibition of the MEKs/ERKs/RSK2 signaling pathway using U0126 or BI-D1870 suppressed melanogenesis by stimulation of UVA or α-MSH stimulation, or both. In particular, the genetic depletion of RSK2 or constitutive active (CA)-RSK2 overexpression showed that RSK2 plays a key role in melanogenesis. Interestingly, forkhead box protein O4 (FOXO4) was phosphorylated by RSK2, resulting in the increase of FOXO4's transactivation activity. Notably, the FOXO4 mutant harboring serine-to-alanine replacement at the phosphorylation sites totally abrogated the transactivation activity and reduced melanin production, indicating that RSK2-mediated FOXO4 activity plays a key role in melanogenesis. Furthermore, kaempferol, a flavonoid inhibiting the RSK2 activity, suppressed melanogenesis. In addition, FOXO4-wt overexpression showed that FOXO4 enhance melanin synthesis. Overall, the RSK2-FOXO4 signaling pathway plays a key role in modulating melanogenesis.

Anti-cancer potential of zerumbone in cancer and glioma: current trends and future perspectives

Plant-derived immunomodulators and antitumor factors have appealed lots of attention from natural product scientists for their efficiency and safety and their important contribution to well-designed targeted drug action and delivery mechanisms. Zerumbone (ZER), the chief component of Zingiber zerumbet rhizomes, has been examined for its wide-spectrum in the treatment of multi-targeted diseases. The rhizomes have been used as food flavoring agents in numerous cuisines and in flora medication. Numerous in vivo and in vitro experiments have prepared confirmation of ZER as a potent immunomodulator as well as a potential anti-tumor agent. This review is an interesting compilation of all the important results of the research carried out to date to investigate the immunomodulatory and anticancer properties of ZER. The ultimate goal of this comprehensive review is to supply updated information and a crucial evaluation on ZER, including its chemistry and immunomodulating and antitumour properties, which may be of principal importance to supply a novel pathway for subsequent investigation to discover new agents to treat cancers and immune-related sickness. In addition, updated information on the toxicology of ZER has been summarized to support its safety profile.

The Anticancer Activities of Natural Terpenoids That Inhibit Both Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers

The prevalence of two major types of skin cancer, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, has been increasing worldwide. Skin cancer incidence is estimated to rise continuously over the next 20 years due to ozone depletion and an increased life expectancy. Chemotherapeutic agents could affect healthy cells, and thus may be toxic to them and cause numerous side effects or drug resistance. Phytochemicals that are naturally occurring in fruits, plants, and herbs are known to possess various bioactive properties, including anticancer properties. Although the effects of phytochemicals are relatively milder than chemotherapeutic agents, the long-term intake of phytochemicals may be effective and safe in preventing tumor development in humans. Diverse phytochemicals have shown anti-tumorigenic activities for either melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer. In this review, we focused on summarizing recent research findings of the natural and dietary terpenoids (eucalyptol, eugenol, geraniol, linalool, and ursolic acid) that have anticancer activities for both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. These terpenoids may be helpful to protect skin collectively to prevent tumorigenesis of both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Rural-Urban Differences in Sun Exposure and Protection Behaviors in the United States

BACKGROUND

Evidence regarding whether rural residence is a risk factor for skin cancer is mixed. We compared sun exposure and protection behaviors between rural and urban residents by ethno-racial group in the United States.

METHODS

We analyzed data from three (2013-2018) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles. We compared self-reported sun exposure and protection measures (sunburn, time spent outside, sunscreen use, wearing long sleeves, staying in shade) by rural-urban residential status using survey-weighted logistic regression models stratified by ethno-racial group, adjusting for age, sex, income, education, body mass index, and smoking.

RESULTS

Hispanic rural versus urban residents more often reported sunburns in the past year [41.6% vs. 31.2%, adjusted OR (aOR): 1.46 (1.15-1.86)]. White rural versus urban residents more often spent 2+ hours outside on workdays [42.9% vs. 29.1%, aOR: 1.60 (1.27-2.01)] and non-workdays [72.2% vs. 64.8%, aOR: 1.45 (1.12-1.88)] and less often used sunscreen [26.0% vs. 35.1%, aOR: 0.74 (0.59-0.93)] and stayed in the shade [21.7% vs. 26.7%, aOR: 0.72 (0.57-0.89)]. Black rural versus urban residents stayed in the shade less often [31.6% vs. 43.9%, aOR: 0.60 (0.39-0.91)] but less often spent 2+ hours outside on non-workdays [47.6% vs. 56.8%, aOR: 0.67 (0.51-0.90)].

CONCLUSIONS

Across all ethno-racial groups included, rural residents reported greater sun risk behaviors than urban residents, with some nuances by ethno-racial identity, suggesting rural residence is a potential risk factor for skin cancer.

IMPACT

Sun protection promotion programs should consider rural-urban settings while also accounting for ethno-racial identities.

Quantitative Assessment of Ultraviolet-Induced Erythema and Tanning Responses in the Han Chinese Population

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can induce erythema and tanning responses with strong diversity within and between populations, but there were no precise method for evaluating the variation in these responses. In this study, we assessed the time course of ultraviolet (UV)-induced responses based on the erythema index (EI) and melanin index (MI) over 14 consecutive days in a pilot cohort study (N = 31). From safety evaluations, we found that no skin blisters occurred at a UV dosage of 45 mJ/cm2, but there were significant skin reactions. Regardless of UV dosage, the measurements and variances of EI peaked on day 1 after UV irradiation, and those of MI peaked on day 7. Dose-response curves, including erythema dose-response (EDR) and melanin dose-response (MDR), could measure UV-induced phenotypes sensitively but more laboriously. As an alternative, we directly represented the UV-induced erythema and tanning responses using the erythema increment (ΔE) and melanin increment (ΔM). We found that ΔE and ΔM at 45 mJ/cm2 significantly correlated with erythema dose-response (EDR) (R 2 > 0.9) and melanin dose-response (MDR) (R 2 > 0.9), respectively. Therefore, ΔE and ΔM on day 1 and day 7 after UV irradiation at a dosage of 45 mJ/cm2 might be ideal alternative measures for assessing individual erythema and tanning responses. Then, a second cohort (N = 664) was recruited to validate the UV-induced phenotypes, and, as expected, the results of the two cohorts were in agreement. Therefore, we developed a simplified and precise method to quantify the UV-induced erythema response and tanning ability for the Han Chinese population.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43657-023-00105-1.

Rural-urban differences in meeting of physical activity recommendations by sun exposure and protection behaviors in the United States

OBJECTIVE

To examine associations between sun protection behaviors and physical activity (PA) by rural and urban residence in the United States.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2018), restricting to participants ages 20-59 with sun behavior data. Sunburns, sun exposure, and sun protection measures were dichotomized (yes/no): ≥1 sunburn in the past year, 2+ hour outside during workdays or non-workdays, and never/rarely/sometimes using sunscreen, wearing long sleeves, and staying in the shade. Meeting PA recommendations (yes/no) was defined as ≥150 min of vigorous/moderate or ≥ 75 min vigorous PA per week. Associations between sun behaviors and PA were analyzed using logistic regression models, which accounted for survey-weights and potential confounders, and stratified by rural-urban status.

RESULTS

Rural and urban individuals meeting PA recommendations had greater odds of spending 2+ hour outside during workdays (OR: 2.26 [1.88, 2.74] and 3.95 [2.72, 5.73]) and non-workdays (OR: 2.06 [1.78, 2.38] and 3.33 [2.47, 4.46]). Among urban residents, odds of staying in the shade were lower among those who met PA recommendations (OR: 0.78 [0.66, 0.92]). We did not observe differences in sunburns or other sun behaviors by PA status, regardless of rurality.

CONCLUSIONS

Meeting PA recommendations was associated with greater sun exposure in both rural and urban populations. Additional exercise location (indoors/outside) data is needed to inform PA and skin cancer prevention interventions to reduce unintended increases in sun exposure and reductions in PA, respectively, especially among rural populations.

Vitamin D and Cutaneous Melanoma Risk: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Background: Vitamin D (VitD) properties can impact cancer cells. Despite the documented link between VitD levels and prevalence of several cancer types, conflicting findings have been reported for cutaneous melanoma (CM). Objective: This overview aims to compile the evidence from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses, emphasizing the relationships between VitD serum levels, intake, receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms, and CM risk. Methods: A literature search in electronic databases was conducted, based on certain inclusion criteria. Results: Twenty-one studies were included. Conflicting evidence between high VitD serum levels, dietary/supplementary intake, and CM risk is highlighted. VDR polymorphisms may play a role in the intricate CM pathogenesis. Also, high serum levels of VitD are associated with improved CM prognosis. Conclusions: This overview showed that the impact of VitD on CM is not clear, and thus further research is suggested to explore its true effect size on CM risk.

Review of the application of the most current sophisticated image processing methods for the skin cancer diagnostics purposes

This paper presents the most current and innovative solutions applying modern digital image processing methods for the purpose of skin cancer diagnostics. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancers. It is said that in the USA only, one in five people will develop skin cancer and this trend is constantly increasing. Implementation of new, non-invasive methods plays a crucial role in both identification and prevention of skin cancer occurrence. Early diagnosis and treatment are needed in order to decrease the number of deaths due to this disease. This paper also contains some information regarding the most common skin cancer types, mortality and epidemiological data for Poland, Europe, Canada and the USA. It also covers the most efficient and modern image recognition methods based on the artificial intelligence applied currently for diagnostics purposes. In this work, both professional, sophisticated as well as inexpensive solutions were presented. This paper is a review paper and covers the period of 2017 and 2022 when it comes to solutions and statistics. The authors decided to focus on the latest data, mostly due to the rapid technology development and increased number of new methods, which positively affects diagnosis and prognosis.

A Content Analysis of Indoor Tanning Twitter Chatter During COVID-19 Shutdowns: Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Indoor tanning is a preventable risk factor for skin cancer. Statewide shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in temporary closures of tanning businesses. Little is known about how tanners reacted to losing access to tanning businesses.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze Twitter (subsequently rebranded as X) chatter about indoor tanning during the statewide pandemic shutdowns.

METHODS

We collected tweets from March 15 to April 30, 2020, and performed a directed content analysis of a random sample of 20% (1165/5811) of tweets from each week. The 2 coders independently rated themes (κ=0.67-1.0; 94%-100% agreement).

RESULTS

About half (589/1165, 50.6%) of tweets were by people unlikely to indoor tan, and most of these mocked tanners or the act of tanning (562/589, 94.9%). A total of 34% (402/1165) of tweets were posted by users likely to indoor tan, and most of these (260/402, 64.7%) mentioned missing tanning beds, often citing appearance- or mood-related reasons or withdrawal. Some tweets by tanners expressed a desire to purchase or use home tanning beds (90/402, 22%), while only 3.9% (16/402) mentioned tanning alternatives (eg, self-tanner). Very few tweets (29/1165, 2.5%) were public health messages about the dangers of indoor tanning.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings revealed that during statewide shutdowns, half of the tweets about indoor tanning were mocking tanning bed users and the tanned look, while about one-third were indoor tanners reacting to their inability to access tanning beds. Future work is needed to understand emerging trends in tanning post pandemic.

A cross-sectional review of contact allergens in popular self-tanning products

Background

In recent years, self-tanners have become a well-liked alternative to sun tanning and tanning bed usage, as strikingly similar results can be achieved without the harmful side effects of ultraviolet exposure.

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate the presence and prevalence of potential allergens in the most popular self-tanning products.

Methods

Five major retailers in the United States were evaluated, from which 17 different brands and 44 unique self-tanning products were analyzed. The ingredients in each self-tanning product were compared with 80 and 36 notable contact allergens taken from the North American Contact Dermatitis Group and Food and Drug Administration-approved T.R.U.E (Thin-Layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous Patch Test), respectively.

Results

We found that contact allergens are frequently present in self-tanning products; allergens especially common are propylene glycol, linalool, polysorbate, d-limonene, benzyl alcohol, tocopherol (vitamin E), fragrances, and other scented botanicals. On average, each self-tanner we analyzed contained 11.86 allergens.

Limitations

The limitation is that commercial names could not be eliminated from the analysis, introducing potential bias.

Conclusion

While self-tanning products are a safer alternative to tanning bed use or sunbathing, consumers and clinicians alike must be aware that they may cause an allergic reaction of the skin for some users.