Hair Color Research Articles

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is capable of precise differentiation between re-dyed hair samples

Scalp hairs are readily present at most crime scenes because an average person sheds around 100 hairs a day. Forensic experts analyze hair found at crime scenes to identify suspects involved in a crime. Many people color their hair on a regular basis. Therefore, confirmatory analysis of hair colorants can be extremely useful in forensic investigation of hair evidence. However, most currently available methods for analysis of hair colorants are invasive, destructive, or not reliable. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a minimally invasive, fast, and highly accurate technique that can be used to identify colorants present on hair. SERS is based on 106–108 enhancement of Raman scattering from molecules present in the close proximity to noble metal nanostructures. In this study, we investigate the extent to which SERS can be used to reveal coloration history of hair. We found that SERS enables nearly 100% identification of dyes of different color if those were applied on hair in the sequential order. The same accuracy was observed for colorants of different brand and type. Furthermore, SERS was capable of revealing the order in which two colorants were applied on hair. Finally, we demonstrated that SERS could be used to reveal hair coloration history if two randomly selected dyes of different color, brand and type were used to color the hair. These findings facilitate the need for forensic experts to account for hair that has been redyed and can be identified against a library of the same colorant combinations.

Comparison of Beauty Standards and Body Images on Disney Princesses and Female Villains

As the role of mass media has increased, people have become more obsessed with the ideal portrayal of “ideal beauty and body”. With Disney Princess, the media’s perception of “ideal beauty and body” even spread to younger audiences. This study aims to analyze the comparison of beauty standards and body image between Disney Princesses and Female Villains. A quantitative content analysis method consists of two categories; videlicet Beauty Standards and Body Image are used to analyze the visualization of the characters. Six indicators for Beauty Standards and three for the Body Images category. This research found no differences in Beauty Standards and Body Images between Disney Princesses and Female Villains. Still, two indicators in Beauty Standards are declared significant, namely Hair Color and Physical Appearance. Eventually, this study declared no significant indicators difference between subjects; still, there are two indicators declared significant, which can lead to audiences’ misperception

A Study on the Aesthetic Characteristics of Hetaira Beauty Style Expressed in Greek Pottery

This study studied the aesthetic characteristics of Hetaira's costume and beauty style expressed in pottery paintings of the Greek era as the contents of Greek mythology were recently re-examined as the subject of humanities interest. In ancient Greece, the common name for prostitutes was Hetaira, and she was a religious prostitute who was at the top of the list of prostitutes in Greek society, enjoying the wealth of freedom and status more than any other woman. The aesthetic characteristics of the Hetaira beauty style of the Greek era were largely shown as An ornament beauty, An ostentatious sensuality and symbolic beauty of power. First, An ornament beauty was the makeup of a Greek Hetaira woman, who emphasized her eyes with thick and dark black eyebrows and black eyeliner. The Hetaira woman's face was white with white lead, her eyes were emphasized with eyeshadow using black cowl, and she applied orange short yarn to her cheeks and mouth to put on intense color makeup. Hetara dyed her hair in all sorts of colors, decorated her hair with hairpieces, wore thin cloth ribbons and chest bands, and sprayed perfume made with special prescriptions. Second, ostentatious sensual beauty was applied to various sexual zones of the feminine body and the whole body, such as the nipple and buttocks, which can stimulate men's sexual pleasure, and Hetair's outfit was in the form of a full-body keyton or revealing the upper body. The hair was as voluminous as possible, and the method of dispersing the tarae on the forehead was used to make it look as sensual as possible. Curled hair with thick waves was naturally curled up and expressed sensibly using a signon shape and long hair. Third, the symbolic beauty of power is that ancient Greece's ‘privilege fashion’ was ‘nature’, a power that only men could have, but Hetaira had equal power with men in the symposium with nakedness. The hairstyle seems to have been able to wear a veil or a laurel crown, which is exclusively for men. In the form of a wig, he preferred a curling style with no forehead exposed, and it was found that he produced blade hair. Hetaira's style, represented in Greek pottery paintings, had hair, makeup, and fashion styles that represented the Greek era, possessed greater power and wealth than ordinary women in the Greek era, and was found to have the privilege of wearing heavy makeup, light hair colors and hair decorations that were not allowed by ordinary women. Therefore, it was found that it was very meaningful to study Hetaira's beauty style in studying the beauty culture of the Greek era.

키치의 미적 특성을 응용한 남성 헤어스타일 작품 연구

This study aims to propose a variety of methods by applying kitsch features and designing male hairstyles on the basis of the aesthetic features of kitsch. Six kinds of male hairstyles (dandy, regent, two-block, asymmetric, mushroom and Mohican) designs were proposed applying the aesthetic features of kitsch (exaggeration, inappropriateness, pleasure, satire and homesickness) acquired by analyzing the trends of the existing research and literature on the aesthetic features of kitsch and then, applying the hair colors and objects to male hairstyles. Six basic works, six trendy works, and six object works were created for this study. Those works expressed diverse kinds of male kitsch hairstyles containing new emotions by applying popular images and features of high-class culture out of the existing indecent and resistant image of kitsch in order to improve the applicability of kitsch hairstyles and provide basic data for the development of male hairstyle designs, which can express a variety of personalities.

Genetics Unveil the Genealogical Ancestry and Physical Appearance of an Unknown Historical Figure: Lady Leonor of Castile (Spain) (1256–1275)

Through this study, it has been possible to establish an accurate prediction of the physical characteristics, biogeographical origin, and genealogical ancestry of a previously obscured historical figure: The Princess Lady Leonor of Castile (1256–1275), one of the legitimate daughters of the Spanish King Alfonso X “The Wise”. The genetic analysis of External Visible Characteristics in the mummified remains attributed to this Princess has allowed determining her origin by mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis, and her physical appearance for hair, eyes, and skin color by autosomal SNPs. The results show that the mummified remains correspond to a young European woman with black hair, green-hazel eyes, and white skin. Her physical appearance has not been possible to be compared with any pictorial source, but the biogeographical analysis results are consistent with the historiographic genealogical information.

Pazopanib in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results of a Randomized Phase III Trial.

Pazopanib is an oral angiogenesis inhibitor targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and c-Kit. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study evaluated efficacy and safety of pazopanib monotherapy in treatment-naive and cytokine-pretreated patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Adult patients with measurable, locally advanced, and/or metastatic RCC were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive oral pazopanib or placebo. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary end points included overall survival, tumor response rate (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors), and safety. Radiographic assessments of tumors were independently reviewed. Of 435 patients enrolled, 233 were treatment naive (54%) and 202 were cytokine pretreated (46%). PFS was significantly prolonged with pazopanib compared with placebo in the overall study population (median, PFS 9.2 v 4.2 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.46; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.62; P < .0001), the treatment-naive subpopulation (median PFS 11.1 v 2.8 months; HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.60; P < .0001), and the cytokine-pretreated subpopulation (median PFS, 7.4 v 4.2 months; HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.84; P < .001). The objective response rate was 30% with pazopanib compared with 3% with placebo (P < .001). The median duration of response was longer than 1 year. The most common adverse events were diarrhea, hypertension, hair color changes, nausea, anorexia, and vomiting. There was no evidence of clinically important differences in quality of life for pazopanib versus placebo. Pazopanib demonstrated significant improvement in PFS and tumor response compared with placebo in treatment-naive and cytokine-pretreated patients with advanced and/or metastatic RCC.

Mineral, trace element, and toxic metal concentration in hair from dogs with idiopathic epilepsy compared to healthy controls.

Altered trace element status is associated with epilepsy in humans and dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Compare hair element concentrations in epileptic and healthy dogs. Sixty-three dogs with IE (53 treated, 10 untreated) and 42 controls. Case-control study using ICP-MS to determine hair calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, chromium, lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, and nickel concentration. Groups were compared using nonparametric tests. Results were controlled for diet, sex, age, and hair color using generalized linear mixed models. Compared to healthy controls, dogs with IE had lower hair phosphorus (mean ± SD; IE: 286.19 ± 69.62 μg/g, healthy: 324.52 ± 58.69 μg/g; P = .001), higher hair copper (IE: 10.97 ± 3.51 μg/g, healthy: 8.41 ± 1.27 μg/g; P < .001), zinc (IE: 158.25 ± 19.64 μg/g, healthy: 144.76 ± 32.18 μg/g; P < .001), copper/zinc ratio (IE: 0.07 ± 0.02, healthy: 0.06 ± 0.01; P = .003), selenium (IE: 1.65 ± 0.43 μg/g, healthy: 0.94 ± 0.73 μg/g; P < .001), and arsenic (IE: 0.40 ± 0.78 μg/g, healthy: 0.05 ± 0.08 μg/g; P < .001). When comparing treated and untreated epileptic dogs with healthy dogs, the differences in phosphorus and selenium remained significant for both groups, whereas the differences in copper, zinc, and arsenic were significant only for treated dogs. Potassium bromide treatment was strongly associated with high hair arsenic (P = .000). Altered trace element status could be involved in the pathophysiology of IE in dogs. Antiseizure drugs might affect trace element and arsenic metabolism.

Recent advances in Forensic DNA Phenotyping of appearance, ancestry and age

Forensic DNA Phenotyping (FDP) comprises the prediction of a person’s externally visible characteristics regarding appearance, biogeographic ancestry and age from DNA of crime scene samples, to provide investigative leads to help find unknown perpetrators that cannot be identified with forensic STR-profiling. In recent years, FDP has advanced considerably in all of its three components, which we summarize in this review article. Appearance prediction from DNA has broadened beyond eye, hair and skin color to additionally comprise other traits such as eyebrow color, freckles, hair structure, hair loss in men, and tall stature. Biogeographic ancestry inference from DNA has progressed from continental ancestry to sub-continental ancestry detection and the resolving of co-ancestry patterns in genetically admixed individuals. Age estimation from DNA has widened beyond blood to more somatic tissues such as saliva and bones as well as new markers and tools for semen. Technological progress has allowed forensically suitable DNA technology with largely increased multiplex capacity for the simultaneous analysis of hundreds of DNA predictors with targeted massively parallel sequencing (MPS). Forensically validated MPS-based FDP tools for predicting from crime scene DNA i) several appearance traits, ii) multi-regional ancestry, iii) several appearance traits together with multi-regional ancestry, and iv) age from different tissue types, are already available. Despite recent advances that will likely increase the impact of FDP in criminal casework in the near future, moving reliable appearance, ancestry and age prediction from crime scene DNA to the level of detail and accuracy police investigators may desire, requires further intensified scientific research together with technical developments and forensic validations as well as the necessary funding.

Abstract 6473: Association of sun-seeking behaviors with indoor tanning habit in US females

Abstract Introduction: Frequent exposure to ultraviolet in early life has more detrimental and long-term effects on skin than in adulthood. Teenagers with strong sun-seeking behaviors are more likely to use an indoor tanning bed than those who seek less sun, probably due to addictive component of ultraviolet exposure. We aimed to examine the associations between sun exposure behaviors and average annual indoor tanning usage frequency during high school/college in US females. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included a total of 76,122 US females who answered the average annual frequency of indoor tanning during high school/college from the Nurses’ Health Study II, a large prospective cohort of US female nurses. We adjusted for age, daily number of cigarettes, number of alcohol drinks, strenuous sports frequency, hair color, family history of melanoma, chronic disease history, and mole numbers. Results: In multivariable-adjusted multinomial logistic regression models, we demonstrated positive and dose response associations between sun exposure behaviors and annual times of indoor tanning bed usage. Specifically, teenagers who spent daily outdoors in a swimsuit (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI] for daily vs. &amp;lt;1/week: 3.17, 1.63-6.15) were more likely to use indoor tanning beds. High school students and undergraduates who spent ≥5hours/week outdoors in direct sunlight during daytime also showed more usage of indoor tanning beds (aOR, 95% CI for ≥5hours vs. &amp;lt;1/week: 2.01, 1.06-3.79). Teenagers who had ≥10 sunburns that blistered also tended to more frequently use indoor tanning beds (aOR, 95% CI for ≥10 vs. Never: 2.32, 1.41-3.82). Conclusions and Relevance: Teenagers who more spent outdoors in a swimsuit or in direct sunlight during daytime, or got more sunburns tended to use indoor tanning more frequently than those who did not. These findings provide evidence that teenagers with strong sun-seeking behaviors have excessive exposure to ultraviolet through indoor tanning. Table 1. aORs (95% CIs) on the association between sun-exposure behaviors and tanning bed use habit None 1-2 3-11 ≥12 N N Age-adjusted model Multivariable-adjusted model N Age-adjusted model Multivariable-adjusted model N Age-adjusted model Multivariable-adjusted model Average weekly time spent outdoors in a swimsuit as a teenager &amp;lt;1 7,650 202 1.00 1.00 127 1.00 1.00 51 1.00 1.00 1 5,891 223 1.35 (1.11-1.64) 1.25 (0.88-1.78) 154 1.46 (1.15-1.85) 1.26 (0.80-1.97) 48 1.10(0.74-1.63) 1.70 (0.77-3.73) 2 10,057 425 1.46 (1.23-1.73) 1.32 (0.97-1.79) 314 1.66 (1.34-2.04) 1.32 (0.89-1.96) 103 1.29 (0.92-1.81) 1.47 (0.71-3.02) Several 28,395 1,490 1.75 (1.51-2.04) 1.40 (1.07-1.85) 1,253 2.26 (1.88-2.72) 1.81 (1.28-2.57) 551 2.34 (1.75-3.12) 2.80 (1.47-5.31) Daily 9,761 535 1.80 (1.53-2.13) 1.36 (1.01-1.84) 497 2.55 (2.10-3.11) 1.91 (1.32-2.76) 263 3.18 (2.35-4.30) 3.17 (1.63-6.15) Average percentage of time of wearing sunscreen at the pool or beach as a teenager 100% 858 33 1.00 1.00 17 1.00 1.00 16 1.00 1.00 75% 2,430 122 1.22 (0.82-1.81) 0.94 (0.44-2.00) 86 1.63 (0.96-2.77) 3.12 (0.93-10.49) 41 0.81 (0.45-1.45) 4.96 (0.64-38.39) 50% 5,986 298 1.23 (0.85-1.78) 1.10 (0.56-2.17) 254 2.00 (1.22-3.29) 3.20 (1.00-10.29) 96 0.79 (0.46-1.36) 3.63 (0.49-27.04) 25% 13,617 829 1.55 (1.09-2.22) 1.20 (0.63-2.31) 629 2.28 (1.40-3.72) 3.06 (0.97-9.71) 253 0.98 (0.59-1.63) 4.26 (0.59-30.91) 0% 37,946 1,588 1.25 (0.88-1.78) 1.12 (0.59-2.13) 1,351 2.21 (1.36-3.58) 3.12 (0.99-9.82) 605 1.15 (0.70-1.91) 4.72 (0.65-34.01) Average weekly hours spent outdoors in direct sunlight in the middle of the day during high school/college &amp;lt;1 4,900 136 1.00 1.00 71 1.00 1.00 32 1.00 1.00 2-4 22,416 965 1.44 (1.20-1.72) 1.19 (0.87-1.62) 618 1.71 (1.34-2.19) 1.29 (0.83-2.00) 211 1.25 (0.86-1.82) 0.94 (0.48-1.85) ≥5 40,863 2,133 1.65 (1.38-1.97) 1.20 (0.89-1.62) 1,940 2.74 (2.16-3.49) 2.07 (1.35-3.15) 911 2.70 (1.89-3.85) 2.01 (1.06-3.79) The number of severe sunburns which blistered between ages 15-20 Never 22,970 856 1.00 1.00 735 1.00 1.00 318 1.00 1.00 1-2 26,939 1,393 1.38 (1.27-1.51) 1.40 (1.20-1.63) 1,106 1.28 (1.16-1.40) 1.33 (1.12-1.58) 470 1.25 (1.08-1.45) 1.43 (1.11-1.85) 3-4 11,837 637 1.47 (1.33-1.64) 1.53 (1.27-1.84) 475 1.29 (1.15-1.45) 1.36 (1.10-1.68) 199 1.26 (1.06-1.51) 1.23 (0.89-1.70) 5-9 5,190 265 1.42 (1.23-1.63) 1.54 (1.21-1.96) 242 1.53 (1.32-1.78) 1.52 (1.17-1.98) 116 1.73 (1.39-2.15) 1.88 (1.30-2.74) ≥10 1,747 94 1.50 (1.20-1.87) 1.55 (1.08-2.23) 87 1.64 (1.31-2.07) 1.36 (0.90-2.06) 59 2.64 (1.98-3.50) 2.32 (1.41-3.82) Citation Format: Bojung Seo, Eunyoung Cho, Abrar A. Qureshi, Jiali Han. Association of sun-seeking behaviors with indoor tanning habit in US females [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 6473.

Nevus Count, Pigmentary Characteristics, and Melanoma-specific Mortality among Norwegian Women with Melanoma >1.0 mm Thick.

Little is known about if and how nevi and pigmentation are associated with melanoma-specific mortality. However, increased melanoma awareness in people with lighter pigmentation and many nevi may result in earlier diagnosis of thinner less-lethal tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between nevus count (asymmetrical > 5 mm and small symmetrical), pigmentary characteristics (hair colour, eye colour, skin colour, freckling, pigmentary score), and melanoma-specific mortality in subjects with melanomas > 1 mm. Data from the Norwegian Women and Cancer cohort, established in 1991, with complete follow-up of melanoma patients until 2018 through the Cancer Registry of Norway, were used to estimate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the associations between nevus count, pigmentary characteristics, and melanoma-specific mortality, stratified by tumor thickness using Cox regression. Estimated hazard ratios consistently indicated a higher risk of melanoma death for those with darker vs lighter pigmentary characteristics in patients with tumors > 1.0-2.0 mm and > 2.0 mm thick (e.g. pigmentary score hazard ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval (0.74-2.13)). Among women with melanomas > 1.0 mm thick, lighter pigmentation and asymmetrical nevi may be associated with lower melanoma-specific mortality, suggesting that factors that increase the risk of melanoma may also be associated with decreased risk of death from melanoma.

Action Mechanism of Extracts from Cerasus serrulata Flower for Hair-Blacking in C57BL/6 Mice

Background Hair color retention and rejuvenation have recently emerged as a new research hot spot, with many studies focused on developing treatments to prevent premature greying. Aim This study is aimed to explore the hair-blacking effects and possible mechanisms of Cerasus serrulata flower extracts (CSE) using a C57BL/6 premature greying mouse model. Materials and Methods The variations in hair follicle number, hair follicle depth and cortical thickness were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The quantity changes of melanocytes were also evaluated using Masson-Fontana Melanin staining. The relative abundance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), β-catenin and tyrosinase transcripts following transformed growth were further quantified using RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. The changes in protein level expression of β-catenin, VEGF and tyrosinase were also evaluated by western blot. Results The β-catenin and VEGF expression were significantly up-regulated in skin tissues treated with C. serrulata extracts, promoting hair growth and blackening. Conclusion CSE can promote the efficient hair-blacking likely via the VEGF pathway, making it a potential therapeutic candidate for treating premature greying.

Associations between hair cortisol and blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Stress is widely considered to be a risk factor for high blood pressure (BP), but evidence on the associations between biomarkers of chronic stress and BP is inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the current state of the science on relationships between measures of cortisol concentration reflecting chronic stress exposure [hair cortisol concentration (HCC), nail cortisol concentration)] and BP. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched. Random effects models were used to assess the pooled effect size. Exploratory moderation analysis was performed. Out of 34 014 identified, 16 articles met eligibility criteria and were included in the review, while 14 were included in the meta-analysis. No articles were reported on the association between nail cortisol concentration and BP. Small, positive associations were observed between HCC and SBP [ r = 0.19 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08-0.29)] and HCC and DBP [ r = 0.13 (95% CI: 0.04-0.22)]. Cortisol analysis method was identified as a significant moderator of the association between HCC and DBP. HCC was largely, positively associated with hypertension status [odds ratio = 3.23 (95% CI: 2.55-4.09), P < 0.001]. Current evidence suggests that higher HCC may be associated with elevated BP and a potential risk factor for hypertension. However, results should be interpreted with caution because HCC can be affected by hair color, hair care products, and analytic methods. Given the limitations of studies included in this review, further research is needed.

The Mutability of Uniform

The Mutability of Uniform

Elucidation of the effect of heat exposure on hair colored by permanent and semipermanent colorants using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Confirmatory identification of hair colorants can be used to establish a connection between a suspect and the crime science or demonstrate the absence of such connections. A growing body of evidence shows that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) could be a confirmatory, minimally destructive, and fully noninvasive analysis of hair colorants. In SERS, a signal that provide the information about the chemical structure of both permanent and semipermanent dyes present on hair is enhanced by a million-fold using noble metal nanostructures. However, it is unclear whether the information of hair colorants can be revealed if hair was contaminated or exposed to harsh environments such as sunlight and heat. In this work, we determine the effect of a short- and long-term heat exposure on SERS-based analysis of hair colored with blue and red permanent and semipermanent dyes. We found that short and especially long-term heat exposure at 220°C could alter chemical structure, and consequently SERS spectra, of permanent and semipermanent colorants. This thermal degradation of permanent dyes complicates their direct identification using SERS. We also found that partial least squares discriminant analysis can be used to overcome this issue allowing for highly accurate identification of both permanent and semipermanent dyes on colored hair that was exposed to 220°C for 6-12 min. These results show that heat exposure of colored hair should be strongly considered upon their SERS-based examination to avoid both false positive or false negative identification of chemical dyes.

Promotion of glyoxylic acid penetration into human hair by glycolic acid.

Glyoxylic acid (GA) is widely used as a straight perming agent for hair care products, however, advanced GA penetration-enhancing agents are desired due to the peculiar odour and hair colour fading caused by the continuous use of GA products. Hence, it is important to develop a penetration-enhancing agent that helps minimize the GA concentration. We have found that the combined use of GA and glycolic acid (GCA) has a strong hair straightening effect. Straightening hair test was carried out to the evaluation of the effect of additives. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was performed to quantify the GA penetration amount into human hair. Attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and FT-IR microscope were implemented to estimate the localization of GA in the hair. Straightening hair tests indicated that the hair straightening effect by GA was enhanced by the presence of GCA. LC/MS results showed that the addition of GCA enhanced the amount of GA that penetrated human hair by about four times. ATR FT-IR and FT-IR microscope measurements indicated that GA was localized more in the innermost region of hair (medulla) than the cortex and cuticle. The GA accumulated in the medulla disappeared after a hair straightener treatment at 180°C due to the chemical reaction. The GA penetration-enhancing effect of GCA is worth investigating to reduce the GA concentration in products for more comfortable use.

The MC1R r allele does not increase melanoma risk in MITF E318K carriers.

Population-wide screening for melanoma is not cost-effective, but genetic characterization could facilitate risk stratification and targeted screening. Common Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) red hair colour (RHC) variants and Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) E318K separately confer moderate melanoma susceptibility, but their interactive effects are relatively unexplored. To evaluate whether MC1R genotypes differentially affect melanoma risk in MITF E318K+ vs. E318K- individuals. Melanoma status (affected or unaffected) and genotype data (MC1R and MITF E318K) were collated from research cohorts (five Australian and two European). In addition, RHC genotypes from E318K+ individuals with and without melanoma were extracted from databases (The Cancer Genome Atlas and Medical Genome Research Bank, respectively). χ2 and logistic regression were used to evaluate RHC allele and genotype frequencies within E318K+/- cohorts depending on melanoma status. Replication analysis was conducted on 200 000 general-population exomes (UK Biobank). The cohort comprised 1165 MITF E318K- and 322 E318K+ individuals. In E318K- cases MC1R R and r alleles increased melanoma risk relative to wild type (wt), P < 0.001 for both. Similarly, each MC1R RHC genotype (R/R, R/r, R/wt, r/r and r/wt) increased melanoma risk relative to wt/wt (P < 0.001 for all). In E318K+ cases, R alleles increased melanoma risk relative to the wt allele [odds ratio (OR) 2.04 (95% confidence interval 1.67-2.49); P = 0.01], while the r allele risk was comparable with the wt allele [OR 0.78 (0.54-1.14) vs. 1.00, respectively]. E318K+ cases with the r/r genotype had a lower but not significant melanoma risk relative to wt/wt [OR 0.52 (0.20-1.38)]. Within the E318K+ cohort, R genotypes (R/R, R/r and R/wt) conferred a significantly higher risk compared with non-R genotypes (r/r, r/wt and wt/wt) (P < 0.001). UK Biobank data supported our findings that r did not increase melanoma risk in E318K+ individuals. RHC alleles/genotypes modify melanoma risk differently in MITF E318K- and E318K+ individuals. Specifically, although all RHC alleles increase risk relative to wt in E318K- individuals, only MC1R R increases melanoma risk in E318K+ individuals. Importantly, in the E318K+ cohort the MC1R r allele risk is comparable with wt. These findings could inform counselling and management for MITF E318K+ individuals.

Extraction of Gallic Acid and Ferulic Acid for Application in Hair Supplements

Food supplements based on antioxidants and vitamins are often prescribed to correct inefficiencies in the human diet and delay diseases such as premature aging and alopecia (temporary or permanent hair loss), given the free radical scavenging activity of these biomolecules. By reducing the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which promote abnormal hair follicle cycling and morphology, follicle inflammation and oxidative stress are reduced, minimising the effects of these health issues. Gallic acid (GA), which is significantly present in gallnuts and in pomegranate root bark, and ferulic acid (FA), commonly found in brown rice and coffee seeds, are very important antioxidants for the preservation of hair colour, strength and growth. In this work, these two secondary phenolic metabolites were successfully extracted in the Aqueous Two-Phase Systems (ATPS) {ethyl lactate (1) + trisodium citrate (2) + water (3)} and {ethyl lactate (1) + tripotassium citrate (2) + water (3)} at 298.15 K and 0.1 MPa, moving towards the application of these ternary systems in extracting antioxidants from biowaste and their a posteriori processing as food supplements for hair fortification. The studied ATPS provided biocompatible and sustainable media for the extraction of gallic acid and ferulic acid, yielding low mass losses (<3%) and contributing to an eco-friendlier production of therapeutics. The most promising results were obtained for ferulic acid, which attained maximum partition coefficients (K) of 15 ± 5 and (3 ± 2) · 101 and maximum extraction efficiencies (E) of (92.7 ± 0.4)% and (96.7 ± 0.4)% for the longest tie-lines (TLL = 69.68 and 77.66 m%) in {ethyl lactate (1) + trisodium citrate (2) + water (3)} and {ethyl lactate (1) + tripotassium citrate (2) + water (3)}, respectively. Moreover, the effect of pH on the UV-Vis absorbance spectra was studied for all the biomolecules to minimise errors in solute quantification. Both GA and FA were found to be stable at the used extractive conditions.

Editorial Issue 34.2

Editorial Issue 34.2

Phylogenomics reveals within species diversification but incongruence with color phenotypes in widespread orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini)

AbstractColoration is an important phenotypic trait for taxonomic studies and has been widely used for identifying insect species and populations. However, coloration can be a poor diagnostic character for insect species that exhibit high polymorphism in this trait, which can lead to over-splitting of taxonomic units. In orchid bees, color variation has been interpreted by different taxonomists as either polymorphism associated with Müllerian mimicry complexes or diagnostic traits for species identification. Despite this uncertainty, integrative approaches that incorporate multiple independent datasets to test the validity of hair coloration as a character that identifies independent evolutionary units have not been used. Here, we use phylogenomic data from Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs) to explore whether color phenotypes in the widespread orchid bee species complexes Eulaema meriana and Eulaema bombiformis (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) correspond to independent lineages or polymorphic trait variation within species. We find that lineages within both species are structured according to geography and that color morphs are generally unassociated with evolutionarily independent groups except for populations located in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We conclude that there is compelling evidence that E. atleticana and E. niveofasciata are subspecies of E. meriana and E. bombiformis, respectively, and not different species as previously suggested. Therefore, we recognize Eulaema meriana atleticanacomb. n. and Eulaema bombiformis niveofasciatacomb. n. and discuss their morphological characteristics. We make recommendations on the use of color traits for orchid bee taxonomy and discuss the significance of subspecies as evolutionary units relevant for conservation efforts.

Solute Carrier Family 45 Member 2 Germline Variants in the Colombian Population with Melanoma

Background: The solute carrier family 45-member 2 (SLC45A2) gene, located on chromosome 5p13.2, is involved in melanin biosynthesis. Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) in this gene are associated with skin, eye, and hair color variations in the population. SNVs p.L374F (C/T) and p.E272K (C/G) are additionally associated with protection against melanoma. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association of SNVs p.L374F and p.E272K with the development of melanoma in a sample of individuals from Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: In this case-control study, DNA samples were obtained from individuals after signing an informed consent form. Genotyping was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction high-resolution melting (PCR-HRM). Results: Phototype II was found in 19% of the subjects, phototype III in 70%, and phototype IV in 11%. Eighty percent of the subjects had brown eyes and dark brown hair color. Both SNVs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The p.Glu272Lys variant was found to be a protective factor for melanoma, while the p.Phe374Leu variant was found to be a risk factor. The study also found that a CG haplotype was a risk factor for melanoma [odds ratio (OR), 2.75; 95% CI, 1.22 - 6.22; P = 0.021]. The study also found a strong correlation between variants and phototypes, as well as the sex of the patients. The study also analyzed the impact of these variants on the protein structure and found that the p.Phe374Leu variant has a probable pathogenic effect on the function of the protein. Conclusions: The frequencies found for the SLC45A2 gene variants are consistent with other studies conducted in the Latin American population, where the predominant phototypes are II and III. The CG haplotype is associated with a higher risk of melanoma.