Skin Resistance Research Articles

The Optimized Fabrication of a Polymeric Porous Microneedle for Effective Iontophoresis

Iontophoresis has been widely studied to improve transdermal drug administration and transdermal extraction of interstitial fluids without patient’ stress. The stratum corneum (SC), outermost layer of skin, has the barrier functions preventing contamination of harmful molecules into a body, and also hinders the iontophoresis due to its high electrical resistance. Previously, we have reported the porous microneedle (PMN) prepared by a molding process and porogen method, which has a potential to lower the total resistance of the skin and improves the effect on iontophoresis [1]. However, the reproducibility of PMN’s porosity had room for further improvement since the solution of porogen used in the previous method could evaporate and change its volume. Here, we studied a few kinds of porogen solution with different boiling point to create the PMN with higher reproducibility. Furthermore, the ionic resistance of the electrolyte-containing PMN and that of the skin with the PMN were evaluated in order to design an efficient iontophoretic PMN patch.The PMN was fabricated by the combination of a molding process and the porogen method [1]. Briefly, a female mold for the PMN was made with PDMS by duplicating an acrylic plate drilled with an end mill and drill. The PMNs were made by using two stock solutions. A monomer stock solution was prepared by mixing the monomer glycidyl methacrylate, crosslinker trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, and crosslinker triethylene glycol dimethacrylate. A porogen stock solution was prepared by dissolving 4.0 g polyethylene glycol (10 kDa) in 20 g diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (DEG) at 50 °C. The mixed solution composed of monomer, porogen and photoinitiator, was filled to the mold by removing the air between the mold and the solution in a vacuum desiccator. After that, UV irradiation was performed in a nitrogen environment to polymerize the solution, and finally the obtained needle was immersed in a mixed solution of water and ethanol to elute the porogen. The 2-methoxyethanol (2ME) was also employed to compare with DEG.The porosity of PMN using each solvent was calculated from the difference of weight of PMN in dry and wet conditions (pure water). The experimental porosity of the PMN using DEG was closer to the theoretical value and the shape of that was closer to the mold, indicating that DEG can contribute the reproducibility of the PMN fabrication owing to its higher boiling point than that of 2ME.In order to determine the mechanical strength of the PMN, the load test was performed by the force gauge. The load value at which the PMN broke was recorded. In addition, to verify the load when inserted to a pig skin, the PMN was placed on a pig skin and the load test was performed. We found that the PMN could withstand 11 N (0.297 N/needle), indicating it is possible to insert human skin without break because the necessary load for insertion is known to be 0.098 N/needle [2]. The PMN was inserted to the pig skin at ca. 6.5 N and no broken structure was observed after the insertion.The ionic resistance of the PMN soaked in Ringer’s solution was measured by using the AC impedance at high frequency (10-100 kHz), where 100-µm tip of the PMN was stuck to a 3 wt% agarose gel and a couple of electrodes made of carbon fabric was placed on the PMN and agarose gel. The PMN was inserted into human skin, and the resistance value of the skin before and after insertion were compared. The resistance value was calculated from the voltage value when a constant current of 1 µA was applied for 10 seconds.The resistance value of PMN was found to be about 250 Ω. By comparing the resistance values of the skin before and after PMN insertion, it was found that the resistance of intact skin was 1-6 MΩ, but decreased to several hundred kΩ. It was also found that the dispersion of the resistance value by individuals is smaller when PMN was used. In conclusion, we successfully fabricated PMN that is useful for effective iontophoresis with highly reproducibility.

Buckling performance of curvilinearly grid-stiffened tow-placed composite panels considering manufacturing constraints

Tow-placement machines are able to fabricate variable-stiffness composite panels with curvilinear stiffeners. In this paper the buckling performance of curvilinearly grid-stiffened composite panels subjected to in-plane compressive loads under various boundary conditions is addressed. A Python-Abaqus script is developed to perform the buckling analysis of the panels. The skin is modelled using shell elements and the grid stiffeners are idealized by beam elements. Different design tailoring scenarios for grid-stiffened and unstiffened constant-stiffness and variable-stiffness skins are presented to demonstrate the influence of the stiffness variation created simultaneously by both the layout of the curvilinear stiffeners and by the fiber orientation variation of the skin on the buckling capacity. It is shown that the buckling resistance of the grid-stiffened quasi-isotropic skins can significantly be improved using curvilinear stiffeners compared to their straight design counterparts. A much higher degree of improvement can be achieved by concurrently tailoring both the skin and the stiffeners using curvilinear fibers. In order to guarantee the manufacturability of the designs, manufacturing constraints in terms of maximum curvature along the fiber and stiffener paths are imposed. It is demonstrated that imposing these constraints has negative effects on the buckling load improvement obtained for designs without considering manufacturing constraints.

Skin resistance to water gain and loss has changed in cane toads (Rhinella marina) during their Australian invasion.

The water‐permeable skin of amphibians renders them highly sensitive to climatic conditions, and interspecific correlations between environmental moisture levels and rates of water exchange across the skin suggest that natural selection adapts hydroregulatory mechanisms to local challenges. How quickly can such mechanisms shift when a species encounters novel moisture regimes? Cutaneous resistance to water loss and gain in wild‐caught cane toads (Rhinella marina) from Brazil, USA (Hawai'i) and Australia exhibited strong geographic variation. Cutaneous resistance was low in native‐range (Brazilian) toads and in Hawai'ian populations (where toads were introduced in 1932) but significantly higher in toads from eastern Australia (where toads were introduced in 1935). Toads from recently invaded areas in western Australia exhibited cutaneous resistance to water loss similar to the native‐range populations, possibly because toads are restricted to moist sites within this highly arid landscape. Rates of rehydration exhibited significant but less extreme geographic variation, being higher in the native range than in invaded regions. Thus, in less than a century, cane toads invading areas that impose different climatic challenges have diverged in the capacity for hydroregulation.

Design tailoring of curvilinearly grid-stiffened variable-stiffness composite cylindrically curved panels for maximum buckling capacity

In this paper, the buckling performance of curvilinearly grid-stiffened variable-stiffness composite cylindrically curved panels subjected to in-plane compressive loads under different boundary conditions is addressed. A Python-Abaqus script is developed to perform the buckling analysis of the panels. A novel planar mesh wrapping based approach is proposed to ease modelling of such curved panels with complex geometry. This approach offers numerous advantages including but not limited to separately modelling the skin and stiffeners using conventional shell elements as well as studying the mesh convergence of each component independently leading to more efficient and robust finite element models appropriate for optimization implementation. Using the proposed approach various parametric studies are conducted to investigate the influence of the panel curvature and the stiffness variation created by the fibers and stiffeners on the buckling response. Subsequently, an optimization routine is implemented to simultaneously determine the optimal fiber and stiffener paths for maximum buckling capacity. It is shown that by replacing the straight stiffeners by curvilinear ones the buckling resistance of the grid-stiffened quasi-isotropic skins can be enhanced. It is also shown that the panel curvature has a significant effect on the optimal layout of the grid-stiffeners. Optimization results demonstrate that for shallow curved panels up to 100% improvement in the buckling performance can be achieved by concurrently optimizing the curvilinear fiber trajectories of both the skin and stiffeners compared to their straight fiber and stiffener design counterparts.

Comparison of the Electrical Properties of Yintang Acupoints by using Bi-Digital O-Ring Test and by using Ohmmeter on Young Soccer Players

Comparison of the electrical properties of yintang acupoints by using bi-digital o-ring test and electrical measurement on young soccer players were evaluated and compared in this study. Twenty-three right-handed young soccer players (age group 15–19) were included in this study. Skin resistance was measured with an ohmmeter and Bi-Digital O-Ring Test successively, after the players has looked at the drawing of a "smiling face" for 5 seconds from a distance of 40 cm at the eye level. Immediately afterwards they were shown the drawing of a "crying face". We then proceeded to measure the same variables using the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test. The statistics obtained thereby were subjected to Pearsons correlation coefficient and paired t-test. Results of measurement of both method were similar and meaningfull.

Venomous snakes elicit stronger fear than nonvenomous ones: Psychophysiological response to snake images.

Snakes have been important ambush predators of both primates and human hunter-gatherers throughout their co-evolutionary history. Viperid snakes in particular are responsible for most fatal venomous snakebites worldwide and thus represent a strong selective pressure. They elicit intense fear in humans and are easily recognizable thanks to their distinctive morphotype. In this study, we measured skin resistance (SR) and heart rate (HR) in human subjects exposed to snake pictures eliciting either high fear (10 venomous viperid species) or disgust (10 nonvenomous fossorial species). Venomous snakes subjectively evaluated as frightening trigger a stronger physiological response (higher SR amplitude) than repulsive non-venomous snakes. However, stimuli presented in a block (more intense stimulation) do not trigger a stronger emotional response compared to sequentially presented stimuli (less intense stimulation). There are significant interindividual differences as subjects with high fear of snakes confronted with images of viperid snakes show stronger, longer-lasting, and more frequent changes in SR and higher HR compared to low-fear subjects. Thus, we show that humans demonstrate a remarkable ability to discriminate between dangerous viperids and harmless fossorial snakes, which is also reflected in distinct autonomous body responses.

A Review and Comparison of Solid, Multi-Strands and Litz Style PCB Winding

At high frequency, AC resistance of a printed circuit board (PCB) winding becomes important and accounts for a large proportion of planar transformer losses. The winding is then influenced by both skin and proximity phenomenon, which makes the current distribution uneven resulting in an increased resistance. The study of improving AC resistance of a PCB winding has been tackled by many researchers. However, the lack of an overview and comparison among improvements has made it difficult to apply those methods to a specific winding. To overcome the above limitations, this paper investigates the pros and cons of three popular AC resistance optimizing methods: optimizing track width of a solid PCB winding, using multi-strands and using Litz style PCB winding. To verify the theoretical analysis, a total of 12 PCBs are simulated by finite element (FEM) and tested in the laboratory. Five criteria are analyzed, including skin resistance, proximity resistance, AC to DC ratio, total AC resistance and complexity are taken into consideration. The results of this study show that optimizing track width method has a significant improvement on AC resistance while the use of Litz PCB is effective for applications that need stable AC resistance in a wide frequency range. The use of parallel strands winding should be carefully considered as there is not significant benefit in both reducing the AC resistance and AC to DC ratio.

Effects of dietary yeast cell wall on biochemical indices, serum and skin mucus immune responses, oxidative status and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in juvenile Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus)

The present study aims to shed light on the effects of yeast cell wall (ImmunoWall®) supplementation on biochemical indices, oxidative status, serum and mucus immune responses as well as disease resistance of juvenile Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). For this purpose, one hundred fifty three juvenile Persian sturgeons (47.78 ‏± 0.39 g) were distributed into nine tanks (500 L) and fed with basal diets containing two levels of yeast cell wall (YCW) 0.5% (T1) and 1% (T2) and a diet without YCW as control (0%). As shown by the results obtained at the end of 56-day feeding trial, YCW had no significant effect on glucose, cortisol, SGOT, lysozyme and IgM in serum (P > 0.05) albeit an enhancement of cholesterol, LDH, ALP and SOD and ACH50 was observed in fish fed YCW supplemented diets. However, plasma triglyceride levels were lower in fish fed YCW compared with the control group. Also, total protein content, lysozyme and protease activities in skin mucus were unaffected by the supplemented diets (P > 0.05) and only total immunoglobulin and ALP enzyme activity were significantly increased in T1 and T2 groups (P > 0.05). The cumulative mortality of the fish fed supplemented diets at the end of disease challenge was 100% where cumulative mortality of those fed the control diet was 75% (P < 0.05). The present study shows that increasing immune parameters in serum and mucus of juvenile Persian sturgeon by YCW dietary supplementation did not improve resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila. According to the obtained results, the YCW supplementation at 0.5 and 1% in the juvenile Persian sturgeon diet is not recommended.

Numerical Simulation of Predicting the Shaft Capacity of Single Pile in Unsaturated Soil

Pile foundations that placed above the groundwater table zone where the soil is typically in a state of the partially saturated case have been considered in this study. To appreciate the effect of the matric suction on the skin resistance of single pile foundations that placed in unsaturated clayey soil. A series of small scale and full-scale single model pile are simulated using the software Plaxis 3 D. Mohr-Coulomb model (Elastic-perfectly plastic model) that takes into account the effect of the matric suction has adopted in the analysis. Also, in this study comparison among numerical models and laboratory, small scale single and full-scale pile models have done. In general, the value of shaft capacity obtained by the numerical investigations are in good agreement with laboratory model pile test results.

Antifungal Potential of the Skin Microbiota of Hibernating Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus) Infected With the Causal Agent of White-Nose Syndrome.

Little is known about skin microbiota in the context of the disease white-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), that has caused enormous declines of hibernating North American bats over the past decade. Interestingly, some hibernating species, such as the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), appear resistant to the disease and their skin microbiota could play a role. However, a comprehensive analysis of the skin microbiota of E. fuscus in the context of Pd has not been done. In January 2017, we captured hibernating E. fuscus, sampled their skin microbiota, and inoculated them with Pd or sham inoculum. We allowed the bats to hibernate in the lab under controlled conditions for 11 weeks and then sampled their skin microbiota to test the following hypotheses: (1) Pd infection would not disrupt the skin microbiota of Pd-resistant E. fuscus; and (2) microbial taxa with antifungal properties would be abundant both before and after inoculation with Pd. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we discovered that beta diversity of Pd-inoculated bats changed more over time than that of sham-inoculated bats. Still, the most abundant taxa in the community were stable throughout the experiment. Among the most abundant taxa, Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus are known for antifungal potential against Pd and other fungi. Thus, in contrast to hypothesis 1, Pd infection destabilized the skin microbiota but consistent with hypothesis 2, bacteria with known antifungal properties remained abundant and stable on the skin. This study is the first to provide a comprehensive survey of skin microbiota of E. fuscus, suggesting potential associations between the bat skin microbiota and resistance to the Pd infection and WNS. These results set the stage for future studies to characterize microbiota gene expression, better understand mechanisms of resistance to WNS, and help develop conservation strategies.

Corrosion and wear performance of aircraft skin after laser cleaning

This paper studies the laser paint stripping technology of the Boeing series of aircraft skins, which provides a reference for improving the efficiency of paint stripping and reducing the maintenance cost of existing aircraft skins. The paint stripping effect of the aircraft skin at a laser energy density of 2–6 J/cm2 was studied. The best cleaning parameter was 5 J/cm2 by SEM and EDS analysis. Aircraft have almost strict needs for safety, so if laser paint stripping technology uses widely in aircraft maintenance, nondestructive cleaning must achieve. The fretting friction and wear performance of aircraft skin rivet holes after laser paint stripping with different energy densities was studied, the friction and wear performance of other parts of the skin were studied and compared with mechanical grinding and laser paint stripping. The results showed that the laser did not reduce the friction and wear performance of any part of the aircraft's skin surface. The residual stress, micro-hardness, and corrosion performance of the aircraft skin surface after laser paint stripping were studied. Compared with the mechanical lapping and laser paint stripping method, it proves the laser will not reduce the hardness and corrosion resistance of the aircraft skin. However, after laser cleaning, the surface of the aircraft skin will produce some plastic deformation, which is the problem that the engineering department needs to pay attention to at present.

Microorganismos más frecuentes en infecciones cutáneas en el Hospital Provincial General Ambato

Las infecciones cutáneas producidas por microorganismos afectan directamente a la piel, partes blandas y tejidos, donde proliferan y ocasionan graves alteraciones. Estas infecciones constituyen un problema de salud pública, ya que muchos microorganismos muestran resistencia a antimicrobianos comunes y no comunes, lo cual incide directamente en la aplicación del tratamiento adecuado al paciente. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los microorganismos más frecuentes en infecciones cutáneas, su sensibilidad y resistencia a los antibióticos en los pacientes con infección que acudieron al Hospital Provincial General “Ambato” en el período mayo 2017 – junio 2018. La metodología empleada en esta investigación se basa en un estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal y enfoque cuali-cuantitativo, empleando la técnica documental y el reporte de resultados como instrumento. La información se tabuló y analizó mediante el paquete operativo Microsoft 2010. Se encontró que en el 29% de las muestras procesadas se aisló Staphylococcus aureus como el más frecuente en este tipo de infecciones, con mayor sensibilidad a Clindamicina, Doxacilina y Linezolid (100%) y resistencia a Penicilinas y Oxacilina (47,82%). Es importante destacar que el 47,83 % de las cepas de S. aureus aisladas expresaron fenotípicamente el gen mecA. La entidad clínica más frecuente asociada a este tipo de infección fue el ectima con un 55%. En conclusión, se comprobó la resistencia de cepas a diversos antibióticos presentando las más relevantes como meticilino resistentes, vancomicina resistentes y Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemasas.

Water-Train: The Most Energy-Efficient Inland Water Transportation

In a government-aided research project carried out at Cochin University, the inventor of the Water-Train demonstrated that his invention requires only 24 BTU/ton-km of energy whereas barges use 328 BTU in the same Inland water transportation situation. The use of this Water-Train can invariably curtail, to a large extent, the emission of greenhouse gases thereby decreasing the effect on global warming. Conventional water vehicles use screw propellers which have high reacting energy loss in propulsion whereas the Water-Train relies on the earth for reaction which is an infinite mass causing no reacting energy loss at all. The propelled water takes away a large quantity of kinetic energy (1/2��������2 where its mass is ���� and velocity is ����). Water-Train requires a monorail rigidly fixed to the earth through cross arms and pillars for applying the traction/propulsion force. The reacting body is the earth and so the traction efficiency tends toward 100%. It utilizes low friction of water and also the vehicles are connected serially like a locomotive and hence the wave making and skin resistances are also reduced. The NITIE study conducted earlier in India showed that diesel and electric trains use 166.3 BTU and 105.76 BTU, respectively, for the same purpose.

Remarks on adsorbent surface barrier to adsorbate mass transport

The existence of a skin resistance for adsorbate mass transport at the surface of a pelletized adsorbent particle or at the surface of adsorbent crystals within a particle has been proven by many macroscopic and microscopic experiments. An isothermal and isobaric column dynamic test method may be used to approximately estimate the relative magnitude of the skin resistance.

Using Game‑Based Training to Reduce Media Induced Anxiety in Young Children – A Pilot Study on the Basis of a Game‑Based app (MARTY)

Digital games have been successfully applied for the treatment mental health problems such as stress disorders, traumatic disorders, or hyperactivity syndromes. Specifically the treatment of anxiety traits and anxiety disorders such as phobias have been in the focus of game‑based treatments in the past. A societal challenge that is increasing in recent times is media‑induced fears in young children. While tailored game‑based treatments existing for schoolchildren, tailored and theoretically sound solutions for children below the age of eight are sparse and so is the available body of empirical research in this direction. In this paper, we present a game‑based training app (MARTY) for teaching young children to cope with their fears. The training is based on standard techniques for anxiety reduction such as breathing techniques and cognitive strategies. We investigated quantitative effects, measured by physiological values such as heart rate and skin resistance (EDA), and qualitative aspects of the MARTY app based on 17 four to six year olds. Overall, we found significant effects of the training on EDA values, as indicators for the arousal and anxiety level of children. No significant differences were found for heart rates. A key finding is that the training effects are positively correlated with the general anxiety level of children, as reported by their parents. The MARTY app may be a promising tool to guide and support parents and young children in reducing fears and anxieties.

Experimental and theoretical insight into spectroscopic properties and bioactivity of 4-(4-formylbenzylidene)-2-phenyloxazol-5(4H)-one dye for future applications in biochemistry

The synthesized 4-(4-formylbenzylidene)-2-phenyloxazol-5(4H)-one was characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy. The steady-state and time resolved measurements were applied to investigate its solvatochromism, determine dipole moments and elucidate its biological activity. Photophysical properties of the dye were studied in solvents of different polarities. Solute-solvent interactions were analyzed by means of multi-linear regression method using Catalán parameters whereas linear solvent correlation techniques like Lippert-Mataga, McRae and Bakhshiev polarity functions were used to evaluate the singlet excited state dipole moment. The achieved results indicate that the electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra of the oxazolone dye exhibit positive solvatochromism. Moreover, solvent polarizability is the major factor responsible for the observed red shift, thus the non-specific interactions mainly control the photophysical properties of the dye while the contribution of the specific interactions is weaker and mainly depend on solvent acidity. The rise in dipole moment of the dye occurs upon excitation due to the π-electron density redistribution. The spectroscopic measurements were supported by computational calculations including geometry optimization, spectral and physicochemical properties. The studies were also extended to evaluate bioactivity of the dye. The interaction between oxazolone dye and Concanavalin A was investigated by the fluorescence anisotropy method. The ion transporter action, especially sodium‑potassium pump function, and water transport in epithelial tissue were elucidated by the estimation of skin resistance.

Effect of loading rate on the pullout capacity of offshore bucket foundations in sand

A series of 1 g model tests was performed to investigate the effect of loading rate on the vertical pullout capacity of offshore bucket foundations in sand. The bucket model had a length-to-diameter ratio of 1.0. Loading rates varied from 0.004 N/s to 2.05 N/s. The pullout load increased with bucket displacement and loading rate. The loading rate of 0.004 N/s induced drained conditions with negligible suction pressure and high skin resistance. Increasing the loading rate induced high suction pressures inside the bucket. The bucket pullout capacity increased with bucket displacement and loading rate. Suction pressure increased with bucket displacement and loading rate and contributed considerably to the pullout capacity. The bucket resistance to pullout load increased with the increase in loading rate. Equations were proposed to evaluate the drained and undrained pullout capacities of the bucket.

Design, Manufacturing and Testing of Biaxial Mechanical Travelling Pluviator

This paper includes design, manufacturing, operation and testing of a special device for preparation of granular or sandy soil (cohesionless soil) models that widely used as a part of the physical modelling in geotechnical engineering which is a main part of the civil engineering. To achieve a desired and uniform relative density of sandy soil models during preparation, air pluviation technique using pluviator is more suitable as the sand particles can be dandified through falling of sand grains from different heights and may even reaches to very dense state. Steel materials from local markets are used in the design of mechanical pluviator manufacturing. The mechanical pluviator consist of main steel frame, movable bench that can be moved up and down mechanically, crane lever to control on the pluviator container, pulleys and wheels. CPT tests are conducted at different prepared sandy models to investigate the skin resistance at different densities and the results shows great agreement. Different steel sections materials with different light steel plates which reduce the device weight available in the local markets were used in the manufacturing of the pluviator machine. The machine was provided by crane lever and gear box that can be controlled mechanically to achieve the desired height for the falling sand grains. The maximum height that can be attained is 120 cm and 40 cm is the minimum value. The machine contained also a v-shape container provided with 4 reels or pulleys that can be moved back and forth along two parallel steel tubes girders which the filled sandy model is located below it. The v shape container has two plate sides; the first one is fixed while the other is movable to achieve the desired opening depth or slot width and can be changed easily. The container with its carried frame can be controlled via mechanical rode that can be move up and down using multi-coil wire. The machine is verified using cone penetration test at results at different soil relative densities.

Tacky Elastomers to Enable Tear‐Resistant and Autonomous Self‐Healing Semiconductor Composites

AbstractMechanical failure of π‐conjugated polymer thin films is unavoidable under cyclic loading conditions, due to intrinsic defects and poor resistance to crack propagation. Here, the first tear‐resistant and room‐temperature self‐healable semiconducting composite is presented, consisting of conjugated polymers and butyl rubber elastomers. This new composite displays both a record‐low elastic modulus (&lt;1 MPa) and ultrahigh deformability with fracture strain above 800%. More importantly, failure behavior is not sensitive to precut notches under deformation. Autonomous self‐healing at room temperature, both mechanical and electronic, is demonstrated through the physical contact of two separate films. The composite film also shows device stability in the ambient environment over 5 months due to much‐improved barrier property to both oxygen and water. Butyl rubber is broadly applicable to various p‐type and n‐type semiconducting polymers for fabricating self‐healable electronics to provide new resilient electronics that mimic the tear resistance and healable property of human skin.

Pharmacological STING Activation Is a Potential Alternative to Overcome Drug-Resistance in Melanoma.

Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and resistance to the conventional chemotherapy is the major cause for its poor prognosis. Metabolic perturbations leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species activate NRF2-dependent anti-oxidative responses to survive oxidative stress. This protective function of NRF2 is the primary cause for therapy resistance in cancer as anti-cancer agents such as BRAF inhibitors also induce NRF2-dependent antioxidative response. We had reported that type I interferons produced upon activation of STING, abrogates NRF2 function. Therefore, we investigated if STING agonists such as the newly developed dimeric aminobenzimidazole (diABZI) could sensitize melanoma cells to the clinically used BRAF inhibitors. Our results reveal that pharmacological activation of STING by diABZI, down regulates NRF2-dependent anti-oxidative responses and potentiates cell-death in melanoma cells when used in combination with BRAF inhibitors.