DNA damage induced by UV radiation is a critical event in skin photocarcinogenesis. However, the role of racial/ethnic origin in determining individual UV sensitivity remains unclear. In this study, we examined the relationships between melanin content and DNA damage induced by UV exposure in situ in normal human skin of different racial/ethnic groups, phototypes, and UV sensitivities. The mini...

Interspecific differences in sensitivity to ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280–315 nm) are well documented for amphibians. However, few studies have addressed physiological mechanisms underlying differential species survival to such exposure. One potential mechanism that might protect amphibians from damaging UV-B involves melanin production and resultant skin darkening. In this study, we exami...

Cytokines produced by keratinocytes play an essential role in the induction of immune suppression following ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Using antibodies specific for either interleukin-lO (IL-b) or tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a), we present evidence indicating that IL-b suppresses delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) but not contact hypersensitivity (CHS), whereas TNF-ct suppresses CHS but not D...

UV light is an established carcinogen, yet evidence suggests that UV-seeking behavior has addictive features. Following UV exposure, epidermal keratinocytes synthesize proopiomelanocortin (POMC) that is processed to melanocyte-stimulating hormone, inducing tanning. We show that, in rodents, another POMC-derived peptide, β-endorphin, is coordinately synthesized in skin, elevating plasma levels a...

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) can be highly effective biocontrol agents, but their efficacy can be reduced due to exposure to environmental stress such as from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Our objectives were to 1) compare UV tolerance among a broad array of EPN species, and 2) investigate the relationship between reduced nematode viability (after exposure to UV) and virulence. Nematodes exp...

Trematode parasites are integral components of intertidal ecosystems which experience high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Although these parasites mostly live within hosts, their life cycle involves free-living larval transmission stages such as cercariae which are directly exposed to ambient conditions. UV has previously been shown to considerably reduce the survival of cercariae. Here, we i...

Epidemiological studies suggest that UV exposure from sunlight is the major etiology for skin cancers, both melanocytic and non-melanocytic. However, the radiation-related risk for skin cancer among atomic bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is primarily derived from the excess risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), with no demonstrable excess in squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. The BCCs ...

The use of Aspergillus niger (A. niger) fungal spores as challenge organism for UV reactor validation studies is attractive due to their high UV-resistance and non-pathogenic nature. However A. niger spores UV dose-response was dependent upon sporulation conditions and did not follow the Bunsen-Roscoe Principle of time-dose reciprocity. Exposure to 8 h of natural sunlight for 10 consecutive day...

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation can have wide-ranging impacts on plants. UV-B exposure can decrease the rate of photosynthesis, alter pigment concentrations, and damage DNA, proteins, and lipids; however, not all species are equally sensitive. Lemna minor and Spirodela polyrhiza, two sympatric aquatic plants, were exposed to 5 or 11 days of artificial UV-B radiation for 6 hours per day, and moni...

The objective of this investigation was to study the effect artificial ultraviolet (UV) radiation varying wavelengths on degradation whole human blood DNA and semen over time lengths exposure. degrades rapidly when exposed environmental factors like high temperature UV-radiation. extent damage done in relation exposure UV above 100°C that make samples unsuitable for forensic analysis has not ye...