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Xanthism, an abnormal skin colouration of yellow to orange-gold, is an uncommon phenomenon in nature and xanthochromic specimens are rare. We report and describe four incidences of adult xanthochromic specimens observed in Scomberomorus commerson, Lobotes surinamensis, Sphyraena putnamae and Seriola rivoliana collected from the Arabian Sea coasts of Pakistan. The specimens of S. commerson, S. putnamae and S. rivoliana displayed an overall loss of dark pigmentations, while the two specimens of Lobotes surinamensis retained some patches of dark pigmentations on their bodies. This appears to be the first documented record of xanthochromism in the families Scombridae, Lobotidae and Sphyraenidae from in the Arabian Sea.

Violet and purple bacterial pigmentations are uncommon when considering strict aerobes. Here we report discovery of two novel isolates, P102 and P117 from the freshwater Lake Winnipeg, each with violet to deep purple colony colouration. The relationship between pigment production and growth was investigated under different conditions, including a variety of carbon sources, pH, and temperatures. The violet compounds were purified using polar organic solvents, and then structurally characterized via mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance to be violacein and deoxyviolacein. Strain P117 produced higher concentrations of the darker pigment deoxyviolacein, which resulted in a deeper hue of violet than in cultures of P102. Strain P102, synthesized violacein maximally in liquid rich organic medium at pH 8 and 20 °C, and had 99.3% sequence similarity to the 16S rDNA from Janthinobacterium lividum. Strain P117, related to Massilia violaceinigra sharing 99.2% 16S rDNA sequence similarity, also produced violacein at similar optimal conditions, but developed higher concentrations of pigment at 15 °C. Culture-based methods found that violacein producers composed 0.001% or 0.023% CFU of environmental heterotrophic populations using BG-11 and potato-based media, respectively. Culture-independent high-throughput ribosomal 16S V4 sequencing of environmental DNA was used to detect Gram-negative species known for their production of violacein. Of all bacterial and archaeal sequences present during the fall in littoral waters and sediment of Lake Winnipeg, 5.5% and 6.3%, respectively, belonged to species that have similar pigment, demonstrating the scarcity of violacein producers in this aquatic freshwater system.

The risk factors affecting acral melanoma metastasis and prognosis remain unclear. The study included 168 patients with invasive acral melanoma who were followed for ≥3 years. We evaluated patient demographics, stages, clinicopathological features, anatomic site of melanoma including nail versus volar surface, and degree of melanoma pigmentations, sentinel lymph node biopsy results, and the first metastasis sites. Of the 168 patients (mean age 64.5 years; 52.4% male), 43 (25.6%) had invasive melanoma without metastasis, 113 (67.3%) had invasive melanoma with a first lymph node metastasis, and 12 (7.1%) had invasive melanoma with invasive melanoma with a first distant metastasis. Advanced T stage, high mitotic rate, ulceration, and the degree of pigmentation were significant risk factors for metastasis. Amelanotic and mild pigmentation of acral melanoma was associated with first distant metastasis, whereas heavy pigmentation was associated with first lymph node metastasis. Advanced TNM stages, high mitotic rate, volar location (hazard ratio = 2.24, 95% confidence interval 1.18-4.26), and low-pigmentation (hazard ratio = 2.02, 95% confidence interval 1.17-3.49) were associated with melanoma-specific mortality.

En Colombia se cultivan alrededor de siete materiales regionales en monocultivo y ocasionalmente en asocio, el ciclo es anual y sin estacionalidad de siembra, lo que permite cosechar durante todo el año. La producción es baja con rendimientos que varían entre 7 y 13 t ha-1 y se presentan problemas fitosanitarios sumado a la presencia de raíces comerciales con pigmentaciones púrpuras no deseadas en la comercialización. Con el propósito de ofertar nuevos genotipos, incrementar los rendimientos y atender la demanda de raíces tuberosas amarillas, se obtiene la variedad Agrosavia La 22 que conserva el color de la raíz y es el primer genotipo de esta especie en ser inscrito en el registro nacional de cultivares en Colombia. Agrosavia La 22 es el resultado de la selección de plantas provenientes de semilla sexual que se generaron luego del proceso de polinización cruzada de accesiones conservadas en el banco de germoplasma en Colombia. Se utilizaron descriptores cualitativos y cuantitativos de planta completa, hoja, semilla, tallo y raíz tuberosa, además de variables de rendimiento. Luego de cinco ciclos de evaluación los resultados muestran que esta variedad tiene raíces completamente amarillas, rendimientos experimentales de raíces comerciales de 33.48 t ha-1 y no comerciales de 1.31 t ha-1. En promedio una planta tiene nueve raíces comerciales cada una con un peso promedio de 271 g, 15 propágulos por planta y tolerancia a plagas y enfermedades frente a los genotipos usualmente usados.

Attractive colouration of ornamental fishes is an important quality criterion in the aquarium fish industry. Ornamental fish cannot synthesize colour-producing carotenoid pigments and therefore must rely on dietary carotenoids in natural or synthetic forms to achieve their colour pigmentations. The aim of this review is to compile and summarize recent investigations into different carotenoid sources used in ornamental fish feed formulations and to highlight the research gaps and investigation needs in the field of aquaculture. The natural carotenoid sources which have been widely used for enhancing colouration are non-photosynthetic organs of higher plants, microalgae, seaweeds, crustacean by-products, and red yeast. Consumers mostly prefer to use natural sources rather than synthetic sources. The problem faced by aquaculturists is stabilization of the gained skin colour after terminating feeding of the fish. Advanced investigations are needed to identify the stability of the colouration in the ornamental fish during their life cycle. Further, this review encourages the use of other available natural carotenoid sources in the ornamental fish industry in order to reduce the use of synthetic pigment products and invites research to be done on a genetic level in order to fully understand colour distribution patterns and sustainability of colouration gain.

Purpose of review Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant, hereditary polyposis syndrome defined by gastrointestinal hamartomas and mucocutaneous pigmentations, caused by a germline mutation in the serine/ threonine kinase 11 or liver kinase B1 (STK11/LKB1) genes. Hamartomatous polyps located throughout the gastrointestinal tract can be complicated by bleeding and small bowel intussusception, potentially leading to the need for emergency surgery. Individuals suffering from Peutz-Jeghers syndrome have an increased lifetime risk of various forms of cancer (gastrointestinal, pancreatic, lung, breast, uterine, ovarian and testicular). Surveillance should lead to the prevention of complications and thus a reduction in mortality and morbidity of patients. Recent findings A combined approach based on wireless capsule endoscopy, magnetic resonance enterography and device-assisted enteroscopy is effective in reduction of the polyp burden and thus decreasing the risk of bleeding and intussusception. Current guidelines for screening and surveillance are mostly based on expert opinion rather than evidence. Summary Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an emerging disease that significantly affects the quality of life enjoyed by patients. Despite of all the progress in improved early diagnostics, options for advanced endoscopic therapy and elaborate surveillance, acute and chronic complications decrease the life expectancy of patients suffering from Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

In this article there has been given the analyzing of non-fiction sources in order to find out the popular indexes of the vegetable control parameters. There are such parameters as chlorophyll presence, water containing, the efficiency of a light use, nitrogen and carbon presence, foliage pigmentation. The chlorophyll presence control is conducted by such indexes as the difference vegetation index, the global environmental monitoring index, the infrared percentage vegetation index, the modified simple ratio, the modified Soil adjusted vegetation index 2, the non-linear index, the normalized difference vegetation index, the optimized soil adjusted vegetation index, the renormalized difference vegetation index, the soil adjusted vegetation index, the simple ratio etc. The control of water content can be based on the moisture stress index, the normalized difference infrared index, the normalized difference water index, the normalized multi-band drought index, the water band index. There is the photochemical reflectance index, the structure insensitive pigment index, the red green ratio index for the efficiency control of the light use. The nitrogen presence is controlled by the normalized differential nitrogen index. The carbon presence can be detected by the implementing of cellulose absorption index, the lignin cellulose absorption index, the normalized difference lignin index, the plant senescence reflectance index. The foliage pigmentations can be controlled by the means of the anthocyanin reflectance index 1, the anthocyanin reflectance index 2, the carotenoid reflectance index 1, and the carotenoid reflectance index 2. The specificity of the presented indexes is described; the calculation formulas and its main straits are proposed.

Hyperpigmentation is one of the most commonly seen skin disorders which is not a concerning health issues but it may affect the psychological aspect of a person. Hyperpigmentation is caused by the presence of excess melanin, which is the brown pigment of the skin. Products that aimed to reduce the pigmentations act by inhibiting the tyrosinase enzyme, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of melanin. There are many products that are currently available in the market that aims to reduce pigmentation of the skin. These products are conventionally formulated into different dosage forms such as cream, lotion and emulgel, which gains popularity due to its convenience on application. However, due to the drawbacks that these dosage forms possess such as poor stability and absorption, new formulations are presented which incorporate novel drug delivery system into the conventional dosage forms. These novel drug delivery systems are, inter alia, liposome, niosomes and microsphere. They carry benefits of controlled drug delivery, enhanced skin penetration and reduce drug toxicity as compared to the conventional dosage form, which resulted in the increase in marketed product diving into this pathway. This present article will discuss the various dosage forms, drug delivery system, its advantages, disadvantages and marketed product for pigmentation control.

Tyrosinase (polyphenolic oxidase) is a multifunctional and copper containing enzyme. Tyrosinase is an enzyme which is responsible for melanin biosynthesis which is responsible for color of the skin. Melanin is synthesised in melanocyte cells by melanogenesis process. Melanogenesis protects skin surface from harmful ultraviolet radiations. Melanin is mainly synthesized in plants, micro organisms and mammalian cells. Melanin pigment is responsible for hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation. When melanin is present in very less amount it causes local vitiligo and posttraumatic hypopigmentation. When melanin is present in very less amount it causes local vitiligo and posttraumatic hypopigmentation. Abnormal amount of melanin deposit in the specific sites of skin causes abnormal skin colored patches like solar lentigos, chloasma, freckles, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation etc. Tyrosinase is also responsible for color changes in fruits due to enzymatic reactions. Tyrosinase inhibitor compounds are used in cosmetics, food, agriculture science and also used in remedy for imbalance in pigmentations. Some Indian herbal plants and agents like Aloe barbedensis, Crocus sativus, Curcuma longa, Camellia sinensis, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycine max, Nelumbo nucifera, Hemidesmus indicus, Vitis Vinifera, Broussonetia papyrifera, resorcinol, arbutin, kojic acid, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid have antityrosinase enzymatic activity. So these plants and inhibitory agents are used in cosmetic industries due to their tyrosinase inhibitory effects or antityrosinase activity or antihyperpigmentation effects. Keywords: Anti-hyperpimentation, Tyrosinase Inhibitor, Melanin, Herbal drugs.

Human tyrosinase (hsTYR) is the key enzyme ensuring the conversion of l-tyrosine to dopaquinone, thereby initiating melanin synthesis, i.e., melanogenesis. Although the protein has long been familiar, knowledge about its three-dimensional structure and efficient overexpression protocols emerged only recently. Consequently, for decades medicinal chemistry studies aiming at developing skin depigmenting agents relied almost exclusively on biological assays performed using mushroom tyrosinase (abTYR), producing a plethoric literature, often of little useful purpose. Indeed, several recent reports have pointed out spectacular differences in terms of interaction patterns and inhibition values between hsTYR and abTYR, including for widely used standard tyrosinase inhibitors. In this review, we summarize the last developments regarding the potential role of hsTYR in human pathologies, the advances in recombinant expression systems and structural data retrieving, and the pioneer generation of true hsTYR inhibitors. Finally, we present suggestions for the design of future inhibitors of this highly attractive target in pharmacology and dermocosmetics.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a hereditary polyposis syndrome characterized by hamartomatous Peutz-Jeghers polyps in the gastrointestinal tract, mucocutaneous pigmentations, and increased risk for intestinal and extraintestinal cancer. In more than two-third of patients it is possible to detect pathogenic variants in the serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11) gene, but so far is knowledge about genetic causes in the remaining part of patients limited. Reports of STK11 mosaicism are rare but may be an explanation in some patients without initial findings of pathogenic variants in STK11. We report two Danish patients with STK11 mosaicism detected in blood when using Next-Generation Sequencing. This is only the sixth and seventh patient reported in the literature, and we compare phenotypes of the reported cases. The results indicate that STK11 mosaicism is more frequent than anticipated and highlight that mosaicism should be considered in patients with clinical suspicion of PJS or patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria.

Melanic pigmentations (MP) are dark stains located on the masticatory mucosa. These pigmentations are consequence of the excess of melanin production by the melanocytes located in the basal layer of the epithelium, between epithelial cells and connective tissue cells. The MP of the periodontium are the results of the melanin granules transfer from the melanocytes to the keratinocytes, in a process called epidermal melanin. This study aims to report a clinical case of dermabrasion for treatment of gingival melanin hyper pigmentation of a female patient, 21 years of age, non smoker, under orthodontic treatment and without systemic alterations. This patient attended the Clinic of Specialization in Periodontics of the Brazilian Association of Dentistry (ABO) with the aesthetic of her smile as the chief complain, due to the excess of melanin on the gingival tissues, in the anterior superior region. The epithelial dermabrasion technique, with hand tools, promoted aesthetic results on the melanic depigmentation.

Background Deep learning convolutional neural networks (CNNs) show great potential for melanoma diagnosis. Melanoma thickness at diagnosis among others depends on melanoma localisation and subtype (e.g. advanced thickness in acrolentiginous or nodular melanomas). The question whether CNN may counterbalance physicians’ diagnostic difficulties in these melanomas has not been addressed. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of a CNN with approval for the European market across different melanoma localisations and subtypes. Methods The current market version of a CNN (Moleanalyzer-Pro®, FotoFinder Systems GmbH, Bad Birnbach, Germany) was used for classifications (malignant/benign) in six dermoscopic image sets. Each set included 30 melanomas and 100 benign lesions of related localisations and morphology (set-SSM: superficial spreading melanomas and macular nevi; set-LMM: lentigo maligna melanomas and facial solar lentigines/seborrhoeic keratoses/nevi; set-NM: nodular melanomas and papillomatous/dermal/blue nevi; set-Mucosa: mucosal melanomas and mucosal melanoses/macules/nevi; set-AMskin: acrolentiginous melanomas and acral (congenital) nevi; set-AMnail: subungual melanomas and subungual (congenital) nevi/lentigines/ethnical type pigmentations). Results The CNN showed a high-level performance in set-SSM, set-NM and set-LMM (sensitivities >93.3%, specificities >65%, receiver operating characteristics-area under the curve [ROC-AUC] >0.926). In set-AMskin, the sensitivity was lower (83.3%) at a high specificity (91.0%) and ROC-AUC (0.928). A limited performance was found in set-mucosa (sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 38.0%, ROC-AUC 0.754) and set-AMnail (sensitivity 53.3%, specificity 68.0%, ROC-AUC 0.621). Conclusions The CNN may help to partly counterbalance reduced human accuracies. However, physicians need to be aware of the CNN's limited diagnostic performance in mucosal and subungual lesions. Improvements may be expected from additional training images of mucosal and subungual sites.

Black extrinsic discoloration is a common clinical and aesthetic problem. This study aims to evaluate the potential in vitro antagonistic activity of two commercial probiotics, Streptococcus salivarius M18 and Lactobacillus reuteri ProDentis, against microorganisms associated with black stains. Streptococcus salivarius M18 and Lactobacillus reuteri were tested against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Actinomyces naeslundiiusing their cell-free fermentative broth in a planktonic growth inhibition test. Both probiotic cell-free supernatants showed the ability to reduce the pathogenic bacteria growth in a dose-dependent way. Streptococcus salivarius M18 showed a stronger antimicrobial activity than Lactobacillus reuteri ProDentis against the two indicator strains used. A. naeslundi was less susceptible to the probiotic activity of both S. salivarius and L. reuteri compared to A. actinomycetemcomitans. The obtained results demonstrate a potent antagonistic ability of probiotics to reduce the growth of microorganisms associated with black tooth stains. Therefore, these strains could be evaluated for a therapeutic use against dental pigmentations.

Simple Summary The Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentations, multiple gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps, and an elevated risk of malignancy. Awareness of various Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome imaging patterns, associated malignancies, and their complications is crucial for accurate imaging interpretation and patient management. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of this condition, associated malignancies, and imaging surveillance protocols. Abstract The Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS) is an autosomal dominant neoplastic syndrome defined by hamartomatous polyps through the gastrointestinal tract, development of characteristic mucocutaneous pigmentations, and an elevated lifetime cancer risk. The majority of cases are due to a mutation in the STK11 gene located at 19p13.3. The estimated incidence of PJS ranges from 1:50,000 to 1:200,000. PJS carries an elevated risk of malignancies including gastrointestinal, breast, lung, and genitourinary (GU) neoplasms. Patients with PJS are at a 15- to 18-fold increased malignancy risk relative to the general population. Radiologists have an integral role in the diagnosis of these patients. Various imaging modalities are used to screen for malignancies and complications associated with PJS. Awareness of various PJS imaging patterns, associated malignancies, and their complications is crucial for accurate imaging interpretation and patient management. In this manuscript, we provide a comprehensive overview of PJS, associated malignancies, and surveillance protocols.

The giant cell granuloma is an identical reactive lesion which is mostly progressive in nature. The clinical behavior of these lesions varies from indolent to aggressive variant. The central form of giant cell granuloma involves the craniofacial bone, followed by long bones of hands and feet. These lesions are usually asymptomatic lesions and are discovered incidentally during routine radiographic examination. Radiograph features reveal multilocular jaw lesions, generally anterior to the first molar regions. Histologically, the lesion shows proliferating spindle-shaped stromal cells in a fibrovascular connective tissue stroma, which characteristically contains multiple multinucleated giant cells. Hemorrhage and hemosiderin pigmentations are often seen in tumor. Central giant cell granuloma is often confused with giant cell tumor of bone histologically. Here, we report a young male who was found to have large central giant cell granuloma in the anterior part of the mandible. The surgical treatment approach of central giant cell granuloma is discussed in this article.

The embryonic and larval development of volitionally spawned eggs of the serranid fish Marcia’s anthias, Pseudanthias marcia (Randall and Hoover 1993) is described and illustrated based on observations during spawning, hatching and larval rearing trials. Eggs were obtained from volitional spawning of P. marcia under captive conditions in Re-circulating Aquaculture System (RAS) in which the sea water is re - circulated at the rate of 1500 L per hour. Fertilized eggs of P. marcia were pelagic, non adhesive, transparent and measured 617.891 ± 14.9 μ (mean ± SD). Each egg had a single oil globule which measured in 125.866 ± 14.06 μ (mean ± SD).Cell division or two cell stage started forming after 14 min of collection of the fertilized eggs from the brood stock tank. Larval motility began after 14:30 h and hatching occurred after 14:50 h at 29 °C. Average total length of the newly hatched larvae was 1206.55 ± 100.02 μ and the yolk sac length was 826.00 ± 46.00 μ. On 3rd dph (days post hatch), the total length of the larvae was 1906.26 ± 32.3 μ. Pigmentations patterns were observed in freshly hatched larvae after 4 h of hatching, with the presence of eight pigmented areas on the dorsal surface of the larva and one spot on the posterior tip of the yolk sac. Notochord flexion stage was complete on 25 dph (TL- 4.85 mm). Between 32 and 34 dph larvae metamorphosed to adult shape. Adult coloration and forked caudal fin shape was observed after 50 days of post hatch and the total body length of the larvae was 42–43 mm.

Oral (OP) and nail (NP) pigmentations may occur simultaneously in physiological or pathological conditions, and may be a sign of underlying syndromic conditions that necessitate further investigation and treatment. Interestingly, the nail unit and oral cavity show a clinical parallelism that may help the clinician to conduct a correct examination and reach a prompt diagnosis. Both OP and NP can manifest clinically with focal or diffuse involvement and are due to external factors (exogenous pigmentation, drug-induced pigmentation) or endogenous factors (racial pigmentation, post-inflammatory pigmentation, nevi, genetic conditions and other disorders). The most concerning differential diagnosis is melanoma. Here we report the pathogenetic basis of OP and NP, together with the description of similar clinical features. To the best of our knowledge this is the first paper to summarize and describe the causes of pigmentation of both the oral cavity and the nail unit.

Background: fungi are a common trigger of allergic diseases. Inspite of that fungal clinical allergies are underdiagnosed. In Saudi, fungi are a common indoor triggers. Objective: to determine allergic diseases associated with mold sensitization (MS) in Jeddah-Saudi. Methods: a retrospective study between period of (March 2016 to March 2017). Sample size is 51 patients with positive MS. Data was extracted by medical students from Laluna private clinic in Jeddah, Saudi. Test panel used was 30 RAST sIgE in vitro inhalant allergens (MEDIWISS Analytic GmbH company). This panel contain the most common inhalant allergens in Saudi. Each allergen is separate with severity scores from zero to 6. Allergic diseases diagnosis (and any other clinical diagnosis) was extracted from the same files. Results were collected in excel sheet in several columns: demographic data, allergic diseases, common molds in Saudi and other positive inhalants sensitization. Results: sample is 51 patients with MS. Gender distribution: females 28 (55%), males 23 (45%). Most common MSs are: aspergillus fumigatus 35 (69%), alternaria 32 (63%), 29 (57%), candida 13 (25%) and penicillium 9 (18%). Allergic diseases associated with MS are: allergic rhinitis and allergic fungal sinusitis 23 (45%), asthma 14 (27%), urticaria and angioedema 11 (22%) and atopic dermatitis (AD) 10 (20%). Other disease associated with MS are: hypothyroidism, obesity and facial pigmentations. Conclusion: Unfortunately, mold allergic diseases are underdiagnosed inspite of its high prevalence. In Jeddah, Saudi, the commonest MSs are: aspergillus fumigatus, alternaria followed by cladosporium, candida. Most common diseases associated with MSs are: respiratory allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, allergic fungal sinusitis, asthma) followed by skin allergic diseases (urticaria, angioedema and AD). MSs are of mild class severity, however clinical allergic diseases due to mold are sever. This mean that sensitization class level don’t reflect the clinical severity.

Trisomy 14 is incompatible with live, but there are several patients reported with mosaic trisomy 14. We aimed to study the pattern of X inactivation and its effect on a translocated autosome and to find out an explanation of the involvement of chromosome 14 in 2 different structural chromosomal abnormalities. We report on a girl with frontal bossing, hypertelorism, low-set ears, micrognathia, cleft palate, congenital heart disease, and abnormal skin pigmentations. The patient displayed iris, choroidal, and retinal coloboma and agenesis of the corpus callosum and cerebellar vermis hypoplasia. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a karyotype 45,X,der(X)t(X;14)(q24;q11)[85]/46,XX,rob(14;14)(q10;q10),+14[35]. Array-CGH for blood and buccal mucosa showed high mosaic trisomy 14 and an Xq deletion. MLPA detected trisomy 14 in blood and buccal mucosa and also showed normal methylation of the imprinting center. FISH analysis confirmed the cell line with trisomy 14 (30%) and demonstrated the mosaic deletion of the Xq subtelomere in both tissues. There was 100% skewed X inactivation for the t(X;14). SNP analysis of the patient showed no region of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 14. Also, genotype call analysis of the patient and her parents showed heterozygous alleles of chromosome 14 with no evidence of uniparental disomy. Our patient had a severe form of mosaic trisomy 14. We suggest that this cytogenetic unique finding that involved 2 cell lines with structural abnormalities of chromosome 14 occurred in an early postzygotic division. These 2 events may have happened separately or maybe there is a kind of trisomy or monosomy rescue due to dynamic cytogenetic interaction between different cell lines to compensate for gene dosage.

Brown diseases comprise disorders leading to hyperpigmentation in skin and nails. Melasma is an acquired skin disorder that is characterized by brownish macules that typically occur on the face. Schamberg disease, also known as progressive pigmented purpura, is characterized by brown pigmentation with pepper spots on their edges. We summarize the epidemiology, pathogenesis, histologic features, and treatment choices for additional brown diseases, including melasma, pigmented purpuric dermatoses, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, drug-induced hyperpigmentation, and pigmentations due to systemic or physiologic conditions.

Resumen: La encía hiperpigmentada es un problema estético para los pacientes debido a la exposición gingival al momento de sonreír. La principal pigmentación gingival ocurre de forma fisiológica principalmente como respuesta frente a los traumatismos, sustancias químicas y radiación ultravioleta. En el presente artículo se realizó una revisión bibliográfica sobre los criterios para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la pigmentación gingival (melanosis). Se exploró los artículos de las bases de datos PubMed, EMBASE y SciELO desde el año 2005 (enero) hasta la actualidad (diciembre del 2018). Los criterios clínicos para su diagnóstico están basados en la severidad y extensión de las pigmentaciones sobre la encía marginal y adherida; de esta forma, la melanosis gingival es más común a nivel de la encía adherida con tonalidades que varían entre el castaño claro y castaño oscuro. Se concluye que todas las técnicas de depigmentación gingival son efectivas; las diferencias se encuentran en el costo, rapidez de cicatrización, confort y grado de dolor posoperatorio. Abstract: Hyperpigmentation of the gingiva is an aesthetic problem for patients with gingival exposure when smiling. The main gingival pigmentation occurs primarily physiologically as a response to trauma, chemicals and ultraviolet radiation. The aim of this study is to review the literature on the criteria for diagnosing and treating gingival pigmentation (melanosis). The author studied articles from the PubMed, EMBASE and SciELO databases from 2005 (January) to present (December 2018). The clinical criteria for diagnosis are based on the severity and extent of the pigmentation on the marginal and attached gingiva. In this way, gingival melanosis is more common at the attached gingiva level, with shades ranging from light chestnut to dark brown. In conclusion, all gingival depigmentation techniques are effective, the differences being cost, healing speed, comfort and degree of postoperative pain.

This study aims to examine the relationship between ocular circulation changes and visual field defects in optic disk melanocytoma (ODM). Five eyes of five patients were enrolled in this study. All patients were diagnosed with ODM in the Department of Ophthalmology, Hokkaido University Hospital from March 2009 to November 2017. Ophthalmological data including optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) findings were retrospectively analyzed. The five ODM cases consisted of two females and three males. Ages of the patients ranged from 47 to 82 years (mean 54 years). Follow-up periods were from 4 to 105 months. Fluorescein angiography showed hypo-fluorescence throughout the examination in all four eyes examined with this modality. OCTA detected dense blood vessel networks in the tumor in two out of the five eyes. Nasal visual field defects were found in two other eyes, which were correlated with locations of tumors free of vessel networks. One ODM eye without marked visual field defects and pigmentations showed lower mean blur rates determined by LSFG in optic disk vessels and tissue circulations than those in the contralateral eye. During follow-up, there was no tumor enlargement in any case. This study showed the relationship between the deficit of blood vessel networks and visual field defects in ODM patients. LSFG demonstrated reduced blood flow in the tumor, suggesting that circulatory disorder caused by the optic disk tumor might be correlated with visual field defect.

To investigate a very rare case of hypotrichosis with cone-rod dystrophy caused by a P-cadherin CDH3 mutation. A 16-year-old Syrian girl was examined at age 9 and 14 years with an ophthalmological examination, fundus imaging, OCT and electrophysiological recordings (ERG and PERG). A disease-targeted gene panel sequencing was performed. Fundus images showed pigmentations at the posterior eye pole to the mid periphery, as well as vessel tortuosity. OCT images revealed a loss of the outer retinal segments and IS/OS in the central macula. The scotopic and photopic ERGs showed moderately reduced amplitudes at age 9 years that became severely reduced at age of 14 years. The PERG was undetectable at age 9 years. In color vision testing, protan–deutan confusion errors occurred. Gene panel analysis revealed one homozygous mutation in CDH3 (c.1508G>A; p.Arg503His). This case shows that a CDH3 mutation besides macula dystrophy can cause widespread cone-rod dystrophy with hypotrichosis without any other pathology besides hypoplastic nails. This points to a common pathway of hair growth and photoreceptor development that can be disturbed by a CDH3 mutation (c.1508G>A; p.Arg503His) located in the EC4 repeat region of the gene.

Background The aim was to analyze the frequency, clinical and demographic features of solitary and multiple/diffuse oral pigmented lesions submitted to histopathological examination, and to summarize the features that guide the clinical differential diagnosis. Methods Clinical and demographic data were retrieved from biopsy records and descriptive statistics were performed. Results Nine hundred and five (0.51%) oral pigmented lesions were retrieved among 177 356 specimens, being 95.9% solitary and 4.1% multiple/diffuse lesions. Regardless the overlapping clinical presentation, age, site, association with amalgam restoration, and a nodular appearance may help in the clinical differential diagnosis of solitary oral pigmentations. Patient's habits, site, and systemic signs and symptoms are helpful in the clinical differential diagnosis of multiple/diffuse lesions. Conclusions Oral pigmented lesions are a rare diagnosis in oral pathology and solitary lesions are more commonly submitted to biopsy. Some key features help in the differential diagnosis, though biopsy can be warranted in doubtful cases.

Chlorhexidine (CHX) is considered the gold standard for the chemical control of bacterial plaque and is often used after surgical treatment. However, CHX employment over an extended time is responsible for side effects such as the appearance of pigmentations on the teeth and tongue, the discoloration effects are less pronounced when using a CHX-based mouthwash with added an anti-discoloration system (ADS). The aim of this study was to evaluate, using one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry, the possible proteomic changes induced by CHX and CHX+ADS in the supragingival dental sites susceptible to a discoloration effect. The tooth surface collected material (TSCM) was obtained by curettage after resective bone surgery from three groups of patients following a supportive therapy protocol in which a mechanical control was combined with placebo rinses or CHX or a CHX+ADS mouthwash. The proteomic analysis was performed before surgery (basal conditions) and four weeks after surgery when CHX was used (or not) as chemical plaque control. Changes in the TSCM proteome were only revealed following CHX treatment: glycolytic enzymes, molecular chaperones and elongation factors were identified as more expressed. These changes were not detected after CHX+ADS treatment. An ADS could directly limit TSCM forming and also the CHX antiseptic effect reduces its ability to alter bacterial cell permeability. However, Maillard’s reaction produces high molecular weight molecules that change the surface properties and could facilitate bacterial adhesion.

Anomalous pigmentations have been reported in several groups of reptiles. Among these, albinism is one of the most striking aberrations of body coloration. This pigmentary anomaly is caused by the absence of melanin in the integument. Many cases of albinism have been reported in snakes, primarily in species with cryptozoic habits, and several reports are available for the Dipsadidae family from South America. Geophis is one of the most diverse genera in this family, with 50 species distributed mainly in Mesoamerica. The Yellow-bellied Earth Snake (Geophis godmani) is known only from the mountain ranges of Costa Rica and western Panama. In September, 2020 we encountered an albino individual of the Yellow-bellied Earth Snake at Palmira de Zarcero, Alajuela province, Costa Rica. Here we report on this finding and discuss possible consequences of albinism in snakes. Snakes affected by albinism have red eyes and a yellow or pink coloration due to the presence of xanthophores and erythrophores. As a result, aspects such as thermoregulation can be affected, and jeopardize the snake's survival. However, some individuals can have traits that potentially preclude the negative effects of albinism. These characteristics would allow for the survival of individual snakes to the adult stage, such as the albino individual of Geophis godmani we found in central Costa Rica.

Background: It is a common reason for many patients to consult the dermatologists about black pigmentations on the nail because it maybe be related to the life-threatening malignant disease-melanoma. Although the incidence of nail melanoma is not too high, unfortunately, it is usually diagnosed at a later stage than at the other body sites and directly leads to a worse prognosis. Methods: We have built the dataset which contains 550 standard, high-quality nail dermoscopy images from the outpatients. Relying on the dataset, we created an intelligent analysis system based on deep learning image segmentation. Meanwhile, we realized the quantitative calculation of black pigmentation on the features of shape, color, area and other indicators according to the clinical ABCDEF criteria to achieve medically interpretable index analysis. Findings: Nail image segmentation model has a significant segmentation effect on the target area. The result of index analysis on 5 representative black line images may indicate that the black line is a benign lesion. Comparing the sample images with the quantitative indicators, our intelligent analysis system showed reliablity and interpretability. Interpretation: We developed a deep learning model based on the segmentation model to quantified multiple indexes of the ABCDEF rule. The intelligent analysis system can be helpful to analyze the dynamic index changes of black pigmentations on the nail, which is of significant aid in clinical diagnosis of subungual melanoma. Funding Information: None. Declaration of Interests: Authors declare no Conflict of Interests for this article. Ethics Approval Statement: This research has got the ethics committee approval from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yatsen University and its protocol number is [2021](K225-1).

Arsenic poisoning has become a global problem in the recent times. It is estimated that >300 million population are exposed to arsenic worldwide. Bihar is the state in India, which is in the vicinity of river Ganges where seven major tributaries from Great Himalayas through Nepal meet river Ganges. This entire Gangetic plain area is highly fertile land, with very high population density. In this state an estimated 10 million people are exposed to arsenic contaminated drinking water as well as irrigation water. Groundwater is the primary source of arsenic poisoning which has caused serious health hazards to the exposed population. The exposed population are exhibiting typical symptoms of arsenicosis such as hyperkeratosis, melanosis, pigmentations and other skin manifestations. Apart from this they are also exhibiting other symptoms such as disorders of liver, kidney, nervous system, cardiovascular, hormonal, etc. The prolonged arsenic exposure also leads to different types of cancer. The cancer among the exposed population is of skin, liver kidney, gall bladder, bladder, breast, colorectal, etc. Hence, it is very important to evaluate the health problems exhibited in the exposed population. The present study highlights the health problems of the exposed population of different parts of Bihar with confirm presence of elevated arsenic concentration in groundwater (>10 μg/L). Apart from this the study also examined the mitigation strategies undertaken by the state Government for the exposed population.

Edible flowers are becoming popular as a nutraceutical and functional food that can contribute to human nutrition with high antioxidant molecules and mineral elements. While comparative studies between different flower species have been performed, less is known about the best agronomical practices to increase yield and nutraceutical proprieties of blooms. Silicon stimulates plant resistance against stress and promotes plant growth while non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology has been applied for the disinfection and decontamination of water, as well as for increasing plant production and quality. The application of silicon and NTP technology through nutrient solution and spraying was investigated in edible flowers given that the combination of these treatments may play a role in promoting their nutritional and nutraceutical proprieties. The treatments were applied on two varieties of Begonia cucullata Willd. (white and red flowers) to explore their effects on different flower pigmentations. Plants with red flowers showed higher nutraceutical proprieties than the white ones but yielded a lower flower number. While the NTP treatment did not improve flower yield and quality, the silicon treatment increased anthocyanins and dry weight percentage in red flowers. NTP treatment increased zinc concentration, while it decreased potassium, magnesium, and manganese, and increased silicon concentration in white flowers. The combination of silicon and NTP showed negative effects on some nutraceutical proprieties of red flowers thus highlighting that the two treatments cannot be combined in edible flower production. In conclusion, the positive effect of silicon use in edible flower production has been demonstrated while the NTP technology showed contrasting results and its use should be explored in greater depth, including a consideration of its role in biotic attack prevention and reduced chemical input.

Pigmentations can be commonly found in the mouth which are presents in various clinical patterns rangingfrom physiological changes to oral manifestations of systemic diseases and malignancies. Oral pigmentationcan be focal,multifocal or diffuse. Oral pigmentation can be exogenous, endogenous, physiological andpathological. Oral pigmentation is more likely to have a multifactorial etiology

Objective When pigmentations appeared in the esthetic zone and were visible during the patient's smile, they were very disconcerting. There are multiple techniques to eradicate or ameliorate these discolorations. This article will address those pigmentations caused by amalgam particles. Clinical considerations Keratinized gingival grafts were used to cover and mask these pigmentations. In addition, connective tissue grafts were used to aid in the elimination of the external pigmentation. Conclusions Both techniques were shown to be very effective in masking or eliminating these unesthetic pigmentations. Long-term follow-up has shown these results to be stable with no recurrence of the pigmentation. Clinical significance Unesthetic pigmentations in the esthetic zone that are visible during a patient's smile are very disconcerting. Elimination of these unesthetic discolorations can make a dramatic improvement in the patient's smile.

Microalgae are widely used as food supplements due to their high protein content, essential fatty acids and amino acids as well as carotenoids. The addition of microalgal biomass to food products (e.g., baked confectioneries) is a common strategy to attract novel consumers. However, organoleptic factors such as color, taste and smell can be decisive for the acceptability of foods supplemented with microalgae. The aim of this work was to develop chlorophyll-deficient mutants of Chlorella vulgaris by chemically induced random mutagenesis to obtain biomass with different pigmentations for nutritional applications. Using this strategy, two C. vulgaris mutants with yellow (MT01) and white (MT02) color were successfully isolated, scaled up and characterized. The changes in color of MT01 and MT02 mutant strains were due to an 80 and 99% decrease in their chlorophyll contents, respectively, as compared to the original wild type (WT) strain. Under heterotrophic growth, MT01 showed a growth performance similar to that of the WT, reaching a concentration of 5.84 and 6.06 g L-1, respectively, whereas MT02 displayed slightly lower growth (4.59 g L-1). When grown under a light intensity of 100 μmol m-2 s-1, the pigment content in MT01 increased without compromising growth, while MT02 was not able to grow under this light intensity, a strong indication that it became light-sensitive. The yellow color of MT01 in the dark was mainly due to the presence of the xanthophyll lutein. On the other hand, phytoene was the only carotenoid detected in MT02, which is known to be colorless. Concomitantly, MT02 contained the highest protein content, reaching 48.7% of DW, a 60% increase as compared to the WT. MT01 exhibited a 30% increase when compared to that of the WT, reaching a protein content of 39.5% of DW. Taken together, the results strongly suggest that the partial abrogation of pigment biosynthesis is a factor that might promote higher protein contents in this species. Moreover, because of their higher protein and lower chlorophyll contents, the MT01 and MT02 strains are likely candidates to be feedstocks for the development of novel, innovative food supplements and foods. FCT: UIDB/04085/2020 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The proteome data of whole rice grain is considerably limited particularly for rice with pigmentations such as black and red rice. Hence, we performed proteome analysis of two black rice varieties (BALI and Pulut Hitam 9), two red rice varieties (MRM16 and MRQ100) and two white rice varieties (MR297 and MRQ76) using label-free liquid chromatography Triple TOF 6600 tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Our aim was to profile and identify proteins related to nutritional (i.e. antioxidant, folate and low glycaemic index) and quality (i.e. aromatic) traits based on peptide-centric scoring from the Sequential Window Acquisition of All Theoretical Mass Spectra (SWATH-MS) approach. Both information dependent acquisition (IDA) and SWATH-MS run were performed in this analysis. Raw data was then processed using ProteinPilot software to identify and compare proteins from the six different varieties. In future, this proteomics data will be integrated with previously obtained genomics [1] and transcriptomics [2] data focusing on the above nutritional and quality traits, with an ultimate aim to develop a panel of functional biomarkers related to those traits for future rice breeding programme. The raw MS data of the pigmented and non-pigmented rice varieties have been deposited to ProteomeXchange database with accession number PXD018338.

Pigmented rice is enriched with antioxidants, macro- and micronutrients. A comprehensive investigation of the gene expression patterns among the pigmented rice varieties would help to understand the cellular mechanism and biological processes of rice grain pigmentation. Hence, we performed RNA sequencing and analysis on the whole grain of dehusked mature seeds of selected six Malaysian rice varieties with varying grain pigmentations. These varieties were black rice (BALI and Pulut Hitam 9), red rice (MRM16 and MRQ100) and white rice (MR297 and MRQ76). Illumina HiSeq™ 4000 sequencer was used to generate total raw nucleotides of approximately 53 Gb in size. From 353,937,212 total paired-end raw reads, 340,131,496 total clean reads were obtained. The raw reads were deposited into European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) database and can be accessed via accession number PRJEB34340. This dataset allows us to identify and profile all expressed genes with functions related to nutritional traits (i.e. antioxidants, folate and amylose content) and quality trait (i.e. aroma) across both pigmented and non-pigmented rice varieties. In addition, the transcriptome data obtained will be valuable for discovery of potential gene markers and functional SNPs related to functional traits to assist in rice breeding programme.

Coral cover throughout the Caribbean region has declined by approximately 80% since the 1970s (Gardner et al. in Ecology 86(1):174–184, 2005) attributed to a combination of environmental and anthropogenic factors, including ocean acidification, rising sea surface temperatures, increased susceptibility to disease, as well as increased frequency and strength of storms, development stress, and increased sediment and nutrient loads. Three Global Bleaching Events (GBE) coincide directly with El Niño warming phases in El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle (1997–1998, 2009–2010, and 2014–2017). This study focuses the effects of anomalously high sea surface temperatures on Turks and Caicos Islands coral taxa during the 2014–2017 GBE. Interannual and interspecific variability in coral health offshore of South Caicos Island were evaluated between 2012 and 2018 using the CoralWatch citizen science Coral Health Chart method along belt transects at four dive survey sites. The study includes 104 site surveys conducted from 15 October 2012 to 18 July 2018. Coral health was assessed for the 35 principal coral taxa and 5646 individual corals. Data indicates that all coral taxa at the study sites were resilient to the maximum regional thermal stress during the 2014–2017 GBE, with boulder-type corals showing no significant bleaching as a result of the peak thermal stress in late 2015 and plate-type corals responding with a significant (p

A 6-year-old boy presented with a 5-year history of pigmentation on the face, neck, and hands. On examination, the patient had extreme photophobia. There was multiple freckles-like pigmentations on the face, neck, and back of both hands. Extremities were densely distributed. Multiple facial lesions, 1–2 cm2 in size, were also seen; most of them were ulcerated and had crusty patches. There was mild double eversion of the lower eyelids, with pigmentation and conjunctival redness in both eyes. Facial histopathologic findings: Spitz nevus-like malignant melanoma, Clark grade IV. A final diagnosis of melanoma secondary to xeroderma pigmentosa was made. According to the previous literature, the minimum age of patients with xeroderma pigmentosum combined with malignant melanoma is 8 years old, but the age, in this case, is 6 years old. In addition, extensive local excision of suspicious lesions early is of great significance for the prognosis of patients.

Background Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is characterized by gastrointestinal polyposis, mucocutaneous pigmentation and cancer predisposition. Patients with PJS can develop large calcifying Sertoli cell tumors (LCSTs). Case presentation A patient presented at 3 years of age with delayed development, hypermobility and later also with tall stature and advanced bone age. Extensive endocrine evaluation, mutation analysis of genes associated with connective tissue disorders and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array showed no abnormalities. At 8 years of age, gynecomastia developed as well as pigmentations on the lips, both of which are associated with PJS. Mutation analysis showed a heterozygous deletion of the whole STK11 gene confirming PJS. Testicular ultrasound confirmed the presence of LCSTs. Interestingly, the previously performed SNP array did not report deletion of the STK11 gene. Conclusions We advise excluding LCSTs in children with tall stature and advanced bone age where more common causes have been eliminated. Although STK11 deletions are documented in control databases, reporting the deletion of this gene even in the absence of a phenotype is advised for patient management.

A maxillofacial prosthesis is a successful treatment modality to restore missing facial parts. Digital technologies and 3D printing are employed in constructing facial prostheses such as ears; however, their application is still partial, and final prostheses are usually manufactured conventionally using stone molds. This report aims to introduce a complete digital workflow to construct a nasal prosthesis and compare it to the conventional workflow of a patient requiring a nasal prosthesis. A computer tomography scan showing the defect was exported to specialized software to create 3D reconstructions of the patient's face and underlying bone. The nose was digitally designed restoring facial esthetics, anatomy, shape, and skin color. Different skin tones were digitally matched to skin tissues adjacent to the defect area using the Spectromatch system. The design was 3D printed in flexible and colorful material at 16 μm resolution using a 3D printer. External color pigmentations were applied to the nose for optimum esthetics, and the prosthetic nose was sealed in silicone and left to heat polymerize for 15 minutes. The prosthetic nose was retained in place using biomedical adhesive, and the patient was pleased with it. This report proposes a complete digital workflow to directly design and fabricate a prosthetic nose of acceptable esthetics. Such a workflow can lead to enhanced prosthesis reproducibility and acceptability and may become an effective treatment option for treatment of patients with facial defects.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has increasingly been used to noninvasively determine hemodynamic concentration change noninvasively by detecting light intensity changes. The effect of scalp hair follicle (SHF) on NIRS quantification is highlighted since its dark pigmentations is a strong absorption source to contaminate the NIRS signal. Here we have incorporated the Monte Carlo modeling for light transport in voxelized media, and visible Chinese human with high precision in depicting three-dimensional human anatomical structures, to study the effect of SHF density on NIRS quantification. The results quantified the strong impact of SHF on NIRS measurements and revealed that the detected light intensity signal decreased by 15%-80% when SHF density varied from 1% to 11.1% at Asian human range. More surprisingly, the hemodynamics-interpreted brain activation could be miscalculated by 11.7%-292.24% linearly with SHF density varied in 1%-11.1%. It is the first time that the effect of SHF on NIRS measurements has been quantitatively evaluated and the dramatic influence of SHF is outlined to be seriously concerned. The finding of the linear correlation between NIRS signal underestimation and the density of scalp hair follicles also indicate a potential calibration method to eliminate the SHF effect on NIRS measurement.

Sabaco sinicus sp. nov. is described based on material collected from Chinese coast. It has been misidentified as Asychis gangeticus Fauvel, 1932 since Uschakov and Wu (1962). Here, we recognized it as a new species based on combination of the following characters: dark-brown pigmentation spots on nuchal grooves and first three chaetigers; glandular pattern on chaetigers 4-6; preanal achaetigerous segments absent; anal plaque trumpetshaped with a disc-shaped dorsal lobe; notochaetae consisting of geniculate capillaries and fine capillaries with or without spinose spiral bands; neurochaetae presented as a single row of rostrate uncini. Asychis gangeticus differ from the new species in having no pigmentations on body and a triangular dorsal lobe of anal plaque. Distribution region of this species have moved northward significantly from sea area south of Changjiang Estuary since the 1950s.