Determination of erythema-effective solar radiation in Japan and Germany with a spore monolayer film optimized for the detection of UVB and UVA--results of a field campaign.

The available physical and biological broad-band radiometers designed to determine erythema-effective radiation do not show any response or over/underestimate the biologically effective radiation to a high extent in the ultraviolet (UV)A spectral region. The data presented in this paper demonstrate that the biological system used in this study is the first one to make possible measurements of erythema-effective radiation in the sun in the UVA and UVB spectral region. These measurements were performed with a spore-film filter system as well as with spectroradiometers.

Characterization and application of UV detector spore films: the sensitivity curve of a new detector system provides good similarity to the action spectrum for UV-induced erythema in human skin.

The UV action spectra of two different biologically weighting UV photofilms (spore films), produced with Bacillus subtilis spores (wild-type and DNA repair-deficient strains), were determined at the Okasaki large spectrograph (OLS) within the level of wavelength range 254-400 nm. The action spectrum of the mutant strain film was modified with a cut-off filter, yielding a sensitivity curve similar to the action spectrum for erythemal induction in human skin. The detector system was tested in a field study and in a study using lamps with different UV spectral compositions.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a full-length complementary DNA encoding human acid ceramidase. Identification Of the first molecular lesion causing Farber disease.

Human acid ceramidase ((AC) N-acylsphingosine amidohydrolase, EC 3.5. 1.

Continuous dosimetry of the biologically harmful UV-radiation in Antarctica with the biofilm technique.

For the first time, a continuous biological dosimetry experiment for cytotoxic solar UV-radiation has been performed in Antarctica. The biologically harmful UV-radiation on the ground was measured at the German Antarctic Georg von Neumayer Station (70 degrees 37' S, 80 degrees 22' W) from December 1990 to March 1992 using the biofilm technique. The UV-sensitive targets were dried spores of Bacillus subtilis which were immobilized on the film surface.

Long-Term Dosimetry of Solar UV Radiation in Antarctica with Spores of Bacillus subtilis.

The main objective was to assess the influence of the seasonal stratospheric ozone depletion on the UV climate in Antarctica by using a biological test system. This method is based on the UV sensitivity of a DNA repair-deficient strain of Bacillus subtilis (TKJ 6321). In our field experiment, dried layers of B.