Achromatic and athermal lens design by redistributing the element powers on an athermal glass map.

We propose a new graphical method for selecting a pair of optical and housing materials to simultaneously achromatize and athermalize a multilens system. To obtain the material combination using an athermal glass map, the material suitable for housing is graphically selected, and then the powers of elements constituting an equivalent single lens are redistributed. Although a material combination does not exist, we can continuously change the power of each element.

SYT14L, especially its C2 domain, is involved in regulating melanocyte differentiation.

Background: The formation of dendrites by melanocytes is highly analogous to that process in neural cells. We previously reported that a C2 domain-containing protein, copine-1, is involved in the extension of dendrites by neural cells. However, the effect of C2 domain-containing proteins in dendrite formation by melanocytes has not yet been elucidated.

Induction of melanogenesis by rapamycin in human MNT-1 melanoma cells.

Background: Melanogenesis is one of the characteristic parameters of differentiation in melanocytes and melanoma cells. Specific inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), such as wortmannin and LY294002, stimulate melanin production in mouse and in human melanoma cells, suggesting that PI3K and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) might be involved in the regulation of melanogenesis.

Objective: The involvement of the mTOR pathway in regulating melanogenesis was examined using human MNT-1 melanoma cells, and the effects of the potent inhibitor of mTOR, rapamycin, in the presence or absence of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) were evaluated.

Photoprotective effects of methoxycinnamidopropyl polysilsesquioxane.

A new sunscreen ingredient, methoxycinnamidopropyl polysilsesquioxane (MCP-PSQ), which contains an UV-absorbing p-methoxycinnamoyl group, has been developed synthetically and evaluated using in vitro and in vivo approaches. Previous studies revealed that MCP-PSQ has a raising or boosting effect on the sun protection factor (SPF) of other sunscreen agents. In this study, we demonstrated that MCP-PSQ, an organic/inorganic hybrid compound, has photoprotective effects for human fibroblasts, and for hairless mouse and human skin.