Latest Human skin color Stories
Other factors predominate in summerVitamin D is somewhat of an unusual "vitamin," because it can be made in the body from sunlight and most foods do not contain vitamin D unless added by fortification. Synthesis of vitamin D in the body requires exposure to ultraviolet light and can be influenced by genetics, skin color, and sun exposure. Reports of greater than expected vitamin D insufficiency coupled with emerging evidence that higher circulating concentrations of this nutrient...
Low levels of vitamin D, the essential nutrient obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, doubles the risk of stroke in whites, but not in blacks, according to a new report by researchers at Johns Hopkins.Stroke is the nation's third leading cause of death, killing more than 140,000 Americans annually and temporarily or permanently disabling over half a million when there is a loss of blood flow to the brain.Researchers say their findings, to be presented Nov. 15 at the...
Researchers led by Vanderbilt's Roger Cone, Ph.D., have discovered a new member of a gene family that has powerful influences on pigmentation and the regulation of body weight.The gene is the third member of the agouti family. Two agouti genes have been identified previously in humans. One helps determine skin and hair color, and the other may play an important role in obesity and diabetes. The new gene, called agrp2, has been found exclusively in bony fish, including zebrafish, trout and...
Increasing melanin without UV exposure could reduce risk of skin cancer in several waysDiscovery of a molecular switch that turns off the natural process of skin pigmentation may lead to a novel way of protecting the skin "“ activating the tanning process without exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation. In their report in the journal Genes & Development, researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC) describe how blocking the action of...
Rapid color changes of skin used for interaction and displays of dominanceTech savvy humans who use social media sites to instantly update their 'statuses', may be behaving like vultures who use 'face flushing' as a visible way of instantly updating their own status when interacting with peers and rivals. Research, published in Ethology, reveals how the ability to rapidly change skin color is a key form of interaction for vultures, especially for displays of dominance.The ability to rapidly...
Despite the popular, state-sponsored ideology that denies the existence of prejudice based on racial or skin color differences in Mexico, a new study from The University of Texas at Austin provides evidence of profound social inequality by skin color.According to the study, individuals with darker skin tones have less education, have lower status jobs, are more likely to live in poverty, and are less likely to be affluent.Andrés Villarreal, an associate professor in the Department of...
Indoor tanning for social activities is dangerous and unnecessary SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Back to school means new classes, clothes and schedules, including a heavy calendar of social events. Unfortunately, many young adults, particularly young women, head to indoor tanning salons in preparation for high school and college dances in the fall. Despite repeated warnings about the dangers of indoor tanning and the fact that there is no such thing as a healthy tan,...
NEW YORK, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- With Labor Day fast-approaching and the summer sun almost a thing of the past, women and men across the United States will be in search of fall's must-have skin renewal system to repair and reverse UV damage. According to Dr. Adam Geyer, Kiehl's Since 1851 Consulting Dermatologist, and instructor in clinical dermatology at Columbia University in New York City, "When tans fade, people start to see the remnants of summer, including dark spots, uneven skin...
The extent to which vitamin D deficiency may increase susceptibility to a wide range of diseases is dramatically highlighted in research published today. Scientists have mapped the points at which vitamin D interacts with our DNA "“ and identified over two hundred genes that it directly influences. The results are published today in the journal Genome Research.It is estimated that one billion people worldwide do not have sufficient vitamin D. This deficiency is thought to be largely due to...
People who remain pale and never tan can blame their distant ancestors for choosing to live in the northern reaches of the globe and those who easily achieve a deep tan can thank their ancestors for living in the subtropical latitudes, according to Penn State anthropologists."The variation of ultraviolet radiation, especially in the middle and high latitudes is great," said Nina Jablonski, professor of anthropology and chair of Penn State's anthropology department. "Tanning has...
