Assessment of Multidimensional Health Care Parameters Among Adults in Japan for Developing a Virtual Human Generative Model: Protocol for a Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Human health status can be measured on the basis of many different parameters. Statistical relationships among these different health parameters will enable several possible health care applications and an approximation of the current health status of individuals, which will allow for more personalized and preventive health care by informing the potential risks and developing personalized interventions. Furthermore, a better understanding of the modifiable risk factors related to lifestyle, diet, and physical activity will facilitate the design of optimal treatment approaches for individuals. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a high-dimensional, cross-sectional data set of comprehensive health care information to construct a combined statistical model as a single joint probability distribution and enable further studies on individual relationships among the multidimensional data obtained. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational study, data were collected from a population of 1000 adult men and women (aged ≥20 years) matching the age ratio of the typical adult Japanese population. Data include biochemical and metabolic profiles from blood, urine, saliva, and oral glucose tolerance tests; bacterial profiles from feces, facial skin, scalp skin, and saliva; messenger RNA, proteome, and metabolite analyses of facial and scalp skin surface lipids; lifestyle surveys and questionnaires; physical, motor, cognitive, and vascular function analyses; alopecia analysis; and comprehensive analyses of body odor components. Statistical analyses will be performed in 2 modes: one to train a joint probability distribution by combining a commercially available health care data set containing large amounts of relatively low-dimensional data with the cross-sectional data set described in this paper and another to individually investigate the relationships among the variables obtained in this study. RESULTS: Recruitment for this study started in October 2021 and ended in February 2022, with a total of 997 participants enrolled. The collected data will be used to build a joint probability distribution called a Virtual Human Generative Model. Both the model and the collected data are expected to provide information on the relationships between various health statuses. CONCLUSIONS: As different degrees of health status correlations are expected to differentially affect individual health status, this study will contribute to the development of empirically justified interventions based on the population. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/47024.

Facial application of high-concentration carbon dioxide prevents epidermal impairment associated with environmental changes.

PURPOSE: The transdermal application of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas dissolved in a solution and bathing in carbonated springs have been known to improve circulatory disorders. We aimed to elucidate and profile the effects of CO2 application on local skin function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A liquid formulation that included high-concentration CO2 or a control formulation was applied to the face of healthy men for 8 weeks. Quantitative analysis was performed during the dry winter months. RESULTS: At the site where the control formulation was applied, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) increased while the moisturizing function (conductance) of facial skin decreased during the study period. However, at the CO2-treated site, increases in TEWL and decreases in conductance were significantly suppressed. In addition, the deterioration in scaliness and wrinkles parameters were suppressed by ≥40% at the CO2-treated site. There were no significant differences in skin surface pH or color properties between the control and test sites. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the continuous application of a high-concentration CO2 formulation can affect skin physiology and has the potential to suppress reductions in the barrier and moisturizing functions of the stratum corneum accompanied by desquamation, which occurs during the winter.

Dietary intake of glucono-δ-lactone attenuates skin inflammation and contributes to maintaining skin condition.

Skin properties are influenced by both external (e.g., ultraviolet [UV], chemicals, and bacteria) and internal factors (e.g., nutrition and hormones). Therefore, some dietary supplements are expected to improve skin conditions. Glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) is widely used as a food additive and is naturally present in wine, honey, and other foods. The aim of this study was to assess whether GDL improves skin condition and inflammation. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 40 healthy Japanese male volunteers were randomly assigned to either the GDL (2000 mg day-1) or placebo group. A significant difference was found in the rates of change in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) from the baseline to 6 months between the placebo and GDL groups (P < 0.05). Facial lightness (L*) significantly increased by 1.6% only in the GDL group at 6 months compared with the baseline. The value of the elasticity parameter, Ua/Uf, of dietary GDL significantly increased (6.2% at 2 months and 5.4% at 6 months). Besides these, dietary GDL suppressed UVB-induced erythema (a*) and pigmentation (L*). Dietary GDL has anti-inflammatory effects on the skin and prevents/improves skin disorders caused by seasonal change.