New solution of beauty problem by Staphylococcus hominis: Relevance between skin microbiome and skin condition in healthy subject.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recently, it was suggested that skin microbiome is related to some skin disease. The possibility of affecting the skin might be high, but there were few reports of the influence on the skin condition in healthy subjects. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between skin condition and skin microbiome in healthy subjects. METHODS: Experiment 1: 293 Japanese healthy women were divided into two groups, good skin properties and poor skin properties by 14 skin physiology parameter values on the cheek using noninvasive method. Differences of abundance of bacterial species on the cheek between the two groups were evaluated. Experiment 2: 11 Japanese healthy women were applied Staphylococcus hominis (S. hominis) on half-side of cheek for eight times in 1 month. Difference of change of physiology parameter values comparing to placebo side was evaluated. RESULTS: Experiment 1: Multiple skin bacterial species were found to be significantly relevant in 14 physiology parameters. The abundance of S. hominis on the cheek with good skin properties group was significantly higher than poor skin properties group. Experiment 2: The application of S. hominis improved significantly the conspicuous pore number, melanin index, and the wrinkle count compared to placebo side. CONCLUSION: We found many skin bacterial species that might improve the skin condition in healthy women. In particular, S. hominis might have the potential to improve multiple skin beauty problems.

Comprehensive analysis of the skin fungal microbiota of astronauts during a half-year stay at the International Space Station.

The International Space Station (ISS) is a huge manned construct located approximately 400 km above the earth and is inhabited by astronauts performing space experiments. Because the station is within a closed microgravity environment, the astronauts are subject to consistent stress. This study analyzed the temporal changes in the skin fungal microbiota of 10 astronauts using pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR assay before, during, and after their stay in the ISS. Lipophilic skin fungi, Malassezia predominated most samples regardless of the collection period, body site (cheek or chest), or subject. During their stay in the ISS, the level of Malassezia colonization changed by 7.6- ± 7.5-fold (mean ± standard deviation) and 9.5- ± 24.2-fold in cheek and chest samples, respectively. At the species level, M. restricta, M. globosa, and M. sympodialis were more abundant. In the chest samples, the ratio of M. restricta to all Malassezia species increased, whereas it did not change considerably in cheek samples. Fungal diversity was reduced, and the ratio of Malassezia to all fungal colonization increased during the astronauts' stay at the ISS. The ascomycetous yeast Cyberlindnera jadinii was detected in abundance in the in-flight sample of 5 of the 10 astronauts. The microorganism may have incidentally adhered to the skin during the preflight period and persisted on the skin thereafter. This observation suggests the ability of a specific or uncommon microorganism to proliferate in a closed environment. Our study is the first to reveal temporal changes in the skin fungal microbiota of ISS astronauts. These findings will provide information useful for maintaining the health of astronauts staying in the space environment for long periods and for preventing infection due to the human skin microbiota.

Temporal changes in the skin Malassezia microbiota of members of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE): A case study in Antarctica as a pseudo-space environment.

The International Space Station (ISS) is located approximately 400 km above the Earth. Astronauts staying at the ISS are under microgravity and are thus unable to bathe or shower; instead, they wash their bodies using wet tissues. For astronauts, skin hygiene management is important to maintain the quality of life during long-term stays on the ISS. In Antarctica, members of a Japanese geological investigation team negotiate their way over land using snowmobiles. During their 3-month stay, they are subject to a "pseudo-space" environment similar to that experienced by ISS astronauts, including the inability to bathe or shower. In this study, temporal changes in the colonization levels of skin lipophilic fungi, Malassezia were investigated in 16 team members. Compared to the levels before their trip to Antarctica, the fold changes in Malassezia colonization levels during the researchers' stay in Antarctica were in the range of 3.0 ± 1.9 to 5.3 ± 7.5 in cheek samples, 8.9 ± 10.6 to 22.2 ± 40.0 in anterior chest samples, 6.2 ± 5.4 to 16.9 ± 25.5 in behind-the-ear samples, and 1.7 ± 0.9 to 17.4 ± 33.4 in sole-of-the-foot samples. On the scalp, the level of Malassezia colonization increased dramatically, by 96.7 ± 113.8 to 916.9 ± 1251.5 fold. During their stay in Antarctica, the team members experienced itchy scalps and produced a large number of scales. The relative proportions of Malassezia globosa and M. restricta shifted to seborrheic dermatitis/dandruff types. These results provide useful information for the development of skin hygiene management plans for astronauts staying at the ISS.

Cycling Exercise with Electrical Stimulation of Antagonist Muscles Increases Plasma Growth Hormone and IL-6.

Performing aerobics and resistance exercise at exactly the same time has not been available although combining both types of exercise in one training program has been attempted. The hybrid training system (HTS) is a resistance exercise that combines voluntary concentric muscle contractions with electrically stimulated eccentric muscle contractions. We devised an exercise technique using HTS on a cycle ergometer (HCE). Growth hormone (GH) and lactate are indicators of adequate training intensity. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) reflects enhancing lipid metabolism. The purpose of this study was to show that HCE provides sufficient exercise to stimulate the secretion of GH, lactate and IL-6. We compared an HCE test with cycle ergometer alone (CE). Ten healthy male subjects performed HCE and CE tests for 30 minutes each. The workload of both tests was set the same at 40% of each subject's peak oxygen uptake. For HCE, 2-minute HTS and 1-minute rest intervals were repeated. GH, lactate, and IL-6 were evaluated before and immediately after exercise, and at 15, 30 and 60 minutes. GH and lactate increased immediately after HCE. Moreover, the degree of the increases in GH after HCE (0 and 15 minutes) was higher than that after CE. IL-6 increased after HCE at 30 min, and the rate of change was higher than for CE. These results showed that HCE was more efficient in stimulating acute increases in GH, lactate and IL-6 than CE at the same workload. We may be able to combine electrically stimulated resistance exercise with aerobic exercise using HCE.

Implications of cholesterol autoxidation products in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

There is rising interest in non-enzymatic cholesterol oxidation because the resulting oxysterols have biological activity and can be used as non-invasive markers of oxidative stress in vivo. The preferential site of oxidation of cholesterol by highly reactive species is at C7 having a relatively weak carbon-hydrogen bond. Cholesterol autoxidation is known to proceed via two distinct pathways, a free radical pathway driven by a chain reaction mechanism (type I autoxidation) and a non-free radical pathway (type II autoxidation). Oxysterols arising from type II autoxidation of cholesterol have no enzymatic correlates, and singlet oxygen ((1)ΔgO2) and ozone (O3) are the non-radical molecules involved in the mechanism. Four primary derivatives are possible in the reaction of cholesterol with singlet oxygen via ene addition and the formation of 5α-, 5ß-, 6α- and 6ß-hydroxycholesterol preceded by their respective hydroperoxyde intermediates. The reaction of ozone with cholesterol is very fast and gives rise to a complex array of oxysterols. The site of the initial ozone reaction is at the Δ5,6 -double bond and yields 1,2,3-trioxolane, a compound that rapidly decomposes into a series of unstable intermediates and end products. The downstream product 3ß-hydroxy-5-oxo-5,6-secocholestan-6-al (sec-A, also called 5,6-secosterol), resulting from cleavage of the B ring, and its aldolization product (sec-B) have been proposed as a specific marker of ozone-associated tissue damage and ozone production in vivo. The relevance of specific ozone-modified cholesterol products is, however, hampered by the fact sec-A and sec-B can also arise from singlet oxygen via Hock cleavage of 5α-hydroperoxycholesterol or via a dioxietane intermediate. Whatever the mechanism may be, sec-A and sec-B have no enzymatic route of production in vivo and are reportedly bioactive, rendering them attractive biomarkers to elucidate oxidative stress-associated pathophysiological pathways and to develop pharmacological agents.

Low-volume, high-intensity, aerobic interval exercise for sedentary adults: VO2max, cardiac mass, and heart rate recovery.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of low-volume, high-intensity aerobic interval training (HAIT) on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), left ventricular (LV) mass, and heart rate recovery (HRR) with high-volume, moderate-intensity continuous aerobic training (CAT) in sedentary adults. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy but sedentary male adults (aged 29.2 ± 7.2 years) participated in an 8-week, 3-day a week, supervised exercise intervention. They were randomly assigned to either HAIT (18 min, 180 kcal per exercise session) or CAT (45 min, 360 kcal). VO2max, LV mass (3T-MRI), and HRR at 1 min (HRR-1) and 2 min (HRR-2) after maximal exercise were measured pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Changes in VO2max during the 8-week intervention were significant (P < 0.01) in both groups (HAIT, 8.7 ± 3.2 ml kg(-1) min(-1), 22.4 ± 8.9%; CAT, 5.5 ± 2.8 ml kg(-1) min(-1), 14.7 ± 9.5%), while the VO2max improvement in HAIT was greater (P = 0.02) than in CAT. LV mass in HAIT increased (5.1 ± 8.4 g, 5.7 ± 9.1%, P = 0.05), but not in CAT (0.9 ± 7.8 g, 1.1 ± 8.4%, P = 0.71). While changes in HRR-1 were not significant in either group, change in HRR-2 for HAIT (9.5 ± 6.4 bpm, 19.0 ± 16.0%, P < 0.01) was greater (P = 0.03) than for CAT (1.6 ± 10.9 bpm, 3.9 ± 16.2%, P = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that HAIT has potential as a time-efficient training mode to improve cardiorespiratory capacity and autonomic nervous system function in sedentary adults.

Cytotoxic effects of secosterols and their derivatives on several cultured cells.

The cytotoxic effects of various oxysterols on several culture cells were examined. Ozonolysis products of cholesterol, secosterols (3ß-hydroxy-5-oxo-5,6-secocholestan-6-al) and its aldolization product (3ß-hydroxy-5ß-hydroxy-B-norcholestane-6ß-carboxaldehyde) and their keto alcohol and acid derivatives, were found to have potent cytotoxic activities, as compared with major endogenous oxysterols such as 5ß,6ß-epoxycholesterol, 7ß-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, and 25-hydroxycholesterol. Secosterols might play important roles in tissue damage and inflammation-associated diseases.

Use of Cutometer area parameters in evaluating age-related changes in the skin elasticity of the cheek.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The decrease of skin elasticity on the cheek is a major concern to woman. The Cutometer has been widely used to evaluate skin elasticity and its change with aging. Cutometer parameters derived from one suction have been traditionally used to evaluate skin elasticity, and few reports describe the use of multiple suctions to obtain parameters to assess the skin elasticity of the cheek. To find the most suitable Cutometer parameter that reflects age-related changes in the elasticity of cheek skin using multiple suctions. METHODS: The cheeks of 32 healthy Japanese women (mean age, 42.3 years) were assessed using the Cutometer MPA580 by measuring the skin mechanical parameters R0-R9, F2 and F3. Parameters F2 and F3 were obtained by the multiple suction method. The relationship between age and these parameters were then examined. RESULTS: Significant negative correlations were found between the age of subjects and R2, R3, R7, R8 and F3. Of these, the correlation coefficient was best between age and F3 (r = -0.641), followed R8 (r = -0.603). CONCLUSION: Although R parameters have been used to evaluate skin elasticity, our study showed that F3 parameters derived from multiple suctions appear to be suitable for evaluating the elasticity of cheek skin, since this parameter is less influenced by environmental factors compared with R parameters.

Methods for assessing change in brain plasticity at night and psychological resilience during daytime between repeated long-duration space missions.

This study was designed to examine the feasibility of analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) data from repeat-flier astronauts at matching days on two separate missions to assess any effect of repeated missions on brain plasticity and psychological resilience, as conjectured by Demertzi. As an example, on the second mission of a healthy astronaut studied about 20 days after launch, sleep duration lengthened, sleep quality improved, and spectral power (ms2) co-varying with activity of the salience network (SN) increased at night. HF-component (0.15-0.50 Hz) increased by 61.55%, and HF-band (0.30-0.40 Hz) by 92.60%. Spectral power of HRV indices during daytime, which correlate negatively with psychological resilience, decreased, HF-component by 22.18% and HF-band by 37.26%. LF-component and LF-band, reflecting activity of the default mode network, did not change significantly. During the second mission, 24-h acrophases of HRV endpoints did not change but the 12-h acrophase of TF-HRV did (P < 0.0001), perhaps consolidating the circadian system to help adapt to space by taking advantage of brain plasticity at night and psychological resilience during daytime. While this N-of-1 study prevents drawing definitive conclusions, the methodology used herein to monitor markers of brain plasticity could pave the way for further studies that could add to the present results.

Development and application of a method for identification of isothiocyanate-targeted molecules in colon cancer cells.

In this study, we have developed a novel method to identify isothiocyanate (ITC)-targeted molecules using two well-studied ITCs: benzyl ITC (BITC) and phenethyl ITC (PEITC). The principle of this method is based on identifying a pattern of differences between BITC and PEITC given that they show similar chemical and biological behaviors. For method validation, dithiothreitol-reduced bovine insulin as a model molecule was incubated with either BITC or PEITC, and digested peptides were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) and liquid chromatography quadrupole TOF-MS (LC-Q-TOF-MS). Three peptides-NYCN, FVNQHLCGSHLVE, and ALYLVCGE-were identified as being adducted with BITC or PEITC on their cysteine residues. Each set of peptides adducted with either BITC or PEITC showed retention times (RT(BITC)

Analysis of N(ε) -ethyllysine in human plasma proteins by gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization/mass spectrometry as a biomarker for exposure to acetaldehyde and alcohol.

BACKGROUND: N(ε) -ethyllysine (NEL) is a major stable adduct formed by the reaction of acetaldehyde (AA) with lysine residues in proteins. However, its occurrence and levels in biological specimens and its relationship with AA/alcohol exposure-associated disorders have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we have developed a sensitive and specific method to quantitate NEL levels in human plasma proteins. METHODS: The method consists of (1) purification of the protein fraction of interest by Sephadex G-15 to remove low molecular substances, (2) hydrolysis of proteins with Pronase E in the presence of stable isotope-labeled internal standards, (3) derivatization of amino acids with pentafluorobenzyl (PFB) bromide, and (4) quantification of the PFB derivatives of NEL and l-lysine using gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization/mass spectrometry in a selected ion monitoring mode. RESULTS: Using the above method, the NEL levels in human plasma proteins obtained from 10 each of control subjects and alcoholic patients were measured. NEL was detected in all samples analyzed, the average level of NEL in the plasma proteins of alcoholic patients (1.17 ± 0.36 NEL/1,000 l-lysine) being significantly higher than that of control subjects (0.26 ± 0.07 NEL/1,000 l-lysine). CONCLUSIONS: The method could be applied to molecular epidemiological studies to investigate possible associations between the NEL levels in human tissue proteins and human diseases associated with exposure to AA and alcohol.

Inhibition by polyphenolic phytochemicals and sulfurous compounds of the formation of 8-chloroguanosine mediated by hypochlorous acid, human myeloperoxidase, and activated human neutrophils.

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) produced by myeloperoxidase (MPO) of activated neutrophils can react with nucleic acid bases to form chlorinated nucleosides such as 8-chloroguanosine (Cl-Guo). Chlorination is enhanced by nicotine. We investigated the effects of various natural antioxidants including polyphenolic phytochemicals on the formation of Cl-Guo by HOCl in the presence and the absence of nicotine. Polyphenols, including catechins, curcumin, resveratrol, silibinin, and sulfurous compound α-lipoic acid, were found to inhibit both HOCl- and human MPO-induced Cl-Guo formation dose-dependently. Among the test compounds, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) showed the strongest inhibitory effect. Cl-Guo formation, mediated by activated human neutrophils in the presence of nicotine, was inhibited by EGCG, silibinin, and α-lipoic acid. These results suggest that polyphenols and sulfurous compounds have the potential to inhibit the induction of nucleobase damage mediated by chlorination, with possible application to reducing DNA damage associated with inflammation and cigarette-smoke inhalation.

An exercise protocol designed to control energy expenditure for long-term space missions.

INTRODUCTION: Astronauts experience weight loss during spaceflight. Future space missions require a more efficient exercise program not only to maintain work efficiency, but also to control increased energy expenditure (EE). When discussing issues concerning EE incurred through exercise, excess post-exercise energy expenditure (EPEE) must also be considered. The aim of this study was to compare the total EE, including EPEE, induced by two types of interval cycling protocols with the total EE of a traditional, continuous cycling protocol. METHODS: There were 10 healthy men, ages 20 to 31 yr, who completed 3 exercise sessions: sprint interval training (SIT) consisting of 7 sets of 30-s cycling at 120% VO2max with a 15-s rest between each bout; high-intensity interval aerobic training (HIAT) consisting of 3 sets of 3-min cycling at 80-90% VO2max with a 2-min active rest at 50% VO2max; and continuous aerobic training (CAT) consisting of 40 min of cycling at 60-65% VO2max. During each session, resting metabolic rate, exercise EE, and a 180-min post-exercise EE were measured. RESULTS: The EPEEs during the SIT, HIAT, and CAT averaged 32 +/- 19, 21 +/- 16, and 13 +/- 13 kcal, and the total EE for an entire exercise/ rest session averaged 109 +/- 20, 182 +/- 17, and 363 +/- 45 kcal, respectively. While the EPEE after the CAT was significantly less than after the SIT, the total EE with the CAT was the greatest of the three. DISCUSSION: The SIT and HIAT would be potential protocols to control energy expenditure for long space missions.

[Space flight/bedrest immobilization and bone. Bone metabolism in space flight and long-duration bed rest].

Bone loss and urolithiasis are inevitable outcome in human space flight and long-duration bet rest. The rate of space flight induced bone loss is 10 times faster than in those with osteoporosis. Significant bone loss at weight bearing bones, elevated urinary calcium excretion, and un-coupling of bone resorption and bone formation are observed during the long-term bed rest study. Improvements of resistive exercise device and vitamin-D supplementation for astronauts in International Space Station can partially maintain bone mass, however, they can not fully supress bone resorption and urinary calcium excretion during space flight. JAXA and NASA are performing joint study to validate the mitigration effects on bone resorption and urolithiasis of bisphosphonate supplement in conjunction with excercise.

[Space flight/bedrest immobilization and bone. In-flight exercise device to support a health of astronauts].

Despite the fact that astronauts living in the International Space Station (ISS) conduct daily two-hour intensive exercise programs to maintain their health, many health problems persist. These problems which include adverse effects of microgravity to bone, muscle and stamina, have not completely been countered. For example, bone mass reduction (about 1.6%/month at the neck of femur) , muscle atrophy (about 0.8%/day at the calf) , and exercise capacity reduction (about 10-20% decrease in the maximum oxygen uptake) have been reported. Interdisciplinary research approaches, such as various exercise countermeasures, a nutrition treatment, and medicine (bone absorption inhibitor) are employed in order to lower an astronaut's health risk and to promote productivity of work in space. This paper introduces the exercise equipment currently used in the ISS.

Unconscious mind activates central cardiovascular network and promotes adaptation to microgravity possibly anti-aging during 1-year-long spaceflight.

The intrinsic cardiovascular regulatory system (ß, 0.00013-0.02 Hz) did not adapt to microgravity after a 6-month spaceflight. The infraslow oscillation (ISO, 0.01-0.10 Hz) coordinating brain dynamics via thalamic astrocytes plays a key role in the adaptation to novel environments. We investigate the adaptive process of a healthy astronaut during a 12-month-long spaceflight by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) in the LF (0.01-0.05 Hz) and MF1 (0.05-0.10 Hz) bands for two consecutive days on four occasions: before launch, at 1-month (ISS01) and 11-month (ISS02) in space, and after return to Earth. Alteration of ß during ISS01 improved during ISS02 (P = 0.0167). During ISS01, LF and MF1 bands, reflecting default mode network (DMN) activity, started to increase at night (by 43.1% and 32.0%, respectively), when suprachiasmatic astrocytes are most active, followed by a 25.9% increase in MF1-band throughout the entire day during ISS02, larger at night (47.4%) than during daytime. Magnetic declination correlated positively with ß during ISS01 (r = 0.6706, P < 0.0001) and ISS02 (r = 0.3958, P = 0.0095). Magnetic fluctuations may affect suprachiasmatic astrocytes, and the DMN involving ISOs and thalamic astrocytes may then be activated, first at night, then during the entire day, a mechanism that could perhaps promote an anti-aging effect noted in other investigations.

Bisphosphonate Use May Reduce the Risk of Urolithiasis in Astronauts on Long-Term Spaceflights.

Long-duration spaceflight is associated with an increased risk of urolithiasis, and the pain caused by urinary calculi could result in loss of human performance and mission objectives. The present study investigated the risk of urolithiasis in astronauts during 6 months on the International Space Station, and evaluated whether the suppression of bone resorption by the bisphosphonate, alendronate (ALN), can reduce the risk. A total of 17 astronauts were included into the analysis: exercise using the advanced resistive exercise device (ARED) plus weekly oral 70 mg alendronate (ARED+ALN group, n = 7) was compared to resistive exercise alone (ARED group, n = 10). Urine volume decreased in both groups during spaceflight but recovered after return. The ARED group showed increased urinary calcium excretion from the 15th to 30th day of spaceflight, whereas urinary calcium was slightly decreased in the ARED+ALN group. Urinary N-terminal telopeptide (NTX) and helical peptide (HP) of type I collagen, as bone resorption markers, were elevated in the ARED group during and until 0 days after spaceflight, while there was no elevation in these parameters in the ARED+ALN group. Urinary oxalate and uric acid excretion tended to be higher in the ARED group than in the ARED+ALN group during spaceflight. These results demonstrate that astronauts on long-duration spaceflights may be at high risk for the formation of urinary calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones through increased urinary excretion of oxalate and uric acid, from degraded type I collagen, as well as of calcium from enhanced bone resorption. Our findings suggest that increased bone resorption during spaceflight, as a risk factor for urinary calculus formation, could be effectively prevented by an inhibitor of bone resorption. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Formation of cholesterol ozonolysis products in vitro and in vivo through a myeloperoxidase-dependent pathway.

3ß-Hydroxy-5-oxo-5,6-secocholestan-6-al (secosterol-A) and its aldolization product 3ß-hydroxy-5ß-hydroxy-B-norcholestane-6ß-carboxaldehyde (secosterol-B) were recently detected in human atherosclerotic tissues and brain specimens, and they may play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases. However, as their origin remains unidentified, we examined the formation mechanism, the stability, and the fate of secosterols in vitro and in vivo. About 40% of secosterol-A remained unchanged after 3 h incubation in the FBS-free medium, whereas 20% and 40% were converted to its aldehyde-oxidation product, 3ß-hydroxy-5-oxo-secocholestan-6-oic acid, and secosterol-B, respectively. In the presence of FBS, almost all secosterol-A was converted immediately to these compounds. Secosterol-B in the medium, with and without FBS, was relatively stable, but ∼30% was converted to its aldehyde-oxidation product, 3ß-hydroxy-5ß-hydroxy-B-norcholestane-6-oic acid (secoB-COOH). When neutrophil-like differentiated human leukemia HL-60 (nHL-60) cells activated with PMA were cultured in the FBS-free medium containing cholesterol, significantly increased levels of secosterol-A and its aldehyde-oxidation product, but not secosterol-B, were formed. This secosterol-A formation was decreased in the culture of PMA-activated nHL-60 cells containing several reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitors and scavengers or in the culture of PMA-activated neutrophils isolated from myeloperoxidase (MPO)-deficient mice. Our results demonstrate that secoterol-A is formed by an ozone-like oxidant generated with PMA-activated neutrophils through the MPO-dependent mechanism.

Quantitative evaluation of patch test reactions: a comparison between visual grading and erythema index image analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The interpretation of patch test reactions may vary between examiners. As test results are graded, an issue also arises when differing degrees of erythema are placed in the same grade. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the degree of erythema in patch tests using image analysis and to study the usefulness of this method by comparing it with visual grading. METHODS: A total of 121 Japanese patients were patch tested with various materials. At 48 h, digital photographs of the patch test areas were taken, in addition to a visual evaluation by dermatologists. Digital images of the areas were converted to erythema index (EI) images using image processing and both EI and ΔEI (the difference between the patch test site and adjacent normal skin) values of the patch test sites were compared with the corresponding visual grades. RESULTS: An excellent linear correlation (r=0.95) was found between ΔEI and visual grades, although EI also significantly correlated with visual grades. There were significant differences (P<0.0001-0.05) between the mean ΔEI values of any two adjacent visual grades. CONCLUSION: ΔEI values derived from image processing appear to be suitable for the quantitative evaluation of erythema in patch tests. This method may be helpful in overcoming the subjectiveness of visual evaluation and for training non-experts in patch testing.

Relevance of the directionality of skin elasticity to aging and sagging of the face.

BACKGROUND: Forces acting in facial skin have been suggested to show directionality. Non-invasive methods of measuring this directionality may thus provide information related to aging processes. The Reviscometer(®) RVM600 device is capable of measuring directionality of forces on the skin. This device has not been used previously in a published study to evaluate changes in directionality of forces on facial skin with aging. AIM: The first objective of this pilot study was to investigate relationships between mechanical directionality using the Reviscometer(®) RVM600, the Cutometer(®) MPA580, and aging of the facial skin in a supine position. In addition, the study investigated relationships between mechanical directionality and 'skin sagging,' which may be caused by gravity. To validate this as a new measurement of mechanical directionality, we also performed double-blinded trials on two groups of subjects, with one group using a product containing an anti-aging substance and the other group using a placebo product without an anti-aging substance. METHODS: We examined 91 healthy Japanese women with a mean age of 48.5 years (range, 20-79 years) at the three sites on the face using the Reviscometer(®) RVM600 and the Cutometer(®) MPA580, and evaluation was performed for skin sagging in September and November 2008, and January 2009. The Reviscometer(®) RVM600 was used to measure resonance-running time (RRT) every 10° from 0° to 350°. Evaluation of skin sagging was undertaken by making marks on the face and using face photographs taken in both sitting and supine positions to calculate the sagging index. Usage testing was conducted on 38 healthy Japanese women in a double-blinded study with one group, using a preparation containing Yomogi AGEs Clearing (YAC) extract and another group using the same preparation without the YAC extract from October 2008 to April 2009. Mean age of these subjects was 44.0 years (range, 30-60 years). Measurements were taken at the three sites on the face using the Reviscometer(®) RVM600 and the Cutometer(®) MPA580 and sagging index. RESULTS: A significant correlation was identified between RRT parameters and subject age at all three measurement sites. Significant correlations between sagging index and RRT values were found for 110-170° and 290-350° only at the center of the cheek. Significant differences in RRT values were noted for 110-150° and 300-350° at this site between subjects with and without the use of YAC extract. A similar trend was found in sagging index for this site alone between subjects with and without YAC extract. CONCLUSION: The use of non-invasive procedures to measure skin mechanical parameters on the face in all directions may evaluate aging and effective preventive and restorative support.