Kao Corporation (Germany)

Abstract This study aimed to clarify factors contributing to early-stage locomotive syndrome stage 1 (LS1) and to identify onset patterns for prevention. We analyzed cross-sectional data from health check-ups conducted in the Iwaki area of Hirosaki City between 2015 and 2019, including 1,236 participants aged 20–85 years (non-LS: n = 884; LS1: n = 352). A Bayesian network of 43 variables—covering demographics, body composition, blood markers, lifestyle, and outcomes—was constructed to analyze relationships among variables. Edges directly connected to LS1 were evaluated for importance, and hierarchical clustering was applied to participant-specific edge importance. The following nine parent nodes in the estimated network influenced LS1: age, height, visceral fat area (VFA), albumin, interleukin-6, red blood cells, blood sugar, HbA1c, and aspartate aminotransferase. The VFA–LS1 edge showed the highest importance after age. Five onset patterns were identified: average (no direct edges), inflammation, aging, malnutrition, and visceral fat accumulation. A distinct pathway driven by VFA characterized one pattern. In summary, personalized prevention strategies were proposed for each onset pattern. Managing VFA may be key in preventing both metabolic and locomotive syndromes.

Preliminary investigations into the swelling of human hair upon absorbing moisture have been performed to better understand the roles of the various hair morphological subcompartments and their response to moisture. The isotherms of moisture sorption exhibited by hair were recorded via Dynamic Vapour Sorption (DVS) for separated cuticle and for cortex. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) imaging and nanoindentation were used to follow the changes in measured distances on the same areas of cuticle layers and cortex cells from a single fibre cross section, and to evaluate the change in these distances with changes in relative humidity. The data acquired by DVS moisture sorption and by AFM for the various morphological components of the hair fibre allowed for the evaluation of their swelling. The values were then used for estimating the cross-linking density of each morphological component. A relationship between the mechanics of the cortex and the cuticle of the fibre and their cross-linking density values was found to follow logarithmic-like dependencies. The size of the crosslink meshes at 90% RH was also evaluated and found to be of the length of the stretched disulfide bond. The analysis of hair swelling provides information on the crosslinks inside the fibre. The models used for calculating the crosslink density and the size of the meshes, as well as the relationship suggested graphically between the crosslinking density values and Young's Modulus, point to cystine as the decisive factor in the swelling process; the different amounts of cystine in each morphological component lead to different values of their crosslinking density and to their differing responses to mechanical stress.

Objectives: An integrated in vitro inhalation approach was outlined to estimate potential adverse acute inhalation effects of aerosols from commercial nebulizer applications used for purposeful room conditioning such as disinfection, scenting or others. Aerosol characterization, exposure estimation and evaluation of acute biological effects by in vitro inhalation were included to generate dose-response data, allowing for determination of in vitro lowest observable adverse effect levels (LOAELs). Correlation of these to estimates of human lung deposition was included for quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation approach (QIVIVE) for acute effects during human exposure.Methods: To test the proposed approach, a case study was undertaken using two realistic test materials. An acute in vitro inhalation setup with air-liquid interface A549-cells in an optimized exposure situation (P.R.I.T.® ExpoCube®) was used to expose cells and analysis of relevant biological effects (viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, stress, IL-8 release) was carried out. Results: The observed dose-responsive effects in a sub-toxic dose-range could be attributed to the main component of one test material and its presence in the aerosol phase of the nebulized material. QIVIVE resulted in a factor of at least 256 between the in vitro LOAEL and the estimated acute human lung exposure for this test material.Conclusions: The case-study shows the value of the non-target in vitro inhalation testing approach especially in case of a lack of knowledge on complex product composition. It is expected that approaches like this will be of high value for product safety and environmental health in the future.

本稿では，黒髪の色と質感に影響を及ぼす因子を概説し，それらを制御する技術を紹介する。黒髪の色は，毛髪内部に存在するメラニン色素の質と量により制御される。しかし実際の毛髪の見た目の色の印象・質感は，メラニン色素以外の因子によっても大きく変化する。毛髪の内部で光が散乱されると，見た目の髪色が明るく見えることに加え，艶などの質感も異なって見える。さらに毛髪は繊維の集合体であるため，繊維の並び方によっても見え方が大きく変化する。ここでは，黒髪の見た目の印象を整える技術として，染毛技術に加えて，毛髪内部の光散乱の制御技術や，毛髪繊維の並び方を制御する技術について，簡単に紹介する。

The process of moisture sorption and desorption by human hair was analysed for extracting hints on the hair structure. The isotherms of moisture sorption and desorption by hair were recorded for untreated and chemically treated (permed and bleached) hair. Data of swelling were also considered. By examining the swelling and moisture sorption of keratin fibres, it is possible to conclude that hysteresis is quite improbably caused by capillary condensation. The mobility of the protein chains and the strength of the bonds binding water molecules to the active sites inside the matrix are proposed as causes instead. The concept of "breaking symmetry", derived from moisture sorption- desorption data, and the method of evaluating this parameter, is proposed as a way of characterizing the chemical treatment of hair. The results show that bleaching produces a larger breaking of symmetry than perming, and this is suggested to be due to new hydrogen bonds, created as a result of the chemical treatment, replacing the original disulphide bonds, which are of different strength compared to the bonds of untreated hair. The quantitative sorption data matched well to the model of grains of matrix enveloped in layers of water molecules at increasing relative humidity, up to 100%. The analysis suggested that, aside from the glass transition event occurring at around 60%-70% relative humidity, there is another, less examined, transition occurring at around 30% relative humidity, assigned to the opening of the hair inner structure, and accommodation of more water molecules. Both transitions are reflected by corresponding changes in the fibre mechanical behaviour. The moisture sorption-desorption by hair was shown to not only allow a quantitative differentiation among various cosmetic treatments of the hair but to also provide valuable information on the structure of the fibre.

従来のファンデーション剤型とは異なる“高含油パウダー剤型（パウダージェル）”を応用したファンデーションに注目し，肌への付着特性と化粧仕上がりについて一般的な剤型であるパウダータイプおよびリキッドタイプのファンデーションと比較評価した。状態の異なる肌への付着特性の比較では，低粘度なリキッドタイプはキメの粗い肌において皮溝部に滞留してカバー力が不足しやすく，またパウダータイプは乾燥などで荒れた肌において鱗屑の凹凸に偏在してマットで粉っぽい仕上がりになりやすい傾向があった。これに対しパウダージェルはいずれの肌においても均一で平滑な塗膜を形成し，肌状態によらず適度なツヤとカバー力のある仕上がりとなることからファンデーションとして優れた剤型であることがわかった。これは粉体と油剤が互いに連続相となる高粘性な組成領域にあることから，皮溝部への滞留が少なくかつ十分な油分が鱗屑を滑らかに抑えている結果と考えられた。