Objective Assessment of Skin Tightening Using Multisource, Phase-Controlled Radiofrequency in Asians

Background: Radiofrequency has been proven to penetrate deeper than optical light sources independent of skin color allowing a safer treatment for the Asian skin type. Many studies have indicated the efficacy of various types of devices, but have not included a sufficient objective evaluation. Multisource radiofrequency uses multiple phase controlled radiofrequency generators with real time impedance control, allowing painless, deeper dermal heating with better adaptation to differences in individual skin impedance. In this study we used three-dimensional imaging for the objective evaluation of facial skin tightening by multisource phase-controlled radiofrequency. Methods: Twenty Japanese patients were treated with a multisource phase-controlled radiofrequency device. Three-dimensional imaging was performed with a Canfield Scientific Vectra camera and software, and quantitative volume measurements were taken to evaluate the change in the post-treatment volume. The patients then provided subjective assessments. Results: Objective assessments of the treated cheek volume evaluated by a three-dimensional color schematic representation with quantitative volume measurements showed significant improvement three months after the final treatment. The mean volume reduction at the last post-treatment visit was 3.878 ± 2.86 mL. The post-treatment volume was significantly reduced compared to the pretreatment volume in all of the volunteers (P = 0.0007). Ninety-five percent of volunteers reported satisfaction with the improvement of skin laxity, and ninety percent of volunteers reported satisfaction with the improvement of wrinkles, such as the nasolabial folds. Conclusions: The advantages of these multisource phase-controlled radiofrequency treatments are its high efficacy for skin tightening associated with minimal level of discomfort, minimal side effects, and low cost. Taken together, these characteristics facilitate the ability to give repeated treatments as a stand alone treatment or adjunct to surgery. This study provides for the first time a qualitative and quantitative volumetric assessment, proving the ability of the technology to reduce the volume through non invasive skin tightening.

Characteristics of <i>Morus alba</i>L. Cultured by In-Room Hydroponics

Morus alba L., (cv Ichinose) was cultivated by in-room hydroponics. The flavor and texture of leaves were markedly improved enough to be edible. When the contents of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and polyphenols were measured in the hydroponic cultivar, DNJ increased in the leaf compared to the field grown M. alba. However, polyphenols, in contrast, decreased compared to the field cultivar. HPLC profiling revealed marked difference in leaf components between hydroponic and field cultivars indicating relative contents of lipophilic polyphenols were increased. The polyphenols contents, especially, lipophilic polyphenols in the root were remarkably high compared to So-Haku-Hi (Sang Bai Pi in Chinese). The anti-obesity effect of the hydroponically grown Morus was further studied in rats by feeding high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet with and without supplementation of dried leaf and root powders for 15 weeks. As the result, both the leaf and root from the hydroponic cultivar showed potential anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic functions through amelioration of insulin resistance. Differential effects of leaf and root powders indicated that besides DNJ, the lipophilic polyphenols may play a crucial role in the anti-diabetic function of hydroponically grown Morus alba L. The hydroponics will provide an alternate way to cultivate a novel resource of Morus for developing functional foods and medicines.

Impact of near-infrared radiation in dermatology

Sunlight that reaches the human skin contains solar energy composed of 6.8%ultraviolet(UV),38.9%visible light and 54.3%infrared radiation.In addition to natural near-infrared(NIR),human skin is increasingly exposed to artificial NIR from medical devices and electrical appliances.Thus,we are exposed to tremendous amounts of NIR.Many studies have proven the effects of UV exposure on human skin and skin cancers but have not investigated well the effects of NIR exposure.Furthermore,many of the previous NIR studies have used NIR resources without a water filter or a contact cooling.With these resources,a substantial amount of NIR energy is absorbed in the superficial layers and only limited NIR energy can be delivered to deeper tissues.Thus,they could not sufficiently evaluate the effects of incident solar NIR.In order to simulate solar NIR that reaches the skin,a water filter is essential because solar NIR is filtered by atmospheric water.In reality,NIR increases the surface temperature and induces thermal effects so a contact cooling is needed to pursue the properties of NIR.I clarify that NIR can penetrate the skin and non-thermally affect the subcutaneous tissues,including muscle and bone marrow,using a NIR resource with a water filter and a coolingsystem.I would like to emphasize the biological effects of NIR which have both merits and demerits.Appropriate NIR irradiation induces dermal heating thermally and non-thermally induces collagen and elastin stimulation,which results in skin tightening.NIR also induces non-thermal DNA damage of mitotic cells,which may have the potential application for treating cancer.However,as continuous NIR exposure may induce photoaging and potentially photocarcinogenesis,we should consider the effect of,not only UV,but also NIR and the necessity for protection against solar NIR.Here,this paper introduces the new aspects of the biological effects of NIR radiation.

Low-dose lipopolysaccharide as an immune regulator for homeostasis maintenance in the central nervous system through transformation to neuroprotective microglia

Microglia,which are tissue-resident macrophages in the brain,play a central role in the brain innate immunity and contribute to the maintenance of brain homeostasis.Lipopolysaccharide is a component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria,and activates immune cells including microglia via Toll-like receptor 4 signaling.Lipopolysaccharide is generally known as an endotoxin,as administration of highdose lipopolysaccharide induces potent systemic inflammation.Also,it has long been recognized that lipopolysaccharide exacerbates neuroinflammation.In contrast,our study revealed that oral administration of lipopolysaccharide ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease pathology and suggested that neuroprotective microglia are involved in this phenomenon.Additionally,other recent studies have accumulated evidence demonstrating that controlled immune training with low-dose lipopolysaccharide prevents neuronal damage by transforming the microglia into a neuroprotective phenotype.Therefore,lipopolysaccharide may not a mere inflammatory inducer,but an immunomodulator that can lead to neuroprotective effects in the brain.In this review,we summarized current studies regarding neuroprotective microglia transformed by immune training with lipopolysaccharide.We state that microglia transformed by lipopolysaccharide preconditioning cannot simply be characterized by their general suppression of proinflammatory mediators and general promotion of anti-inflammatory mediators,but instead must be described by their complex profile comprising various molecules related to inflammatory regulation,phagocytosis,neuroprotection,anti-apoptosis,and antioxidation.In addition,microglial transformation seems to depend on the dose of lipopolysaccharide used during immune training.Immune training of neuroprotective microglia using lowdose lipopolysaccharide,especially through oral lipopolysaccharide administration,may represent an innovative prevention or treatment for neurological diseases;however more vigorous studies are still required to properly modulate these treatments.

Microbial community structure and dynamics of starch-fed and glucose-fed chemostats during two years of continuous operation

The microbial community structures of two mesophilic anaerobic chemostats, one fed with glucose, the other with starch as sole carbon sources, were studied at various dilution rates （0.05-0.25 d-1 for glucose and 0.025-0.1 d-1 for starch） during two years continuous operation. In the glucose-fed chemostat, the aceticlastic methanogen Methanosaeta spp. and hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanoculleus spp. predominated at low dilution rates, whereas Methanosaeta spp. and the hydrogenotrophic Methanobacterium spp. predominated together when dilution rates were greater than 0.1 d 1. Bacteria affiliated with the phyla Bacteroidetes, Spiro- chaetes, and Actinobacteria predominated at dilution rates of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 d-l, respectively, while Firmicutes predominated at higher dilution rates （0.2 and 0.25 d-l）. In the starch-fed chemostat, the aceticlastic and hydrogeno- trophic methanogens coexisted at all dilution rates. Although bacteria belonging to only two phyla were mainly responsible for starch degradation （Spirochaetes at the dilution rate of 0.08 d-1 and Firmicutes at other dilution rates）, different bacterial genera were identified at different dilution rates. With the exception of Archaea in the glucose-fed chemostat, the band patterns revealed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） of the microbial communities in the two chemostats displayed marked changes during long-term operation at a constant dilution rate. The bacterial community changed with changes in the dilution rate, and was erratic during long- term operation in both glucose-fed and starch-fed chemo- stats.

The Cytomegalovirus Enhancer Induces an Immediate Response to the Myosin Light Chain 2v Promoter during P19CL6 Cell Differentiation

The P19CL6 mouse embryonic carcinoma cells efficiently differentiate into cardiac muscle cells in the presence of DMSO. A reporter plasmid for cardiac muscle differentiation was constructed by connecting the CMV enhancer and a 250 bp MLC-2v promoter in front of the GFP gene to further evaluate the role of the CMV enhancer. This plasmid (pCBVenh/MLC-2vpro/EGFP) was stably introduced into P19CL6 cells, and the transfectant differentiated into cardiomyocytes with DMSO. Upon DMSO addition, GFP was immediately transcribed (within 2 days) and the amount of the transcript increased with cultivation. Concomitantly, GFP fluorescence was detected in the cells under a microscope. However, native MLC-2v was transcribed later on day 4. This expression time course is different from that of GFP. Clearly the CMV enhancer responded immediately to DMSO. Since GATA DNA-binding proteins play crucial roles in the initiation of cardiomyocyte differentiation, such a response could be ascribed to the presence of multiple GATA motifs in the enhancer sequence but not in the native MLC-2v promoter. Thus the CMV enhancer may be not only useful for gene therapy and monitoring cell differentiation but also the study of the role of GATA transcription factors expressed in P19CL6 cells.