bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Super mild oxidation coloring: preventing hair damage at the molecular level
Authors: Doering T. , Brockmann C. , Wadle A. , Hollenberg D. , Förster T. 
Published: September 2008

Citation: IFSCC Magazine, 10 (2007) (4) 323–329Hydrogen peroxide is widely used for oxidation hair coloring or bleaching. It displays a high redox potential and easily penetrates into the hair fiber. This renders hydrogen peroxide capable of non‐specific interactions with cortex and cuticle proteins resulting in irreversible cleavage of cystine crosslinks. Various classes of antioxidants were screened for their anti‐hair damage effect in a permanent hair dye formulation using NIR spectroscopy. In parallel, the effect on the coloring and lightening performance was studied to exclude unwanted side effects on primary product performance. The screening criteria were fulfilled by organic disulfides such as α‐lipoic acid but interestingly not by powerful antioxidants such as tocoperol, dibutylhydroxytoluene, or beta‐carotene. Alpha‐lipoic acid significantly protected human hair during oxidation coloring as demonstrated by (i) amino acid and protein analysis, (ii) surface polarity measurement, (iii) lipid analysis, (iv) differential scanning calorimetry, and (v) combing work measurement. Our results show that radical scavenging properties alone do not render antioxidants suitable for hair protection during oxidative treatments. The presence of disulfide bonds appears to be very favorable and it is likely that the intramolecular cross‐link within α‐lipoic acid provides a kinetically controlled protection for cystine crosslinks during oxidation coloring.Keywords: alpha‐lipoic acid, antioxidant, hair damage, hair dye, NIR spectroscopyPaper presented at the IFSCC Conference 2007, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
J. Cosmet. Sci., 58, 599–620 (November/December 2007) Ranking of aqueous surfactant–humectant systems based on an analysis of in vitro and in vivo skin barrier perturbation measurements
Authors: Ghosh S. , Hornby S. , Grove G. , Zerwick C. , APPA Y. , Blankschtein D. 
Published: September 2008

Accepted for publication July 19, 2007SynopsisWe propose that skin electrical current measurements can be used in vitro to effectively rank aqueous solutions containing surfactants and humectants (the enhancer) contacting the skin, relative to a PBS aqueous solution (the control) contacting the skin, based on their ability to perturb the skin aqueous pores. Specifically, we develop an in vitro ranking metric using the increase in the skin electrical current induced by an enhancer relative to the control. Aqueous contacting solutions containing (i) surfactants [SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate)] and C12E6 [dodecyl hexa (ethylene oxide)], (ii) humectants (glycerol and propylene glycol), and (iii) a control (PBS) were studied. Utilizing the new in vitro ranking metric, these aqueous contacting solutions were ranked as follows (from the mildest to the harshest): glycerol < propylene glycol < PBS < C12E6 < SDS. In order to further develop this ranking methodology, which can potentially lead to the reduction, or elimination, of costly and time‐consuming procedures, such as human and animal testing and trial‐and‐error screening in vivo, it was important to correlate the findings of the in vitro ranking metric with direct in vivo skin barrier measurements. For this purpose, in vivo soap chamber measurements, including transepidermal water loss, visual skin dryness, and chromameter erythema measurements, were carried out on human volunteers using the aqueous surfactant–humectant solutions described above. The results of these in vivo measurements were found to be consistent with the ranking results obtained using the in vitro ranking metric. To further explore the validity of our model and to verify the skin barrier mitigating effect of glycerol, in vivo soap chamber measurements were carried out for aqueous SDS solutions containing 10 wt% added glycerol. These in vivo measurements support our recent in vitro finding that glycerol reduces the average radius and the pore number density of the skin aqueous pores, such that SDS micelles are hindered from penetrating into the skin and inducing skin barrier perturbation.
J. Cosmet. Sci., 58, 629–636 (November/December 2007) Hair breakage during combing. IV. Brushing and combing hair
Authors: Robbins C. , Kamath Y. 
Published: September 2008

Accepted for publication June 26, 2007SynopsisDuring combing of hair, longer fiber breaks (>2.5 cm) occur principally by impact loading of looped crossover hairs, while short segment breaks (<2.5 cm) occur primarily by end wrapping. Brushing provides breakage similarly but with a higher ratio of long‐to‐short segment breaks, and the ratio of long‐to‐short segment breaks (L/S) is a good way to follow these two pathways of breakage under different conditions. For example, bleaching hair, a longer comb stroke, increasing fiber curvature, wet combing versus dry combing, and brushing versus combing all provide for an increase in long segment breaks and this ratio, with the largest effect produced by brushing.
Cocoa polyphenols and their influence on parameters involved in ex vivo skin restructuring
Authors: Gasser P. , Lati E. , Peno‐Mazzarino L. , Bouzoud D. , Allegaert L. , Bernaert H. 
Published: September 2008

SynopsisPolyphenols in general are compounds that are known to promote health and have a preventive effect against various chronic diseases. The influence of cocoa polyphenols on skin, however, has scarcely been studied from a histological point of view. The aim of this study is to assess the influence of cocoa polyphenols on several indicators of skin elasticity and skin tonus, namely, glycosaminoglycans and collagen I, III and IV. This was carried out by using a model of ex vivo human skin explants maintained in survival, on which a cocoa polyphenol extract was applied. After processing by standard histological techniques (fixation, paraffin embedding, sectioning, staining, immunostaining and microscopical observation), the influence of cocoa polyphenols on the evaluated parameters was quantified by image analysis. The results obtained show that cocoa polyphenols exhibit a positive action on the parameters assessed, and the dose at which they improve the most parameters associated with skin tonus and elasticity was determined. Their activity was compared with a commercially available product, and the results obtained show that their efficacy is equivalent. Moreover, an enhancing effect of cocoa butter on activity of cocoa polyphenol was highlighted. Now that the properties of cocoa polyphenols on ex vivo skin restructuring parameters have been assessed, the next step could include their evaluation in vivo.
Properties of a new hydrotrope hydrophobic molecule and its potential applications
Authors: Schnell E. , Touraud D. , Gick R. , Kunz W. 
Published: September 2008

SynopsisIn the present contribution, the properties of dipropylene glycol isobornyl ether (Pribelance™) are discussed, especially in the context of microemulsion and emulsion formulations. Pribelance™ is a new low‐toxic anti‐foaming hydrotrope with excellent co‐surfactant properties that has some similarities with long‐chain alcohols, but in contrast to them, it is liquid at room temperature. In combination with another, more hydrophilic co‐surfactant, it allows significant amounts of oil to be solubilized in water. Possible applications such as in cosmetics, as an anti‐foaming agent or as additive to cooling lubricants are discussed. Further potential applications are plasticizers, fermentation systems, agrochemicals and waste‐water treatments.
Screening of Nepalese crude drugs traditionally used to treat hyperpigmentation: in vitro tyrosinase inhibition
Authors: Adhikari A. , Devkota H. P. , Takano A. , Masuda K. , Nakane T. , Basnet P. , Skalko‐Basnet N. 
Published: September 2008

SynopsisSouth‐East Asian population is daily exposed to strong sunlight. As a result, the majority of population will have darker, ethnic skin. Moreover, many people suffer from dark spots, hyperpigmentation, which is considered to be a skin disorder and causes psychological disturbance. To treat dark spots, most of the population will still rely on traditionally used crude drugs, knowledge about which is transferred from generation to generation. Fifty‐two crude drugs were selected based on the survey performed among local healers and beauticians of different ethnic origin. These crude drugs were screened for mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity, as tyrosinase inhibitors are becoming increasingly important as cosmetic and medicinal products, primarily to control hyperpigmentation. Among the tested crude drugs, methanolic extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Morus alba, Syzygium aromaticum, Citrus aurantifolia, Cypreae moneta, Punica granatum and Citrus aurantium, at the final concentration of 50 μg mL−1, showed mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity of 78.9%, 71.0%, 69.4%, 59.0%, 56.0%, 53.4 and 51.9%, respectively, with 91.4% inhibitory activity of kojic acid taken as positive control. To our knowledge, this is the first report that extracts of Cypreae moneta shell and Syzygium aromaticum flowering bud have tyrosinase inhibitory activity. These potent extracts were further evaluated at different concentration. The final concentration of the extracts in reaction mixtures was 50, 25 and 5 μg mL−1 for the initial concentration of 1000, 500 and 100 μg mL−1, respectively. They showed concentration‐dependant inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase. Those extracts expressing relatively weak tyrosinase inhibitory activity may act through different inhibition pathway which is not based on tyrosinase activity. Further evaluation of the most potent tyrosinase inhibitors in in vivo conditions would be recommended.
Identification and Characterization of CFTR Gene Mutations in Indian CF Patients
Authors: Sharma N. , Singh M. , Kaur G. , Thapa B. R. , Prasad R. 
Published: September 2008

SummaryCystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. This study was performed on Indian CF patients (n = 50) to investigate the spectrum of mutations in the CFTR gene and their association with intragenic and extragenic marker haplotypes. We report identification of 14 previously known and eight novel mutations, namely 3986‐3987delC, 876‐6del4, 1792InsA, L69H, S158N, Q493L, I530L and E1329Q. The frequency of delta F508 was found to be 27%. Absolute linkage between delta F508 and the KM.19‐GATT‐TUB9‐M470V‐T854T haplotype (2‐2‐1‐1‐1) predicts a relatively recent appearance of delta F508 in Indian CF patients. Low frequency of delta F508 mutation and detection of eight novel and thirteen rare mutations reflect a heterogeneous spectrum of mutations in Indian CF patients. Failure to detect mutations in 34% of alleles indicates the possible presence of gross deletions involving one or more exons or may indicate the location of the molecular defects in either the noncoding parts of the gene or in the promoter region, which warrants analysis of those regions.
Circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in Ansell's mole‐rat: are mole‐rat's clocks ticking?
Authors: De Vries J. L. , Oosthuizen M. K. , Sichilima A. M. , Bennett N. C. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractCircadian rhythms of locomotor activity have been investigated in several African mole‐rat species. Even though mole‐rats spend most of their lives in underground burrows devoid of light, studies have shown that they do possess circadian rhythms to some extent. We investigated the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in 11 male Ansell's mole‐rats Fukomys anselli from Zambia. In order to determine whether these animals can entrain to light and have endogenous rhythms, they were subjected to different light regimes: first, 12 h light/12 h dark, followed by constant darkness, then returned to 12 h light/12 h dark, which was later inversed to 12 h dark/12 h light. Only two individuals displayed arrhythmic activity patterns whereas the other nine (81.8%) exhibited entrainment of their activity to the light regimes. Locomotory activity of Ansell's mole‐rat was predominantly during the dark phase in all light regimes. During constant darkness (DD), only five individuals (45.5%) displayed very weak circadian rhythms that free ran but became more indistinct towards the end of the cycle. Under the second LD light cycle, 90.1% of the animals were active during the night phase of the cycle and when placed under an inverse light cycle, seven individuals still displayed activity predominantly during the dark phase. In conclusion, these results suggest that Ansell's mole‐rat does have a weak circadian clock and is able to perceive light and entrain to light cycles.
The DAF‐2 insulin‐like signaling pathway independently regulates aging and immunity in C. elegans
Authors: Evans Eric A. , Chen Will C. , Tan Man‐Wah 
Published: September 2008

SummaryThe Caenorhabditis elegans DAF‐2 insulin‐like signaling pathway, which regulates lifespan and stress resistance, has also been implicated in resistance to bacterial pathogens. Loss‐of‐function daf‐2 and age‐1 mutants have increased lifespans and are resistant to a variety of bacterial pathogens. This raises the possibility that the increased longevity and the pathogen resistance of insulin‐like signaling pathway mutants are reflections of the same underlying mechanism. Here we report that regulation of lifespan and resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is mediated by both shared and genetically distinguishable mechanisms. We find that loss of germline proliferation enhances pathogen resistance and this effect requires daf‐16, similar to the regulation of lifespan. In contrast, the regulation of pathogen resistance and lifespan is decoupled within the DAF‐2 pathway. Long‐lived mutants of genes downstream of daf‐2, such as pdk‐1 and sgk‐1, show wildtype resistance to pathogens. However, mutants of akt‐1 and akt‐2, which we find to individually have modest effects on lifespan, show enhanced resistance to pathogens. We also demonstrate that pathogen resistance of daf‐2, akt‐1, and akt‐2 mutants is associated with restricted bacterial colonization, and that daf‐2 mutants are better able to clear an infection after challenge with P. aeruginosa. Moreover, we find that pathogen resistance among insulin‐like signaling mutants is associated with increased expression of immunity genes during infection. Other processes that affect organismal longevity, including Jun kinase signaling and caloric restriction, do not affect resistance to bacterial pathogens, further establishing that aging and innate immunity are regulated by genetically distinct mechanisms.
The Effectiveness of Covering Smoking Cessation Services for Medicare Beneficiaries
Authors: Joyce Geoffrey F. , Niaura Raymond , Maglione Margaret , Mongoven Jennifer , Larson‐Rotter Carrie , Coan James , Lapin Pauline , Morton Sally 
Published: September 2008

Objective. To examine whether reimbursement for Provider Counseling, Pharmacotherapies, and a telephone Quitline increase smoking cessation relative to Usual Care.Study Design. Randomized comparison trial testing the effectiveness of four smoking cessation benefits.Setting. Seven states that best represented the national population in terms of the proportion of those ≥65 years of age and smoking rate.Participants. There were 7,354 seniors voluntarily enrolled in the Medicare Stop Smoking Program and they were followed‐up for 12 months.Intervention(s). (1) Usual Care, (2) reimbursement for Provider Counseling, (3) reimbursement for Provider Counseling with Pharmacotherapy, and (4) telephone counseling Quitline with nicotine patch.Main Outcome Measure. Seven‐day self‐reported cessation at 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐ups.Principal Findings. Unadjusted quit rates assuming missing data=smoking were 10.2 percent (9.0–11.5), 14.1 percent (11.7–16.5), 15.8 percent (14.4–17.2), and 19.3 percent (17.4–21.2) at 12 months for the Usual Care, Provider Counseling, Provider Counseling + Pharmacotherapy, and Quitline arms, respectively. Results were robust to sociodemographics, smoking history, motivation, health status, and survey nonresponse. The additional cost per quitter (relative to Usual Care) ranged from several hundred dollars to $6,450.Conclusions. A telephone Quitline in conjunction with low‐cost Pharmacotherapy was the most effective means of reducing smoking in the elderly.
Hospital Quality, Efficiency, and Input Slack Differentials
Authors: Valdmanis Vivian G. , Rosko Michael D. , Mutter Ryan L. 
Published: September 2008

Objective. To use an advance in data envelopment analysis (DEA) called congestion analysis to assess the trade‐offs between quality and efficiency in U.S. hospitals.Study Setting. Urban U.S. hospitals in 34 states operating in 2004.Study Design and Data Collection. Input and output data from 1,377 urban hospitals were taken from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey and the Medicare Cost Reports. Nurse‐sensitive measures of quality came from the application of the Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) module of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Quality Indicator software to State Inpatient Databases (SID) provided by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).Data Analysis. In the first step of the study, hospitals' relative output‐based efficiency was determined in order to obtain a measure of congestion (i.e., the productivity loss due to the occurrence of patient safety events). The outputs were adjusted to account for this productivity loss, and a second DEA was performed to obtain input slack values. Differences in slack values between unadjusted and adjusted outputs were used to measure either relative inefficiency or a need for quality improvement.Principal Findings. Overall, the hospitals in our sample could increase the total amount of outputs produced by an average of 26 percent by eliminating inefficiency. About 3 percent of this inefficiency can be attributed to congestion. Analysis of subsamples showed that teaching hospitals experienced no congestion loss. We found that quality of care could be improved by increasing the number of labor inputs in low‐quality hospitals, whereas high‐quality hospitals tended to have slack on personnel.Conclusions. Results suggest that reallocation of resources could increase the relative quality among hospitals in our sample. Further, higher quality in some dimensions of care need not be achieved as a result of higher costs or through reduced access to health care.
Modeling Efficiency at the Process Level: An Examination of the Care Planning Process in Nursing Homes
Authors: Lee Robert H. , Bott Marjorie J. , Gajewski Byron , Taunton Roma Lee 
Published: September 2008

Objective. To examine the efficiency of the care planning process in nursing homes.Methods: We collected detailed primary data about the care planning process for a stratified random sample of 107 nursing homes from Kansas and Missouri. We used these data to calculate the average direct cost per care plan and used data on selected deficiencies from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting System to measure the quality of care planning. We then analyzed the efficiency of the assessment process using corrected ordinary least squares (COLS) and data envelopment analysis (DEA).Results: Both approaches suggested that there was considerable inefficiency in the care planning process. The average COLS score was 0.43; the average DEA score was 0.48. The correlation between the two sets of scores was quite high, and there was no indication that lower costs resulted in lower quality. For‐profit facilities were significantly more efficient than not‐for‐profit facilities.Conclusions. Multiple studies of nursing homes have found evidence of inefficiency, but virtually all have had measurement problems that raise questions about the results. This analysis, which focuses on a process with much simpler measurement issues, finds evidence of inefficiency that is largely consistent with earlier studies. Making nursing homes more efficient merits closer attention as a strategy for improving care. Increasing efficiency by adopting well‐designed, reliable processes can simultaneously reduce costs and improve quality.
Aesthetics of Celebration, Tension and Memory: Nigeria Urban Art History
Authors: Adésànyà Adérónké Adésolá 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThis essay, among other things, addresses the question of origin of Nigerian Urban art, a genre basically found in urban spaces. It highlights the various nomenclatures by which the genre has been tagged to date and provides a robust debate on the pioneer and later urban artists in the country noting the characteristics and nuances of their art. Besides establishing the character of Nigerian urban art as compelling and significant to understanding the aesthetic sensibilities and nuances of the producer culture, issues of identity, training, authorship, patronage, social memory and social responsibility, morality and immorality and how they inform, shape and complicate the creative endeavors of urban artists are brought to the fore. In this insightful interrogation of history, people and spaces one finds the emergence of a new artistic order in which Nigerian urban artists establish and expand their own idioms, unite politics with art, engage their own audiences, cultivate their own clientele, tell their own stories and that of the society, create and endorse new identities, and increasingly expand their socioeconomic space. Their creative formats essentially transform into markets where people, products and services unite. They also serve as cultural lenses through which one gain insights into class struggle in a postcolonial society and how a critical mass of the Nigerian public interprets leadership, commerce, and culture.
Effects of Food Availability and Administration of Orexigenic and Anorectic Agents on Elevated Ethanol Drinking Associated With Drinking in the Dark Procedures
Authors: Lyons Angela M. , Lowery Emily G. , Sparta Dennis R. , Thiele Todd E. 
Published: September 2008

Background:  Drinking in the dark (DID) procedures have recently been developed to induce high levels of ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice, which result in blood ethanol concentrations reaching levels that have measurable affects on physiology and/or behavior. The present study determined if increased ethanol drinking associated with DID procedures may be motivated by caloric need rather than by the postingestive pharmacological effects of ethanol. To this end, food availability was manipulated or mice were given peripheral administration of orexigenic or anorectic agents during DID procedures.Methods:  C57BL/6J had 2‐hours of access to the 20% (v/v) ethanol solution beginning 3‐hours into the dark cycle on days 1 to 3, and 4‐hours of access to the ethanol bottle on day 4 of DID procedures. In Experiment 1, the effects of food deprivation on ethanol consumption during DID procedures was assessed. In Experiments 2 and 3, mice were given intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of the orexigenic peptide ghrelin (0, 10 or 30 mg/kg) or the anorectic protein leptin (0 or 20 μg/g), respectively, before access to ethanol on day 4 of DID procedures. In Experiment 4, hourly consumption of food and a 0.05% saccharin solution were assessed over a period of hours that included those used with DID procedures.Results:  Consistent with previous research, mice achieved blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) that ranged between 100 and 150 mg% on day 4 of DID experiments. Neither food deprivation nor administration of orexigenic or anorectic compounds significantly altered ethanol drinking with DID procedures. Interestingly, mice exhibited their highest level of food and saccharin solution consumption during hours that overlapped with DID procedures.Conclusions:  The present observations are inconsistent with the hypothesis that C57BL/6J mice consume large amounts of ethanol during DID procedures in order to satisfy a caloric need.