Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Consumer products such as electrical shavers exert a combination of dynamic loading in the form of pressure and shear on the skin. This mechanical stimulus can lead to discomfort and skin tissue responses characterised as “Skin Sensitivity”. To minimise discomfort following shaving, there is a need to establish specific stimulus‐response relationships using advanced tools such as optical coherence tomography (OCT). Objective To explore the spatial and temporal changes in skin morphology and microvascular function following an electrical shaving stimulus. Methods Ten healthy male volunteers were recruited. The study included a 60‐s electrical shaving stimulus on the forearm, cheek and neck. Skin parameters were recorded at baseline, 20 min post stimulus and 24 h post stimulus. Structural and dynamic skin parameters were estimated using OCT, while transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was recorded to provide reference values for skin barrier function. Results At baseline, six of the eight parameters revealed statistically significant differences between the forearm and the facial sites, while only surface roughness (Rq) and reflectivity were statistically different (p < 0.05) between the cheek and neck. At 20 min post shaving, there was a significant increase in the TEWL values accompanied by increased blood perfusion, with varying magnitude of change dependent on the anatomical site. Recovery characteristics were observed 24 h post stimulus with most parameters returning to basal values, highlighting the transient influence of the stimulus. Conclusions OCT parameters revealed spatial and temporal differences in the skin tissue response to electrical shaving. This approach could inform shaver design and prevent skin sensitivity.

Disorders affecting the equine maxillary cheek teeth and paranasal sinuses are relatively common, but limited objective information is available on the dimensions and relationships of these structures in horses of different ages. The aims of this study were to assess age-related changes in the positioning and anatomical relationships of the individual maxillary cheek teeth with the infraorbital canal and maxillary septum and the volumes of the individual sinus compartments. CT and gross examination were performed on 60 normal equine cadaver heads that were aged by their dentition. The intrasinus position of cheek teeth, length of reserve crowns, relationship to the infraorbital canal and measurements of rostral drift and sinus compartment volumes were assessed from CT images. The findings included that Triadan 10 alveoli lay fully or partially in the rostral maxillary sinus (RMS) in 60% of cases. The infraorbital canal lay directly on the medial aspect of the alveolar apex in younger horses. The Triadan 11’sclinical crowns and apices drifted a mean of 2.48 and 2.83 cm more rostral to the orbit, respectively, in the >15 years old vs the <6 years old age group. The mean volumes of sinus compartments ranged from 175 cm3 for the caudal maxillary sinus (CMS) to 4 cm3 for the ethmoidal sinus (ES). This information should be of value in the diagnosis and treatment of equine dental and sinus disorders and as reference values for further studies.

Objective Facial skin laxity arises from age-related loss of collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis and fascia, yet the effects of emerging dual-fusion-radiofrequency technology on these deeper layers remain poorly quantified. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the impact of dual-fusion-radiofrequency technology on skin dermal and fascial elasticity. Methods Thirty volunteers (6 males and 24 females) who had never received facial aesthetics or treatments were prospectively enrolled, and received a single session of dual-fusion-radiofrequency technology treatment(Alma Thermolift 2.0, Alma Lasers Ltd, Israeli). Shear-wave elastography (11 MHz linear probe, Mindray) was used to assess the mean, maximum, and minimum changes in the elasticity of the dermis and fascial layers of both cheeks, immediately after, and on day 1, day 3, day 7, day 21 of the treatment. Furthermore, the participants were classified by gender and age (below and above 40 years old) to assess the different effects of dual-fusion-radiofrequency treatment on facial elasticity. Results After treatment, the elasticity values of the cheek dermis and fascia first declined and then peaked on day 7, with mean elasticity values increasing by + 44% (right dermis), + 41% (right fascia), + 43% (left dermis) and + 30% (left fascia). By day 21 the values had decreased slightly but remained above baseline. The mean and maximum values of elasticity of the fascial layer of the right cheek were significantly higher in males than in females at post-treatment day 7 ( P  = 0.008, 0.045, respectively). There was no significant difference in the change in elasticity values between volunteers under 40 years of age and those over 40 years of age ( P  > 0.05). Conclusions Elastography was useful in assessing the improvement in the elasticity of the dermal and fascial layers of the cheeks with dual-fusion-radiofrequency technology. Our research provides evidence-based treatment optimization indicators for clinicians, enabling them to adjust the subsequent follow-up intervals and laying the foundation for future comparative studies.

Background Facial morphology changes with aging, producing an aged appearance, but the mechanisms involved are not fully established. We recently showed that subcutaneous fat infiltrates into the dermal layer with aging, but it is not yet clear whether and how this drastic change of the dermal layer influences facial appearance. Purpose We aimed to establish the role of fat infiltration in producing an aged facial appearance and to clarify the mechanism involved. Methods We analyzed the severity of fat infiltration in cheek skin of 30 middle‐aged female volunteers by means of ultrasonography. Severity of the nasolabial fold, an established age‐related morphology, was evaluated based on our photographic grading criteria as a measure of aged appearance. Skin elasticity was measured with a Cutometer. Results Fat infiltration to the dermal layer was detected at the cheek skin noninvasively by means of ultrasonography. Fat infiltration severity, measured as the minimum depth of the fat inside the dermal layer from the skin surface, was positively correlated with the magnitude of the nasolabial fold. Further, fat infiltration severity was significantly negatively correlated with dermal elasticity. Conclusions Our results suggest that fat infiltration into the dermal layer is a critical factor inducing aged appearance of the face. The infiltrated fat decreases the dermal elasticity, which exacerbates nasolabial folds, namely producing an aged facial appearance.

Background There is no consensus regarding age-related facial anatomical changes. In this study, aging-related changes in soft and hard cheek tissues were quantitatively analyzed using computed tomography. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 90 Asian females who underwent facial computed tomography. Three-dimensional model of soft tissue in apple zone was reconstructed, and age-related changes in fat volume and pyriform aperture area were quantified using Mimics software. Results The apple zone is an aesthetic unit of the infraorbital cheek, with soft tissue located between the lateral wall of the pyriform aperture and the zygomatic major muscle. The superficial fat volume significantly decreased with age ( P < 0.05). In contrast, a significant decrease in total fat volume was only observed between the young and old groups ( P < 0.05). In linear regression modeling, age was a significant predictor of pyriform aperture area ( R 2 = 0.194, P < 0.001). Conclusions These results suggest that superficial fat atrophy and bone remodeling in the cheek with age, and both of which combine to contribute to an aging facial appearance. Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Biological materials such as chiton tooth, squid beak, and byssal threads of bivalves have inspired the development of new technologies. To this end, we have characterized the acellular components in the buccal mass of the terrestrial slug Ariolimax californicus (banana slug). These components are the radula, the jaw, and the odontophore. In the radula, calcium-rich denticles are tightly interlocked one to the other on top of a nanofibrous chitin membrane. The jaw has a nanostructured morphology made of chitin to achieve compression resistance and is directly linked to the foregut cuticle, which has a protective nanofibrous structure. Finally, in the odontophore, we observed a structurally elastic microstructure that interfaces soft tissues with a highly stressed radula membrane. Based on those observations, we discuss the interaction between these components and highlight how the materials in these task-specific components have evolved. This structure-properties-function study of the A. californicus' buccal mass may aid in the design and fabrication of novel bioinspired materials.

Objective Age‐related changes in the fiber structure around adipocytes were investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of excised skin tissues. In addition, the viscoelasticity of the subcutaneous fat layer was evaluated via elastography, and the association between the fiber structure and the viscoelastic properties was assessed. Methods Skin tissues excised from the facial cheek area were used. Then, SEM images of these tissues were obtained. The thickness and quantity of the fibers around adipocytes were assessed using a 5‐point scale. The score was used to grade 18 tissue samples. Moreover, the viscoelasticity of the subcutaneous fat layer in the same samples was evaluated via ultrasound elastography. Results Based on the SEM image score, an association was observed between the fiber status score and age, thereby indicating a tendency toward age‐related fibrosis. Fiber structures with high scores, which indicate fibrosis, had a significantly lower viscoelasticity based on ultrasound elastography. Conclusion The thickness and quantity of fibrous structures around adipocytes in the subcutaneous fat layer increase with age, and these changes can be associated with decreased viscoelasticity in the subcutaneous fat layer.

Background During reduction malarplasty, cheek bulging could be found immediately after zygomatic complex is moved inwards, backwards and upwards. As patient is in the supine position during surgery, the effect of gravity is eliminated, so the only reason for the bulge is the redistribution of the soft tissue in the deep facial spaces. The buccal fat pad, with its main body behind the zygomatic arch and buccal extension in the cheek area, is most likely to be responsible for the bulge. Methods 3D buccal extension models were reconstructed from preoperative and long-term follow-up CT images and the volume measured. By comparing the pre- and postoperative 3D models, the shape deviation of the buccal extension and facial soft tissue can be identified. Results Eleven patients (22 buccal extensions) met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the preoperative buccal extension volume, the postoperative volume increased significantly. By comparing the reconstructed models, the buccal extension volume increase with anteroinferior protrusion can be visually detected, and cheek bulging was clearly identified on the lower face. The bulging area coincided with the projection of the buccal extension on the skin surface. Conclusions Reduction malarplasty may cause volume redistribution of the buccal fat pad. Therefore, preoperative assessment of the size of the buccal fat pad based on CT images is recommended. The buccal extension volume increase with anteroinferior protrusion is an important cause of postoperative cheek bulging and should be considered during treatment. Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Skin pigmentation is associated with skin damages and skin cancers, and ultraviolet (UV) photography is used as a minimally invasive mean for the assessment of pigmentation. Since UV photography equipment is not usually available in general practice, technologies emphasizing pigmentation in color photo images are desired for daily care. We propose a new method using conditional generative adversarial networks, named UV-photo Net, to generate synthetic UV images from color photo images. Evaluations using color and UV photo image pairs taken by a UV photography system demonstrated that pigment spots were well reproduced in synthetic UV images by UV-photo Net, and some of the reproduced pigment spots were difficult to be recognized in color photo images. In the pigment spot detection analysis, the rate of pigment spot areas in cheek regions for synthetic UV images was highly correlated with the rate for UV photo images (Pearson’s correlation coefficient 0.92). We also demonstrated that UV-photo Net was effective for floating up pigment spots for photo images taken by a smartphone camera. UV-photo Net enables an easy assessment of pigmentation from color photo images and will promote self-care of skin damages and early signs of skin cancers for preventive medicine.

Background Prevotella histicola is a facultative oral pathogen that under certain conditions causes pathologies such as caries and periodontitis in humans. Prevotella spp . also colonize the oral cavity of horses and can cause disease, but P. histicola has not yet been identified. Case presentation A 12-year-old Tinker mare was referred to the clinic for persistent, malodorous purulent nasal discharge and quidding. Conservative antibiotic (penicillin), antiphlogistic (meloxicam), and mucolytic (dembrexine-hydrochloride) treatment prior to referral was unsuccessful and symptoms worsened. Oral examination, radiography, sino-/ rhinoscopy, and standing computed tomography revealed severe apical/ periapical infection of the upper cheek tooth 209 with accompanying unilateral sinonasal inflammation and conchal necrosis. The tooth exhibited extensive subocclusal mesial infundibular cemental hypoplasia and caries, and an occlusal fissure fracture. After mechanical debridement and thermoplastic resin filling of the spacious subocclusal carious infundibular lesion, the tooth was extracted intraorally. The sinusitis and conchal necrosis were treated transendoscopically. Selective bacteriological swab cultures of affected tooth roots and subsequent matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry showed an infection with the obligate anaerobic, Gram-negative bacterium P. histicola . Surgical intervention and adapted antibiotic therapy led to normal healing without complications. Conclusions This study provides the first documented case of dental infection in a horse caused by P. histicola at once indicating necessity of more sufficient microbiological diagnostics and targeted antibiotic treatment in equine dental practice. This finding is also conducive to understand species-specific Prevotella diversity and cross-species distribution.