Ageing appearance in China: biophysical profile of facial skin and its relationship to perceived age

Background Perceived age is important to women and is a primary driver for topical product use and facial cosmetic surgery. Changes in facial features and biophysical skin parameters with chronological age and their associations with perceived age have not been described in Asian populations. Objective To investigate the relationship between biophysical properties of the skin, visual features of skin ageing and perceived facial age in Chinese women. Methods Facial photographs were collected of 250 Chinese women, aged 25–70 years in Shanghai, China. The perceived facial age was determined and related to the chronological age for each participant and to a range of visual assessments of skin appearance and objective biophysical measurements of the skin. The profile of changes in these parameters with age was investigated together with the differences in those parameters for women judged to look younger than their chronological age and those judged to look older than their chronological age. Results Large discrepancies in perceived age (up to 29 years) were found in women of the same chronological age. Each objective skin measure and visual assessment parameter had a stronger correlation with perceived age than with chronological age. The strongest relationships to perceived age were for wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. Skin colour, hydration and trans‐epidermal water loss (TEWL) had weaker associations with perceived age. Women judged to look older than their chronological age had significantly higher scores than those judged to look younger for coarse wrinkles and hyperpigmentation across all age groups. The appearance differences between these groups were evident in composite facial images of the same average chronological age. Conclusions We have identified the skin attributes which differ with perceived age in Chinese women. Perceived age is a better measure of the biological age of facial skin than is chronological age in this population.     

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes and risky behaviour

Aim: The aim of the student is to assess whether adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Italy differ from their healthy peers in regard to risky behaviour. Methods: Data were collected from 215 patients, aged 14 ± 2 years with a mean disease duration of 7 ± 5 years. The control group was comprised of 464 healthy adolescents recruited among high school students. Each patient completed an anonymous confidential questionnaire to determine the prevalence of sexual behaviour, alcohol and tobacco consumption, illicit drug use, and, among patients with diabetes and frequency of mismanagement related to diabetes care. Results: Compared with controls, subjects with diabetes showed a similar rate of sexual intercourse among males and lower rates among females (34.8% vs 35.5%, p NS and 29.4% vs 41.4%, p < 0.05, respectively). Males in the diabetes group reported a higher rate of tobacco use, whereas females showed similar or higher rates of use for every illicit drug studied. Among patients with diabetes, those who are engaged in risky behaviour showed a higher rate of treatment mismanagement (76% vs 34%, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Adolescents with T1DM are as likely as their healthy peers to engage in risky behaviour, indicating the potential benefit of anticipatory guidance concerning glycaemic control and increased risk of acute and chronic complications.     

Effects of protein kinase C activators on phorbol ester-sensitive and - resistant EL4 thymoma cells

Phorbol ester-sensitive EL4 murine thymoma cells respond to phorbol 12- myristate 13-acetate with activation of ERK mitogen-activated protein kinases, synthesis of interleukin-2, and death, whereas phorbol ester- resistant variants of this cell line do not exhibit these responses. Additional aspects of the resistant phenotype were examined, using a newly-established resistant cell line. Phorbol ester induced morphological changes, ERK activation, calcium-dependent activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), interleukin-2 synthesis, and growth inhibition in sensitive but not resistant cells. A series of protein kinase C activators caused membrane translocation of protein kinase C's (PKCs) alpha, eta, and theta in both cell lines. While PKC eta was expressed at higher levels in sensitive than in resistant cells, overexpression of PKC eta did not restore phorbol ester-induced ERK activation to resistant cells. In sensitive cells, PKC activators had similar effects on cell viability and ERK activation, but differed in their abilities to induce JNK activation and interleukin-2 synthesis. PD 098059, an inhibitor of the mitogen activated protein (MAP)/ERK kinase kinase MEK, partially inhibited ERK activation and completely blocked phorbol ester-induced cell death in sensitive cells. Thus MEK and/or ERK activation, but not JNK activation or interleukin-2 synthesis, appears to be required for phorbol ester-induced toxicity. Alterations in phorbol ester response pathways, rather than altered expression of PKC isoforms, appear to confer phorbol ester resistance to EL4 cells.      

Perinatal stimulation and adaptation of the neonate

The present report describes psychobiological studies of behavior around the time of birth. An adaptive, ecological perspective is presented in which stimulation of the fetus and newborn is purported to instigate adaptive postpartum behavior. Studies describing the perinatal sensory environment are reviewed, with a consideration of emergent sensory function of the fetus. It is asserted that afferent input associated with parturition perturbs the fetus and neonate, producing a general arousal state that facilitates breathing, suckling, and early learning. The view developed herein is that perinatal sensory input induces and canalizes the newborn's behavior, thereby regulating adaptive postpartum function. Deviations in afferent input may alter ontogenetic trajectories and compromise developmental outcome by reducing availability of conditions necessary for adequate postpartum adaptation.