Search Results (6,310)

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is widely used in medical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical applications, yet the systemic fate of orally administered HA, particularly non-animal forms, remains poorly characterised. This study investigates the stability, absorption, metabolism, and biological effects of a novel fungal-derived HA extracted from Tremella fuciformis using a sequential in vitro multi-barrier model simulating human physiological compartments, including gastric, intestinal, hepatic, renal, chondrocyte, and keratinocyte environments. Across the gastrointestinal stages, fungal-derived HA demonstrated high structural stability, maintained molecular weight, and exerted superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity compared with sodium hyaluronate. It efficiently crossed the intestinal barrier without increasing hyaluronidase activity, indicating protection from premature enzymatic degradation. In hepatic cells, fungal-derived HA exhibited reduced intracellular uptake and greater extracellular persistence, suggesting lower first-pass metabolism and suggesting improved persistence under in vitro conditions. At peripheral targets, it increased the cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) expression and HA internalisation in chondrocytes and keratinocytes, supporting anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative effects. Renal assessments revealed minimal excretion and no cytotoxicity, supporting potential systemic availability. Overall, these results provide the first integrated in vitro evidence describing the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion process of fungal-derived HA. This supports the conclusion that this form of HA is stable, biocompatible, and bioactive with therapeutic potential for joint and skin health, as suggested by the in vitro models. Full article

Modern deep convolutional neural networks achieve remarkable performance but require substantial computational resources due to their large parameter counts, limiting their suitability for resource-constrained environments. We propose Tiny Recursive ResNet-50, a parameter-efficient architecture that reduces model complexity through recursive feature refinement with weight sharing across reasoning cycles. The proposed design combines lightweight bottleneck blocks, iterative latent state accumulation, and deep supervision to enhance representation quality without increasing parameter count. Extensive experiments are conducted on melanoma classification using the HAM10000 dataset as the primary training and evaluation benchmark. Results demonstrate that the proposed recursive architecture maintains competitive accuracy while reducing parameters by approximately 49%, confirming its efficiency under constrained settings. To assess robustness under limited data and acquisition variability, we additionally validate on the PH2 dataset (200 images). Due to the small dataset size and class imbalance, evaluation is performed using 5-fold stratified cross-validation, and performance metrics are reported as mean ± standard deviation. This validation confirms that recursive refinement with moderate cycle depth improves stability and generalization in small-data regimes. Full article

Oxidative stress induced by excessive hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a critical pathological factor in skin aging, inflammatory disorders, and photodamage. While tocopherol (TCP) is a gold-standard antioxidant in cosmetics, its potential in H₂O₂-responsive systems remains underexplored. In this study, we report the design and characterization of ditocopheryl peroxalate (TOT), a novel tocopherol dimer linked via a H₂O₂-cleavable peroxalate linkage. TOT remains chemically stable under physiological conditions but undergoes selective chemiluminescence-like degradation upon exposure to H₂O₂, simultaneously scavenging H₂O₂ and liberating two TCP molecules. Notably, TOT demonstrated superior H₂O₂-scavenging efficiency and enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in H₂O₂-stimulated cells compared to monomeric TCP, while maintaining excellent biocompatibility. Structural analysis revealed that the rigid, linear configuration of TOT facilitates seamless integration into dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers, yielding highly stable H₂O₂-responsive liposomes. These findings highlight TOT as a sophisticated multifunctional antioxidant platform for advanced cosmeceutical applications targeting photo-induced oxidative damage. Full article

Hyaluronic acid (HA)–based nanocapsules containing plant-derived bioactives are promising formulations for dermatological applications. In this study, nanocapsules containing extracts of Arnica montana, Calendula officinalis and Aesculus hippocastanum were synthesized and their structural and functional properties were characterized. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the formation of spherical nanostructures with uniform morphology, while rheological analyses demonstrated stable viscoelastic behavior suitable for topical application. Their antimicrobial potential was assessed on microorganisms isolated from multiple regions of healthy human skin and opportunistic pathogens. A diverse panel of approx. 100 bacterial and fungal isolates was identified using MALDI-TOF MS. The antimicrobial activity of formulations was compared with commonly used disinfectants: H₂O₂, octenidine, isopropanol and topical ophthalmic antiseptic. Arnica-based formulations showed the strongest inhibitory effect against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, whereas chestnut extract demonstrated selective activity against Candida spp. Calendula-based formulations exhibited limited antimicrobial activity. These findings demonstrate that plant-extract-loaded HA nanocapsules exhibit selective antimicrobial properties dependent on extract type and microbial group, supporting their potential as multifunctional components of future dermatological formulations. Full article

Continuous monitoring of sitting posture is crucial for ergonomic assessment and fatigue prevention, yet many existing approaches rely on vision-based systems or single-modality sensing that are limited in capturing spatial and temporal biomechanical dynamics. This paper presents a multimodal smart-skin sensing system for spatial and temporal ergonomic fatigue analysis in sitting postures. The proposed platform integrates 42 distributed pressure, temperature, and vibration sensors arranged in 14 trimodal sensing nodes embedded across anatomical seating and back regions to enable real-time multimodal acquisition of human–chair interaction patterns. The study introduces an analytical framework combining anatomical heatmap visualization, temporal evolution analysis, delta pressure mapping, fatigue intensity estimation, and hotspot detection to characterize dynamic pressure redistribution during prolonged sitting. Experimental evaluations were conducted using a biomechanical mannequin and a single human participant with identical anthropometric characteristics (165 cm height and 62 kg body mass) across nine seated conditions, including neutral sitting, reclining, leaning, periodic shifting, and vibration-induced motion. Each posture condition was recorded as a time-series session and segmented into temporal phases to analyze fatigue evolution during prolonged sitting. Statistical analysis of pressure redistribution dynamics indicates significantly higher pressure drift in human measurements compared with the mechanically stable mannequin baseline (p < 0.001). The proposed framework provides a scalable sensing approach for ergonomic monitoring, intelligent seating systems, and human–machine interface applications. Full article

Flexible electrode materials with tailored electrical and mechanical properties are essential for reliable electrocardiographic (ECG) sensing. In this work, p-toluenesulfonic-acid-doped polypyrrole (PPy–TSA) films were modified using polymeric and inorganic fillers, as well as their combinations (polyethylene glycol, graphene, carbon nanotubes, and zeolite), to tune their functional performance. The reference PPy–TSA film exhibits typical morphological and chemical characteristics of doped polypyrrole and serves as a reliable baseline for comparison. All composite films retain electrical conductivity within the range required for ECG applications while showing improved mechanical compliance (i.e., enhanced ability to conform to the skin and sustain deformation). Based on the optimized balance between electrical and mechanical properties, flexible ECG electrodes were fabricated using the TSA-doped PPy-based composite film. ECG recordings obtained with the several proposed electrodes show good agreement with those acquired using a commercial ECG electrode, demonstrating the potential of PPy-based composite films for flexible bioelectronic sensing applications. Full article

Accurate medical diagnostics for skin affections such as skin cancer, psoriasis, vascular tumors, or exanthems have become increasingly difficult due to the growing volume and visual variability of dermatological cases, as well as limited specialist availability. To address this, the present work introduces a complete and deployable deep-learning-based system capable of detecting ten distinct skin disease categories, trained using transfer learning with EfficientNet-B5 and enhanced with explainable AI through Grad-CAM. The proposed system achieves a top-3 accuracy of 95.96%, a weighted F1-score of 0.87, and class-specific F1-scores reaching 0.96 for acne and 0.95 for nail fungus. These results demonstrate strong predictive performance for the deep learning model trained, validated, and evaluated on a ten-class subset of the Dermnet dataset. The research conducted covers the visual explainability of the AI model classification process, including integration into a fully functional web application, usable as an expert system for image uploading, data processing and visualization of results. The AI visualizing technology based on Grad-CAM provides clear, class-specific heatmaps that highlight the most influential regions in each prediction, improving transparency and supporting clinical interpretability. Full article

Assessing cosmetic quality, safety, and effectiveness demands advanced in situ, real-time, and multi-dimensional analytical technologies, while conventional methods suffer from complex sample preparation and incomplete analysis. Raman spectroscopy, with its non-invasiveness, specific molecular fingerprint, and micron-level spatial resolution, has become a key tool for cosmetic analysis. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature from 2000 to 2025, this article systematically examined the application of Raman spectroscopy in cosmetic analysis. The systematic search and screening process ensured the comprehensiveness and rigor of the review’s research foundation, as the 69 high-quality studies covered all core application areas of Raman spectroscopy in cosmetic analysis, providing solid literature support for subsequent technical summaries and trend analysis. This article systematically reviews the application of Raman spectroscopy in the cosmetic industry for ingredient detection (approved ingredients and hazardous substances), quality control (authenticity verification and production traceability), transdermal mechanism analysis (penetration pathways and interaction with skin barriers), and efficacy assessment. Combined with typical research cases, this study examined the technical principles and practical value, as well as the limitations and shortcomings of Raman technology applications. It ultimately provides suggestions for future developments in terms of portability, intelligence, and standardization, offering references for researchers to enable technological innovation and regulatory improvements in the cosmetics industry. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nature-inspired therapeutic strategies that promote biological regenerative mechanisms and replicate the native structural microenvironment conductive to formation of healthy tissue are increasingly recognized as a promising platform for skin tissue regeneration and wound healing. This study proposes an innovative design of novel multifunctional scaffolds composed entirely of natural components—gelatin, L-ascorbic (ASA) acid and allantoin—as a bioinspired approach for skin tissue regeneration through pro-regenerative, antimicrobial, and keratinocyte-supportive properties. Methods: The biocompatible, skin-adhesive scaffolds were prepared via a simple and environmentally friendly heat-induced crosslinking of gelatin with varying ASA contents, and by enriching the system with allantoin. The influence of ASA content on scaffold properties was investigated through characterization of their morphology, porosity, swelling behavior, skin tissue adhesion, and allantoin release potential. Biocompatibility was evaluated in vitro using human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells, while antibacterial activity was assessed against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Results: The scaffolds revealed a highly porous, interconnected structure with tunable porosity (87.37–92.39%) and soft-tissue-matched mechanical properties (0.81–1.47 MPa). Incorporation of allantoin into the scaffolds enhanced their mechanical performance and swelling capacity. All scaffolds demonstrated antibacterial activity against both tested bacteria, supported keratinocyte viability and provided sustained release of allantoin for up to 76 h, confirming their multifunctional pro-regenerative potential. Conclusions: The novel gelatin/ascorbic acid scaffolds enriched with allantoin combine a porous replicated structure of native extracellular matrix, fluid absorption capacity, soft-tissue-like mechanical properties, stable skin tissue adhesion, cytocompatibility and antibacterial functionality with the pro-regenerative properties of allantoin, thereby representing a multifunctional and biologically inspired platform for advanced skin tissue regeneration and wound-healing applications. Full article

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease driven by immune dysregulation and epidermal barrier dysfunction. Current therapeutic options are often limited by safety concerns or suboptimal tolerability. In this study, we isolated and structurally characterized GRB-H—a λ-carrageenan-enriched sulfated hybrid galactan from the marine red alga Gigartina radula—as a complex polysaccharide containing κ-, ι-, μ-, ν-, and λ-carrageenan structural units, and systematically evaluated its anti-AD potential using both in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro, GRB-H significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and reduced 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-evoked TNF-α and IL-1β expression in HaCaT keratinocytes. In a DNCB-induced murine model of AD, topical application of GRB-H markedly ameliorated skin inflammation, epidermal hyperplasia, and dermal immune cell infiltration. GRB-H treatment lowered total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, restored the imbalanced Th1/Th2 cell ratio in the spleen, and downregulated the mRNA expression of key inflammatory cytokines—including TNF-α, IL-4, IL-5, IL-31, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)—in lesional skin. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that GRB-H alleviates AD symptoms through coordinated local anti-inflammatory and systemic immunomodulatory actions, highlighting its promise as a marine-derived candidate for the topical management of AD. Full article

Repetitive temperature fluctuations during transportation and storage promote ice crystal formation in salmon flesh, leading to protein denaturation, lipid oxidation, and quality loss. Tuna skin, a major by-product of tuna processing, is a potential source of antifreeze peptides (AFPs) but remains underutilized. This study examined the cryoprotective effects of tuna skin-derived AFPs on salmon cubes subjected to repeated freeze–thaw cycles. Cubes treated with AFPs from three groups of protein hydrolysates prepared using trypsin, pepsin, or neutral protease were evaluated for texture, color, water holding capacity (WHC), volatile odor profiles, protein conformation, biochemical indices, and microstructure. AFP treatment improved textural properties, maintained color stability, and reduced thawing, cooking, and centrifugal losses. The neutral protease-treated group exhibited the optimal cryoprotective ability and it also limited aldehyde and sulfide accumulation, preserved the retention rate of α-helix structure at 49% which was higher than 39% in controls, and enhanced Ca²⁺-ATPase activity to 1.75 μmol Pi·mg⁻¹·h⁻¹ with a 45.8% increase compared to controls, and significantly inhibited protein and lipid oxidation. Microstructural analysis showed compact fibers and intact sarcolemma in the neutral protease-treated group samples, contrasting with severe disruption in controls. This study showed that tuna skin AFPs mitigate freeze–thaw damage in salmon cubes by stabilizing proteins and reducing oxidative deterioration, highlighting their potential as natural, healthy cryoprotectants for seafood preservation, meeting the growing demand of the food industry for clean-label, low-calorie preservation solutions, while advancing the circular economy of aquatic processing via the valorization of tuna skin by-products for high-value seafood applications. Full article

The incorporation of plant-derived oils into cosmetic formulations has attracted increasing interest due to their natural origin, skin compatibility, and multifunctional formulation roles. Argan and castor oils are widely used in cosmetic products as emollient lipid components with intrinsic antioxidant properties. However, limited studies have systematically evaluated the physicochemical stability and antioxidant performance of emulsions combining these two oils. The aim of this study was to develop and comprehensively characterize a stable oil-in-water (O/W) cosmetic emulsion based on argan and castor oils using a natural non-ionic emulsifier (C14–22 Alcohol (and) C12–20 Alkyl Glucoside). Particular emphasis was placed on formulation stability, as it represents a critical prerequisite for further product evaluation. Stability was investigated through thermal stress testing (4–37 °C), centrifugation assays, droplet size analysis, and zeta potential measurements. Complementary physicochemical and structural characterization was performed using rheological analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The formulated emulsion exhibited good physical stability with no phase separation under the tested conditions, a skin-compatible pH, a uniform droplet size distribution (4.15 ± 0.68 µm), and pseudoplastic, moderately thixotropic rheological behavior. Antioxidant capacity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, yielding an IC₅₀ value of 19.21 ± 1.02 mg/mL. Overall, this study provides a formulation-oriented framework for the development and evaluation of stable natural oil-based O/W emulsions intended for cosmetic applications, supporting future optimization and biological validation. Full article

The poultry industry generates large amounts of protein- and mineral-rich by-products that remain underutilized. This study investigated the use of chicken skin protein hydrolysate and chicken bone protein–mineral mass (PMM) as functional ingredients in emulsified poultry sausages. The hydrolysate was characterized by a high protein content (52.25%) and high water- and fat-binding capacity (142% and 125%, respectively), while the PMM served as a source of protein and minerals with stable physicochemical and rheological characteristics. These ingredients were incorporated into sausage formulations at different substitution levels. Partial replacement of poultry meat increased protein and mineral content and affected key technological properties, including water-binding capacity, emulsion stability, cooking loss, and shear force. Moderate inclusion levels were associated with a more cohesive protein matrix, lower cooking losses, and improved structural stability, whereas excessive substitution resulted in increased firmness and less favorable sensory characteristics. Among the tested formulations, the combination of 18% PMM and 4% protein hydrolysate showed the most balanced technological and sensory performance. The findings suggest that poultry by-products processed into functional ingredients may have potential for application in value-added sausage formulations. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease characterized by systemic inflammation and complex immune dysregulation that extends beyond the skin and may affect the oral environment. Increasing evidence suggests that saliva may serve as a non-invasive diagnostic medium reflecting both local and systemic pathological processes. This systematic review aimed to critically evaluate current evidence on salivary biomarkers in psoriasis, focusing on inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress parameters, immune-related factors, and oral microbiota alterations, and to assess their potential clinical and diagnostic relevance. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed according to PRISMA guidelines using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, covering studies published between 1994 and October 2024. Original human studies evaluating salivary biomarkers in patients with psoriasis were included based on predefined PECOS criteria. Studies involving confounding inflammatory oral diseases without separate analysis were excluded. Eleven eligible studies were included in a qualitative synthesis. Results: The analyzed studies consistently demonstrated multidimensional alterations in salivary composition in psoriasis patients compared with healthy controls. Increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2) and reduced anti-inflammatory IL-10 indicated persistent immune activation. Elevated oxidative stress markers, including total oxidant status and oxidative stress index, supported the role of redox imbalance in disease pathogenesis. Alterations in innate immune components, such as salivary α-amylase, immunoglobulin A, and lysozyme, suggested impaired oral immune regulation. Moreover, emerging microbiome data revealed shifts toward pro-inflammatory bacterial taxa, including Prevotella and Porphyromonas. Some studies indicated that biologic therapy may modulate salivary biomarker profiles. Conclusions: Salivary biomarkers reflect systemic inflammatory and immunological alterations associated with psoriasis and represent promising non-invasive tools for disease monitoring and clinical assessment. Nevertheless, substantial methodological heterogeneity and limited sample sizes highlight the need for large-scale, standardized, and longitudinal studies to validate their diagnostic applicability. Full article

This paper presents the design, modeling, and numerical validation of a compact artificial magnetic conductor (AMC)–backed flexible UHF RFID tag antenna intended for on-body biomedical and wearable sensing applications. Human tissue proximity typically causes severe detuning, radiation efficiency degradation, and increased specific absorption rate (SAR) for conventional RFID tag antennas. To address these limitations, a miniaturized AMC metasurface based on a modified Jerusalem-cross geometry with meandered and interdigitated features is developed on a high-permittivity biocompatible substrate using CST Studio Software (2025). Full-wave simulations demonstrate that the proposed design, with an ultra-compact footprint of 0.0246 λ² (32.12 mm × 64.24 mm), functions as an effective shielding element, significantly enhancing the tag antenna gain and reading range by an order of magnitude compared to conventional on-body tags, while simultaneously reducing backward radiation and SAR. The antenna demonstrates robust platform tolerance and excellent isolation from the human body, ensuring high reliability. Fabricated on a thin, flexible, biocompatible, silicon-doped dielectric substrate, this device also functions as an epidermal antenna for on-skin health parameter sampling. This research paves the way for advanced, non-invasive wearable medical devices with superior performance. Full article