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Abstract Infantile skin problems not only cause temporary pain and discomfort, but also have a long-term impact on health. Hence, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to clarify the relationship between inflammatory cytokines and Malassezia fungal facial skin problems in infants. Ninety-six 1-month-old infants were examined. Facial skin problems and the presence of inflammatory cytokines in the forehead skin were assessed using the infant facial skin visual assessment tool (IFSAT) and the skin blotting method, respectively. Malassezia, a fungal commensal, was detected using forehead skin swabs, and its percentage in the total fungal population was analyzed. Infants with positive interleukin-8 signals were more likely to have severe facial skin problems (p = 0.006) and forehead papules (p = 0.043). No significant association between IFSAT scores and Malassezia was found, but infants with forehead dryness had a lower percentage of M. arunalokei in the total fungal population (p = 0.006). No significant association was observed between inflammatory cytokines and Malassezia in the study participants. Longitudinal studies on the development of facial skin problems in infants are warranted to investigate the involvement of interleukin-8 and devise preventive strategies in the future.

In this study, double-multilayer monochromators that generate intense, high-energy, pink X-ray beams are designed, installed and evaluated at the SPring-8 medium-length (215 m) bending-magnet beamline BL20B2 for imaging applications. Two pairs of W/B4C multilayer mirrors are designed to utilize photon energies of 110 keV and 40 keV with bandwidths of 0.8% and 4.8%, respectively, which are more than 100 times larger when compared with the Si double-crystal monochromator (DCM) with a bandwidth of less than 0.01%. At an experimental hutch located 210 m away from the source, a large and uniform beam of size 14 mm (V) × 300 mm (H) [21 mm (V) × 300 mm (H)] was generated with a high flux density of 1.6 × 109 photons s−1 mm−2 (6.9 × 1010 photons s−1 mm−2) at 110 keV (40 keV), which marked a 300 (190) times increase in the photon flux when compared with a DCM with Si 511 (111) diffraction. The intense pink beams facilitate advanced X-ray imaging for large-sized objects such as fossils, rocks, organs and electronic devices with high speed and high spatial resolution.

We determined the emissivity of molten oxides using a commercially available pyrometer combined and an electromagnetic levitation system based on the liquid Fe emissivity and its melting temperature. Our method for determining molten oxide emissivity is based on immiscible molten oxides and liquid Fe. From the processes, we obtained 0.80 ± 0.03 for molten AI2O3 and 0.76 ± 0.01 for our desired molten oxide of SiO2-CaO-Mn3O4-TiO2 system with welding flux model compositions of SiO2:CaO:Mn3O4:TiO2=27:7:13:53 mass%. This is necessary when using ELF (electrostatic levitation furnace) in the ISS (International Space Station) to measure the thermophysical properties of molten oxides. We could correct the temperature monitored with emissivity set at 1 to the real temperature during density measurement by ELF in ISS using normal spectral emissivity for molten SiO2-CaO-Mn3O4-TiO2 system and we find the temperature dependence of molten oxides density of SiO2:CaO:Mn3O4:TiO2=27:7:13:53 mass%in the temperature range of 1200 K - 2000 K. We also find that the multicomponent oxide system of SiO2-CaO-Mn3O4-TiO2 has a low coefficient of density temperature dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to identify the relationship between the skin barrier function after bathing at 2 weeks of age and subsequent facial skin problems during the first 6 weeks of life. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from July 2017 to February 2018 on healthy newborns aged 2 weeks. Skin barrier function was evaluated before bathing and at 30 and 90 min after bathing by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH), sebum secretion, and skin pH. Infantile facial skin problems were assessed using skin condition diaries maintained by a parent for 4 weeks. Results: Analysis of the data from 56 infants showed that 29 infants (51.8%) experienced facial skin problems from 2 to 6 weeks of age. A lesser change in the sebum secretion on the forehead before bathing to 90 min after bathing and a higher SCH of the forehead before bathing were less likely to result in facial skin problems (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97-0.99; AOR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99). Conclusions: A greater change in the sebum secretion on the forehead before bathing to 90 min after bathing and a lower SCH of the forehead before bathing were associated with subsequent infantile facial skin problems, indicating that a better ability to recover after bathing is important to prevent facial skin problems. Future studies should identify factors that enhance the recuperative functions of infantile skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]