Risk Of Skin Damage Research Articles

Photoprotection in Outdoor Sports: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations to Reduce Risk Among Athletes.

Solar exposure, for long hours and often at peak times with limited shade available, predisposes athletes to episodic sunburn and chronic damage, causing increased risk of precancerous lesions and skin cancer. Environmental factors and training intensity affect risk. Clothing provides good protection, but changing established “uniforms” may not be possible for reasons of practicality, safety, or simply custom. Although physical activity should be encouraged for its physical and mental benefits, risk of skin damage should be minimised. We review existing behaviours, skin cancer risk, and campaigns in the sporting population and highlight key recommendations to help sun protection practices become engrained in sports practice.

Wearable ultraviolet radiation sensors for research and personal use.

Skin cancers are strongly linked to personal exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, yet UV exposure is also the most preventable risk factor. People are exposed to UV rays when they engage in outdoor activities, particularly exercise, which is an important health behavior. Thus, researchers and the general public have shown increasing interest in measuring UV exposure using wearable sensors during outdoor physical activity. However, minimal research exists at the intersection of UV sensors, personal exposure, adaptive behavior due to exposures, and risk of skin damage. Recent years have seen an influx of new consumer-based and research-based UV-sensing technologies with wide-ranging form factors and purposes to fill this research gap, yet a thorough review of available sensors for specific purposes does not exist. Hence, the overall goal of this state-of-the-art review is to synthesize the current academic and gray literature surrounding personal UV-sensing technologies. Peer-reviewed journal articles and "gray literature," such as working papers, manuals, and UV sensor websites, were reviewed, assessing attributes of UV wearables marketed for research use, personal use, or both. Overall, 13 wearable UV sensors are available for personal use and/or research applications. These sensors vary from electronic to photochromic, with large differences in price, data outputs, accuracy, and precision. Recommendations are provided for which sensors are most suitable for various types of research or public use. Notably, the review findings will help guide researchers in future studies assessing UV exposure during physical activity.

Case report: risk of skin necrosis related to injectable vancomycin in critically ill newborn infants

BackgroundVancomycin is commonly used as part of empiric antibiotic therapy in the preterm infants who develop signs and symptoms of infection. Although skin necrosis has been noted to occur following injection of vancomycin into a peripheral vein in an adult patient, this complication has not been previously described in a preterm infant.Case presentationWe report the case of a very low birthweight male infant born at 30 weeks gestational age who developed skin necrosis, most likely as a complication of vancomycin administration via a peripheral venous catheter. The immature skin and endothelial cells of this preterm infant may have increased the risk of drugs related venous and skin toxicity. In this case, assumption of a cumulative toxicity with other drugs administered concomitantly via the same catheter can’t be excluded.ConclusionsTo prevent the risk of skin damage, we advocate that in newborn infants, the administration of vancomycin should be limited to a concentration of < 2.5 mg/mL via a peripheral intravenous catheter if a central venous catheter is not available.

Recent, Bioelectricity-Related Articles Selected by Ann M. Rajnicek, Media Editor of Bioelectricity.

Recent, Bioelectricity-Related Articles Selected by Ann M. Rajnicek, Media Editor of Bioelectricity.

Optimization Design of Sea Cucumber Cleaning Parameters by Water Jet

Aiming at the problem that the cleaning effect and surface integrity of the mechanical cleaning process cannot be solved simultaneously in the pretreatment of sea cucumber and according to the requirements of high efficiency, high quality and economy of sea cucumber body surface cleaning, a continuous directional cleaning device for sea cucumber abdomen and back based on the principle of water jet is designed. Through single factor experiment, the influence trend of jet parameters such as jet pressure, target distance and incidence angle on cleaning effect was analyzed. The cleaning parameters of sea cucumber are optimized by L9(34) orthogonal design. The experimental results show that the cleaning effect of sea cucumber is closely related to the impact of water jet. Enhancing the impact of water jet will not only help improve the cleanliness of sea cucumber, but also increase the risk of skin damage of sea cucumber. The influence order of water jet parameters on the cleaning effect of sea cucumber is as follows: Jet pressure > jet target distance > jet incidence angle. When the jet pressure is 3.0 MPa, the jet target distance is 200 mm and the jet incidence angle is 70°, the cleanliness and integrity scores are 8.0 and 8.2 respectively and the comprehensive cleaning effect of this scheme is optimal. This study provides the basis for the research and development of sea cucumber water jet cleaning device and process optimization.

Promoting UV Exposure Awareness with Persuasive, Wearable Technologies.

Current methods to promote awareness of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation have focussed on delivering population level information and some location-based reporting of UV Index (UVI). However, diseases related to excessive (e.g. sunburn, skin cancer) or insufficient (e.g. vitamin D deficiency) exposure to sunlight still remain a global burden. The emergence of wearable sensors and the application of persuasive technology in health domains raise the possibility for technology to influence awareness of sufficient sun intake for vitamin D production, as well as preventing risk of skin damage. This paper presents a personalised solution to promote healthy, safe sun exposure using wearable devices and persuasive techniques.

Managing wounds in older people: the risk of skin damage from high-exudate levels.

Managing wounds in older people: the risk of skin damage from high-exudate levels.

The effect of repeated laser stimuli to ink-marked skin on skin temperature-recommendations for a safe experimental protocol in humans.

Background. Nd:YAP laser is widely used to investigate the nociceptive and pain systems, generating perpetual and laser-evoked neurophysiological responses. A major procedural concern for the use of Nd:YAP laser stimuli in experimental research is the risk of skin damage. The absorption of Nd:YAP laser stimuli is greater in darker skin, or in pale skin that has been darkened with ink, prompting some ethics boards to refuse approval to experimenters wishing to track stimulus location by marking the skin with ink. Some research questions, however, require laser stimuli to be delivered at particular locations or within particular zones, a requirement that is very difficult to achieve if marking the skin is not possible. We thoroughly searched the literature for experimental evidence and protocol recommendations for safe delivery of Nd:YAP laser stimuli over marked skin, but found nothing.Methods. We designed an experimental protocol to define safe parameters for the use of Nd:YAP laser stimuli over skin that has been marked with black dots, and used thermal imaging to assess the safety of the procedure at the forearm and the back.Results. Using thermal imaging and repeated laser stimulation to ink-marked skin, we demonstrated that skin temperature did not increase progressively across the course of the experiment, and that the small change in temperature seen at the forearm was reversed during the rest periods between blocks. Furthermore, no participant experienced skin damage due to the procedure.Conclusion. This protocol offers parameters for safe, confident and effective experimentation using repeated Nd:YAP laser on skin marked with ink, thus paving the way for investigations that depend on it.

Comparative Study of 1,064-nm Laser-Induced Skin Burn and Thermal Skin Burn

Infrared lasers are widely used in medicine, industry, and other fields. While science, medicine, and the society in general have benefited from the many practical uses of lasers, they also have inherent safety issues. Although several procedures have been put forward to protect the skin from non-specific laser-induced damage, individuals receiving laser therapy or researchers who use laser are still at risk for skin damage. This study aims to understand the interaction between laser and the skin, and to investigate the differences between the skin damage caused by 1,064-nm laser and common thermal burns. Skin lesions on Wistar rats were induced by a 1,064-nm CW laser at a maximum output of 40 W and by a copper brass bar attached to an HQ soldering iron. Histological sections of the lesions and the process of wound healing were evaluated. The widths of the epidermal necrosis and dermal denaturalization of each lesion were measured. To observe wound healing, the epithelial gap and wound gap were measured. Masson's trichrome and picrosirius red staining were also used to assess lesions and wound healing. The thermal damage induced by laser intensified significantly in both horizontal dimension and in vertical depth with increased duration of irradiation. Ten days after wounding, the dermal injuries induced by laser were more severe. Compared with the laser-induced skin damage, the skin burn induced by an HQ soldering iron did not show a similar development or increased in severity with the passage of time. The results of this study showed the pattern of skin damage induced by laser irradiation and a heated brass bar. This study also highlighted the difference between laser irradiation and thermal burn in terms of skin damage and wound healing, and offers insight for further treatment.

Slaughterhouse workers exposed to cold: proposal of reference thermography values for hands

The cold environment is an indispensable for slaughtering and processing in the poultry industry In field studies it was observed that a large percentage of workers of this sector have hand contact with the cold chicken and / or frozen, have high complaints prevalence of pain and discomfort, mostly in the hands. The contact of human skin with a cold surface may cause pain, numbness and risk of skin damage. Currently, although the use of infrared thermal imaging has been useful in identifying normal and abnormal patterns of heat distribution on the surface of the body. However your use for work tasks and to assess the potential development of injuries related to it has been limited. Based on the physiological responses can be objectively evaluate the effects of the task demands of work and thus contribute to the development of effective strategies for ergonomic intervention. The methodology will be used to evaluate the subjective thermal sensation with analogue scale of ASHRAE and the infrared thermography in the dorsal and palmar hands. Thus the objective of this research is to propose reference values for thermographic hands within limits of comfort.

Moisture lesion or pressure ulcer? A review of the literature

Distinguishing between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions can be challenging, even for experienced practitioners. Measures therefore need to be taken as part of an evidence-based regimen to avoid the risk of skin damage in the first place.

An evaluation of slaughter age on the profitability of intensive slaughter ostrich production

The traditional slaughter ostrich production system evolved mainly around two aspects: producing the optimum skin size and attaining the ideal shape of follicle on the skin. Over time the practice of slaughtering ostriches at 14 months of age proved to be the ideal system and became the standard in the ostrich industry. With a gradual increase in demand for ostrich meat in the past decade, the meat yielded by a 14-month-old bird provided additional income to the producer. However, the cost of feed can affect profitability and, especially so, for a production system over a 14-month period. In addition to increasing feed costs, evidence exists of an increasing risk of skin damage over long production periods, affecting income negatively. A study at the Kromme Rhee experimental farm near Stellenbosch in South Africa investigated slaughter age regimes at 8.5 months, 10.5 months, 12.5 months, 14.5 months and 16.5 months. Data on feed intake and yields of cold carcass, crust skin size, skin grade and total feathers revealed significant differences (P &lt; 0.01) at different slaughter ages. This paper attempts to assess the effect of different slaughter age regimes on the profitability of intensive slaughter ostrich production. Values predicted from a regression analysis were imputed into a gross margin budget analysis and discounted over a 5-year planning period to compare profitability over the long-term. Income was highest at the 14.5-month slaughter system but gross margin of the 10.5-month slaughter age system was highest, with the 8.5-month system second. Changes in the slaughter age regimes in the ostrich industry may increase efficiency in production systems.

Temperature Limit Values For Touching Cold Surfaces with the Fingertip

At the request of the European Commission and in the framework of the European Machinery Directive, research was performed in five different laboratories to develop specifications for surface temperature limit values for the short-term accidental touching of the fingertip with cold surfaces. Data were collected in four laboratories with a total of 20 males and 20 females performing a grand total of 1655 exposures. Each touched polished blocks of aluminium, stainless steel, nylon-6 and wood using the distal phalanx of the index finger with a contact force of 1.0, 2.9 and 9.8 N, at surface temperatures from +2 to -40 degrees C for a maximum duration of 120 s. Conditions were selected in order to elicit varying rates of skin cooling upon contact. Contact temperature (TC) of the fingertip was measured over time using a T-type thermocouple. A database obtained from the experiments was collated and analysed to characterize fingertip contact cooling across a range of materials and surface temperatures. The database was subsequently used to develop a predictive model to describe the contact duration required for skin contact temperature to reach the physiological criteria of onset of pain (15 degrees C), onset of numbness (7 degrees C) and onset of frostbite risk (0 degrees C). The data reflect the strong link between the risk of skin damage and the thermal properties of the material touched. For aluminium and steel, skin temperatures of 0 degrees C occurs within 2-6 s at surface temperatures of -15 degrees C. For non-metallic surfaces, onset of numbness occurs within 15-65 s of contact at -35 degrees C and onset of cold pain occurs within 5 s of contact at -20 degrees C. The predictive model subsequently developed was a non-linear exponential expression also reflecting the effects of material thermal properties and initial temperature. This model provides information for the protection of workers against the risk of cold injury by establishing the temperature limits of cold touchable surfaces for a broad range of materials, and it is now proposed as guidance values in a new international standard.

Thermotherapy: feasibility study using a single focussed ultrasound transducer

Feasibility studies on tissue lesioning using high intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU) thermotherapy were carried out. A single strongly focussed transducer was used. The transducer has a diameter of 50mm, a centre resonance frequency of 1MHz and a focal distance of 50mm. Experiments were carried out both in vitro on pig muscle samples and in vivo on a pig (exposures on the thigh and on the liver). Different types of burst pulse signals were used, the best results were obtained with 1-2s burst pulses, with a repetition period of 10s. The risk for skin damage increases for longer burst pulses. Lesions at the focus were obtained both in the experiments in vitro as well as in vivo . The size and the shape of the lesions in vivo resemble those obtained in vitro . The results of the experiments show that tissue lesions can be obtained at deep locations (4.5cm in the tissue) with the transducer. The lesions were well discriminated from the surrounding tissue and were ellipsoid- or drop-shaped. The lesion size can be controlled by the choice of time parameters of the burst pulse signal, power and treatment time. Temperatures of about 80oC were measured in the tissue at the ultrasound focus in vitro . These results show that elevated temperatures can be induced rapidly at the focus, thus reducing the effect of heat dissipation through blood perfusion.

UVA, malignant melanoma, sunscreen products — a controversy?

Although not well understood a relationship exists between sun exposure and malignant melanoma. Sunscreens are important in reducing the damage that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation exposure from sunlight causes to the skin. Overall, the major risk for malignant melanoma seems to lie with excessive UVB exposure with some contribution by UVA. Therefore, reduction of both UVB and UVA exposure is advocated for both sporadic and familial malignant melanoma. If a sunscreen is only partly applied, or only UVA or UVB formulations are used, individuals will have a false impression of the level of protection provided and will expose themselves for prolonged periods increasing their risk of skin damage. Today, there are a number of effective sunscreens available, with relatively equivalent UVA and UVB protection and photostable ingredients. The effectiveness of even the best sunscreen, however, is completely dependent on whether or not it is used properly. It is important that individuals are advised on their behaviour in the sun, and the correct application and choice of sunscreen products.

The influence of harvest maturity, calcium concentration and storage conditions on the keeping quality of Spartan apples grown in England

SUMMARYSpartan apples from several commercial orchards were stored in three successive years. The principal physiological disorders that developed were scald and core rowning. These disorders were minimised by picking at the end of September and storing in either 2% O2 or 2% CO2+ 2% O2 at 1.5°C. Fruit calcium concentrations were usually high enough to avoid flesh breakdown but could be increased without risk of skin damage by dipping in a 2% solution of calcium chloride.It was concluded that storage of Spartan for up to 9 months is possible provided that fruit calcium concentrations are adequate and that picking date and storage conditions are optimised.