Search Results (1,124)

Grape pomace represents a widely available agro-industrial by-product in Chile with considerable potential for valorization within circular economy frameworks; however, its functionality as a cosmetic ingredient depends on both grape cultivar and processing strategy. In this study, the direct incorporation of solid grape pomace residues into cream formulations was first evaluated, revealing limitations related to color control, homogeneity, and sensory performance. Subsequently, the influence of varietal origin (Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, and Grenache) on the extraction, stability, color behavior, and functional performance of anthocyanin-rich extracts was investigated for cosmetic applications. pH-standardized color analysis revealed statistically significant (p < 0.05) varietal differences, with Malbec extracts showing superior chromatic stability under acidic and near-neutral conditions, exhibiting lower reduction in a* values across the pH range compared to other varieties. In contrast, Syrah, Grenache, and Merlot showed a more pronounced decrease in red chromaticity, indicating higher sensitivity to pH-induced structural transformations. Although Merlot and Syrah exhibited higher ABTS antioxidant activity, Malbec presented the highest total phenolic content and the most balanced functional profile when considering both stability and color retention. Incorporation of anthocyanin-rich extracts into cosmetic cream formulations demonstrated that a 4.5% (m/v) loading ensured a skin-compatible pH (4.5–5.5), with Malbec-based creams exhibiting superior color stability and formulation performance over time. These findings demonstrate that grape pomace valorization requires variety-specific evaluation and identify extraction as a key enabling step for the development of sustainable, bio-based color-functional cosmetic ingredients. Full article

Skin cancer represents a significant public health challenge, necessitating early detection and timely treatment for optimal management. Timely and accurate evaluation of skin lesions is crucial, as delays can lead to more severe outcomes. However, identifying skin lesions accurately can be challenging due to differences in color, shape, and the various types of imaging equipment used for diagnosis. While recent studies have demonstrated the potential of ensemble convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for early diagnosis of skin disorders, these models are often too large and inefficient for processing contextual information. Although lightweight networks like MobileNetV3 and EfficientNet have been developed to reduce parameters and enable deep neural networks on mobile devices, their performance is limited by inadequate feature representation depth. To mitigate these limitations, we propose a new hybrid attention dual-stream deep learning model for skin lesion detection. Our model uses one training process to preprocess the images and splits the task into two branches. Each branch extracts different features using multi-stage and multi-branch attention techniques, improving the model’s ability to detect skin lesions accurately. The first branch processes the original image using a convolutional layer integrated with three novel attention modules: Enhanced Separable Depthwise Convolution (SCAttn), stage attention, and branch attention. The second branch utilizes Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) to enhance the input image, improving local contrast and revealing finer details. The integration of CLAHE with SCAttn modules leverages enhanced local contrast to capture more nuanced features while maintaining computational efficiency. A classification module receives the concatenated hierarchical characteristics that were taken from both branches. Utilizing the PAD2020 and ISIC 2019 datasets, we assessed the proposed model and obtained an accuracy rate of 98.59% for PAD2020, surpassing the state-of-the-art performance by 2%, and stable performance accuracy for the ISIC 2019 dataset. This illustrates how well the model can integrate several attention mechanisms and feature enhancement methods, providing a reliable and effective means of detecting skin cancer. Full article

We present a reproducible pipeline that converts color images into quantitative fluorescence maps by combining spectral measurement with a linear mixture model. The method is designed specifically for quantitative comparisons of Glo Germ™ on images of hands taken under different experimental conditions with controlled illumination. The emission spectrum of Glo Germ is measured using a spectral photometer and normalized to obtain its spectral power density function. This spectrum is projected into CIE XYZ coordinates and incorporated into a linear mixture model in which each pixel contains contributions from white light, UV-illuminated skin reflectance, and fluorophore emission. Component magnitudes are estimated with non-negative least squares, yielding a grayscale image whose intensity is a monotonic proxy for local fluorophore density. Spatial integration provides an image-level summary proportional to total detected material. Compared with single-channel proxies, the observer suppresses background structure, improves contrast, and remains radiometrically interpretable. Because the method depends only on measurable spectra and linear transforms, it can be reproduced across cameras and extended to other fluorophores. Full article

Polyphenols and aroma compounds are major contributors to wine quality and are primarily derived from grape skins and seeds. This study investigated the effects of crushing degree and maceration time on the phenolic and aroma profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Wines were produced under different crushing degrees (50–100%) and maceration times (5–13 d), and their phenolic and aroma compounds were analyzed by ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry (UV–Vis) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that both crushing degree and maceration time significantly affected the extraction and accumulation of these key compounds. A crushing degree of 70–80% combined with 7–9 d of maceration was more suitable for producing wines with a balanced color, aroma, and taste profile. In contrast, complete crushing (100%) and 11 d of maceration were more favorable for enhancing antioxidant potential, with flavanol and total phenol contents reaching 346.6 and 115.9 mg/L, respectively. These findings provide a theoretical basis for optimizing vinification conditions and improving wine quality to meet diverse consumer preferences. Full article

Background: Dermatology and aesthetic medicine make extensive use of microneedling, a minimally invasive and safe treatment. Across the research, it has been shown that microneedling combined with chemical peels is also more effective than chemical peels alone. However, data on procedures in dark-skinned individuals is rather scarce. Aim/Objective: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of using a 4% retinol solution product containing novel TGF-β activators and antioxidants combined with a microneedling technique in the treatment of hyperpigmentation, atrophic acne scars, and enlarged pores in patients with skin of color, generally corresponding to Fitzpatrick skin phototypes IV–VI. Methods: Each of the 10 patients underwent three peel treatment series, with a 30-day interval between each session. Moreover, skin hydration, elasticity, and pigmentation were examined using the Multi Skin Test MC 1000 Courage + Khazaka, and the Observ 520x device. Results: All patients reported an overall improvement and an enhancement in skin tone after the procedure. The majority of them stated subjective improvement in the reduction of facial skin issues: redness, hyperpigmentation, uneven structure, wrinkles, dehydration, dryness, and sebaceous gland activity. The least improvement was noted in scar reduction or liquidation. An objective evaluation revealed a statistically significant improvement in hyperpigmentation and elasticity in the study group. An improvement, however, not statistically significant, in hydration parameters was demonstrated during the study. Conclusions: This study suggests that a combined peel therapy of 4% retinol serum product containing novel TGF-β activators and antioxidants, together with a microneedling technique, may improve facial hyperpigmentation of the skin, as well as regulate sebaceous gland activity, their size, and reduce sebum production. The recommended method is relatively simple to use, low-cost, has minimal adverse effects, and is well tolerated by patients with skin of color. Full article

Background: Phenotype prediction for eye, hair and skin color is used in a variety of forensic applications, such as trace analysis, the identification of unknown individuals, and analysis of historical DNA traces. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the HIrisPlex-S system in a homogeneous North German population. Methods: A cohort of 155 individuals from this population was sampled, and the 41 HIrisPlex-S SNPs were genotyped using the SNaPshot workflow. In addition, the participants assessed their own eye, hair, and skin color using a standardized questionnaire. The statistical analysis included the calculation of diagnostic indicators such as sensitivity (Sens), specificity (Spec), positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy (Acc). In addition, ROC analyses were performed. Results: The results indicated that predictions of skin and hair color were less accurate, whereas eye color could be determined more reliably. Brown and blue eye colors in particular were predicted accurately (brown: Sens = 94.7%, Spec = 87.7%, Acc = 89.5%; blue: Sens = 98.5%, Spec = 57.7%, Acc = 75.7%), while intermediate eye color (Sens = 0.0%, Spec = 100.0%, Acc = 69.1%), hair color and skin color were difficult to differentiate (e.g., blond hair color: Sens = 80.8%, Spec = 56.0%, Acc = 68.2% and pale skin color: Sens = 73.8%, Spec = 44.8%, Acc = 57.2%). Conclusions: In our study, the HIrisPlex-S system primarily provided rough directional information and could distinguish between very different phenotypes but reached its limits when it comes to similar characteristics. Full article

Traditional chemical hair dyes are associated with potential health risks, while botanical alternatives are often hampered by poor stability and limited color longevity. In this study, discarded squid ink was used to prepare bionic hair colorants of high performance. By synergizing ultrasound disruption with enzymatic hydrolysis, the crude ink aggregates were transformed into highly uniform squid ink melanin nanoparticles (SIMNPs) with size and zeta potential of ~174 nm and −37.5 mV, respectively. This effectively improved the solubility but reduced the steric limitation of natural melanin. To overcome the weak affinity between melanin and human hair, a biomimetic interface where Fe(III) ions act as supramolecular bridges was further engineered to stably bind the SIMNPs to hair keratin. Under optimized conditions (pH 8.0, 45 °C, and 80 min), the dyed hair achieved a natural deep black with a total color difference (ΔE*) of 68.79 ± 0.29, which was maintained at 63.19 ± 0.27 even after 13 consecutive water washing cycles. Unlike destructive oxidative dyes, this SIMNP dyeing system assisted by coordination-driven assembly preserved the native α-helical architecture and disulfide bond networks of hair keratin. Furthermore, the deposited SIMNP layer effectively protected hair fibers from ultraviolet (UV) damage due to its powerful UV-shielding capacity. Crucially, in vitro and in vivo evaluations confirmed the exceptional biosafety of this formulation, demonstrating robust cellular tolerance and absence of murine skin irritation. The work demonstrates a green, low-damage paradigm for the development of bio-based hair colorants of high performance and presents a promising pathway for the high-value utilization of marine by-products. Full article

(1) Background: The “Bider” marking refers to the symmetrical black stripes distributed on the shoulder blades of Dun Mongolian horses, representing an ancestral trait of significant genetic value. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its formation remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the molecular basis of these markings by comparing transcriptomic differences in skin tissues from variously pigmented areas of Mongolian horses’ “Bider” patterns. (2) Methods: Using three Dun Mongolian horses as subjects, skin tissue samples were collected from their shoulders (dark-marked and light-marked areas), dorsal midline, and croup regions for transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed genes were identified based on sequencing data, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Key findings were validated through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). (3) Results: The sequencing yielded approximately 893 million high-quality clean reads, with an overall alignment rate exceeding 96%. A total of 140 to 775 differentially expressed genes were identified. GO enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were significantly enriched in biological processes related to pigment metabolism, skin and hair follicle development, signal transduction (including calcium and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling), and immune regulation. KEGG analysis further indicated that multiple pathways closely associated with pigment regulation, including the calcium signaling pathway, tyrosine metabolism, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, and melanoma pathway, were significantly enriched across different tissue comparison groups, suggesting their potential key roles in coat color phenotype formation. The reliability of the sequencing data was corroborated by the results of qRT-PCR validation. (4) Conclusions: This study conducted a transcriptome analysis of skin samples from various pigmented regions of the Dun Mongolian horse’s Bider marking, revealing that the formation of this marking is associated with the differential expression of numerous genes and is co-regulated by multiple pigment-related signaling pathways. Full article

Early and accurate detection of skin cancer is critical for reducing mortality rates, particularly for malignant melanoma. Automated analysis of dermoscopic images has gained significant attention due to its potential to support clinical diagnosis and overcome the limitations of manual inspection. Motivated by challenges such as image noise, low contrast, lesion variability, and redundant feature representation, this study proposes an optimal deep hybrid framework for skin lesion detection and classification. The objective of this work is to design a robust and efficient system that integrates advanced preprocessing, precise segmentation, optimal feature selection, and accurate classification. Initially, contrast enhancement using Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) and noise reduction using Wiener filtering are applied to improve image quality. Lesion regions are then segmented using a Selective Kernel U-Net (SK-UNet), which adaptively captures multi-scale spatial information. Subsequently, discriminative color, texture, and shape features are extracted and optimized using the Fossa Optimization Algorithm (FOA) to eliminate redundancy. A hybrid one-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network–Gated Recurrent Unit (1D-CNN–GRU) classifier is employed for final classification, learning both spatial and sequential feature patterns. Experimental evaluation on the ISIC and DermMNIST datasets demonstrates that the proposed framework achieves classification accuracies of 97.6% and 95.6%, respectively, outperforming several existing methods. The results confirm that the proposed hybrid framework provides reliable, accurate, and scalable skin cancer diagnosis, highlighting its potential for assisting clinical decision-making and early detection. Full article

Chrome tanning of fish skins generates hazardous effluents and carcinogenic Cr(VI) residues; chromium-free routes to valorize collagen-rich by-products from aquaculture and coastal fisheries are therefore needed. We report a 12-stage ecological protocol employing acetic acid/NaCl pickling, Acacia mearnsii tannin, A. podalyriifolia retanning, mashed-papaya enzymatic bating, and cinnamon as antimicrobial/odor adjunct, scaled from bench to pilot using exclusively locally sourced inputs, for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Patagonian flounder (Paralichthys patagonicus). Three trained operators evaluated macroscopic quality against five predefined criteria adapted from SATRA and ISO 3376 grading conventions, providing a structured feasibility baseline that does not substitute for the standardized instrumental testing designated as priority future work. Both species achieved satisfactory grain stability, complete tannin penetration, pliable handle, and cinnamon-dominant odor without residual amines; dark-brown coloration is a recognized practical limitation for fashion applications. In silico molecular docking (GNINA v1.0) was used to explore the mechanistic plausibility of each ecological substitution, generating testable hypotheses rather than definitive mechanistic conclusions: the multidentate polyphenol proxy (PGG) exhibited consistently superior collagen engagement over the flavanol monomer across both collagen constructs and all three scoring metrics (1CAG: Vina affinity −5.51 ± 0.13 vs. −3.54 ± 0.35 kcal/mol; CNNscore 0.874 ± 0.009 vs. 0.771 ± 0.010; 7CWK: Vina affinity −6.98 ± 1.43 vs. −4.37 ± 0.16 kcal/mol; CNNscore 0.858 ± 0.024 vs. 0.635 ± 0.094). Dipeptide probes were reproducibly accommodated in the papain catalytic cleft, with the closest configuration reaching 3.997 Å from the catalytic nucleophile (OCS25-SG). Trans-cinnamaldehyde occupied the quorum-sensing pocket with reproducible placement (CNNscore 0.718 ± 0.034) but without score-based selectivity over structural decoys, a result interpreted as hypothesis-generating for future microbiological validation. The protocol is reproducible from bench to pilot and generalizable across two species with distinct dermal architectures. Quantitative physical-mechanical testing (shrinkage temperature, tensile strength, elongation, tear load), CIELab colorimetric analysis, and effluent characterization (COD, BOD₅, total phenolics) are designated as priorities for future validation. Full article

Children with skin color (SOC) are underrepresented in dermatologic research, despite structural and functional differences that shape disease presentation. Atopic dermatitis (AD), one of the most common pediatric dermatoses, often appears differently in SOC than in white children. This study compared dermatologic conditions prompting Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) referral in SOC and white children, and described clinical features of AD in SOC. A retrospective study was performed at IRCCS AOUBO Policlinico di Sant’Orsola, Bologna, Italy, analyzing records and photographs from 2019. Patients presenting with dermatologic conditions and evaluated by a pediatric dermatologist were included. Of 411 patients, 109 (26.5%) had SOC. In SOC, common diagnoses were scabies (22%), AD (17.4%), viral infections (12.8%), burns (9.2%), and contact dermatitis (7.3%). In white children, viral infections (16.9%), burns (14.2%), contact dermatitis (13.9%), AD (12.9%), and insect bites (5.6%) predominated. Scabies and pruritus were significantly more frequent in SOC (p < 0.05). Among 38 SOC patients with AD, lichenoid (31.6%), pityriasis alba (29.0%), prurigo nodularis (26.3%), and classic AD (13.2%) were the most frequent variants. Erythema was often subtle or absent. Dermatologic conditions and AD morphology differ between SOC and white children, highlighting the need for tailored diagnostic approaches and equitable care. Full article

Remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) extracts physiological signals from facial videos by analyzing subtle skin color variations caused by blood flow. While this technology enables contactless health monitoring, it also raises privacy concerns because facial videos reveal both identity and sensitive biometric information. Existing privacy-preserving techniques, such as blurring or pixelation, degrade visual quality and are unsuitable for practical rPPG applications. This paper presents rePPG, a framework that inserts a desired rPPG signal into facial videos while preserving the original facial appearance. The proposed method disentangles facial appearance and physiological features, enabling replacement of the physiological signal without altering facial identity or visual quality. Skin segmentation restricts modifications to skin regions, and a cycle-consistency mechanism ensures that the injected rPPG signal can be reliably recovered from the generated video. Importantly, the extracted rPPG signals are evaluated against the injected target physiological signals rather than the subject’s original physiological state, ensuring that the evaluation measures signal rewriting accuracy. Experiments on the PURE and UBFC datasets show that rePPG successfully embeds target PPG signals, achieving 1.10 BPM MAE and 95.00% PTE6 on PURE while preserving visual quality (PSNR 24.61 dB, SSIM 0.638). Heart rate metrics are computed using a 5-second temporal window to ensure a consistent evaluation protocol. Full article

A rare clinical condition associated with numerous diagnostic and treatment challenges, pregnancy-associated melanoma (PAM), is defined as melanoma diagnosed either during pregnancy or within the first year postpartum. The physiological changes in pregnancy (hormonal changes and immune modulation), along with the normal changes in the pregnant woman’s skin (skin color changes, etc.), may all hinder early detection of this disease and create concerns regarding the advancement of melanoma and the well-being of both the mother and her fetus. The purpose of this review article was to summarize the current literature on the incidence, biology, diagnostic methods and treatments of PAM, with an emphasis on comparison between the two forms of melanoma. More recent research indicates that pregnancy itself is not typically associated with decreased melanoma-specific survival rates. However, when worse results are reported, it appears that this may be more due to delays in initial diagnoses (diagnosis of cancer after delivery) or detection of cancer postpartum, as well as the increased number of stages of melanoma at which women were diagnosed at the time of their first evaluation compared to non-pregnant controls, rather than being a result of enhanced biologic aggressiveness in melanoma driven by pregnancy itself. The preclinical and translational models have suggested that pregnancy may influence melanoma biology through the mechanisms of hormonal signaling, immune system modulation and vascular remodeling; however, these mechanisms remain hypothesis-generating, and current clinical evidence does not indicate that changes in hormone levels during pregnancy negatively affect melanoma survival. Surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment and can be performed safely during pregnancy. In select patients, a sentinel lymph node biopsy may also be performed. Due to the risk of fetal harm, systemic therapy (targeted agents and/or immune checkpoint inhibitors) cannot be used for the treatment of PAM during pregnancy. Post-pregnancy treatment of PAM will follow standard melanoma treatment guidelines; however, the treatment options will need to take into consideration whether or not the patient is breastfeeding and if she desires to become pregnant again in the future. In summary, PAM will require a multidisciplinary, individualized approach to maximize oncologic outcomes while protecting the health of both the mother and her fetus. Awareness of this disease and timely diagnosis are critical to maximizing the prognosis. Full article

Background: Forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) enables the inference of externally visible characteristics (EVCs) and biogeographic ancestry when conventional STR profiling is inconclusive. The ForenSeq™ Imagen kit (107 SNPs) integrates phenotype-, ancestry-, and Y-SNPs markers; however, its performance under partial genotyping conditions has not been systematically evaluated. Methods: Ninety-four samples from a Mexican mestizo population were analyzed using the ForenSeq™ Imagen kit on the MiSeq FGx™ platform. Due to incomplete genotype recovery, 41 samples with >60% locus detection were selected for downstream analyses. Phenotype prediction was performed using the HIrisPlex-S model, and ancestry inference was assessed through principal component analysis. In silico simulations were conducted to evaluate locus-specific dropout effects. Results: Eye color prediction showed both reduced feasibility (68.3%) and lower overall accuracy (56.1%), primarily driven by systematic prediction failure when rs12913832 (HERC2) was absent, although accuracy among successfully predicted samples remained high (82.1%). In contrast, hair and skin color inference remained feasible in >97% and 100% of evaluable samples, respectively; however, classification accuracy was moderate (70% for hair and 61% for skin), improving substantially when allowing adjacent-category concordance (90.2% for skin). Ancestry inference was robust when at least 27 aiSNPs were detected, and Y-SNPs reliably distinguished male and female samples. In silico analyses confirmed the critical contribution of rs12913832 to eye color model operability. Conclusions: FDP performance under partial genotyping reflects a trade-off between prediction feasibility and accuracy and depends on locus-specific integrity rather than overall genotype completeness. The ForenSeq™ Imagen kit shows robustness for ancestry, sex, hair, and skin prediction, although with variable accuracy, whereas eye color inference remains structurally vulnerable to drop out of high-impact variants. Evaluating FDP systems under realistic non-ideal conditions is essential to define their true operational limits and ensure scientifically robust and responsible implementation. 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