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Human skin is continuously exposed to internal and external influences that may alter its condition and functioning. As a consequence, the skin may undergo alterations leading to photoaging, inflammation, immune dysfunction, imbalanced epidermal homeostasis, or other skin disorders. Modern nutritional science is developing new insights into the relation between food intake and health, and effects of food ingredients may prove to be biologically relevant for optimal skin condition. The objective of this review was to evaluate the present knowledge about the interrelation of nutrients and skin, particularly the photoprotective effects of nutrients, the influences of nutrients on cutaneous immune responses, and the therapeutic actions of nutrients in skin disorders. The nutrients of focus were vitamins, carotenoids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Supplementation with these nutrients was shown to provide protection against ultraviolet light, although the sun-protection factor was relatively small compared with that of topical sunscreens. An increase in delayed-type hypersensitivity skin responses after supplementation with nutrients has proven beneficial, especially in elderly people, and may boost cell-mediated immunity. Dietary consumption of certain plants or fish oil is known to modulate the balance of lipid inflammatory mediators and, therefore, is valuable in the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders. It was concluded that nutritional factors exert promising actions on the skin, but information on the effects of low-to-moderate doses of nutrients consumed long term by healthy individuals is obviously lacking, as are data on direct effects on basal skin properties, including hydration, sebum production, and elasticity. Chemicals/CAS: Carotenoids, 36-88-4; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Micronutrients; Vitamins

Recently, an atypical rough colony morphotype of Peptostreptococcus micros, a species which is found in ulcerating infections, including periodontitis, was isolated. The virulence of morphotypes alone and in combination with Prevotella intermedia and P. nigrescens was investigated both in vivo and in vitro. All strains tested induced abscesses containing fluid pus in a mouse skin model, and lesions caused by monocultures of the rough morphotype strains of P. micros were statistically significantly larger than those induced by the smooth morphotype strains. Inocula containing both morphotypes produced similar sized abscesses compared to mono-inocula containing the same bacterial load. Both Prevotella species induced small abscesses when inoculated alone, and when Pr. nigrescens was inoculated with one of the other strains, the abscesses were not significantly different from the abscesses induced by the mono-infections of this strain. Synergy, in terms of higher numbers of colony forming units (cfu) in the mixed inocula, was found for all combinations of the rough morphotypes of P. micros and both Prevotella spp. Pus from abscesses caused by combinations of Peptostreptococcus and Prevotella spp. transmitted the infection to other mice, but no abscesses were formed in mice inoculated with pus induced by mono-inocula. These results demonstrated synergic activity between both rough and smooth P. micros strains and oral Prevotella strains. The in-vitro co-culture experiments produced no evidence of growth stimulation. The effect of P. micros strains on the immune system was investigated by testing their ability to initiate luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear leucocytes in the presence and absence of human serum. In the latter, the rough morphotype strains initiated higher counts than the smooth morphotype strains. Further work is needed to elucidate the difference in virulence between the smooth and the rough morphotype cells of P. micros and the nature of the interaction with the Prevotella spp.

Background: Nutritional factors exert promising actions on the skin, but only scant information is available on the modulating effects of physiologic concentrations of nutrients on the skin condition of humans. Objective: The objective was to evaluate whether nutrient concentrations in serum and diet are associated with the skin condition of humans. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which data on serum concentrations of nutrients, dietary intake of nutrients, and the hydration, sebum content, and surface pH of skin were obtained from 302 healthy men and women. Skin condition was measured with the use of noninvasive techniques. Dietary intake was assessed with 2 complementary food-frequency questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate associations of serum vitamins and carotenoids and of dietary micro- and macronutrients with skin condition. Results: After adjustment for potential confounders, including sex, age, and smoking, statistically significant associations were shown in the total population between serum vitamin A and skin sebum content and surface pH and between the dietary intake of total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and skin hydration. Monounsaturated fat intake was also associated with surface pH. Associations between serum β-cryptoxanthin and skin hydration and between surface pH and fluid and calcium intakes were observed in men only. Conclusion: Several associations between nutrients in serum and diet and skin condition were observed, indicating that changes in baseline nutritional status may affect skin condition.

Huidafwijkingen komen frequent voor, ook in de jeugdgezondheidszorg (JGZ). Sommige huidafwijkingen ontstaan door een onderliggende ziekte, syndroom of kindermishandeling en het is daarom van groot belang deze vroegtijdig te signaleren. • Huidafwijkingen kunnen een grote psychosociale impact hebben op het kind en de ouder. Mede daarom is preventie, signalering, diagnostiek, behandeling, verwijzing, uniforme advisering en begeleiding van groot belang.• In de JGZ-richtlijn wordt ingegaan op voorlichting en advies, criteria voor verwijzen naar de eerste of tweede lijn en verzorging van de huid in het algemeen. Daarnaast wordt beschreven welke aandoeningen actief opgespoord moeten worden. • Ook is er aandacht voor specifieke aspecten van de donkere huid en etnische diversiteit en de impact van huidafwijkingen op het algemeen welzijn. • In de bijbehorende web-based tool zijn de bewijsvoering en meningen van deskundigen over meer dan 75 huidafwijkingen opgenomen, inclusief afbeeldingen en een beslisboom, om tot een behandelplan te komen.

Within the framework of a European Union (EU) research project entitled "Food Safety Screening: Synthetic Glucocorticoids (QLK1-1999-00122)," an international interlaboratory ring test was organized to compare and evaluate different liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) confirmatory methods that are applied in European monitoring programs for detecting the use of synthetic glucocorticoids. Liver and urine samples of bovines treated with synthetic glucocorticoids were collected and sent to the participants of the study for analysis. Participants received 3 liver and 3 urine samples and were free to use either their own LC/MS method or an LC/MS-based method developed during the EU research project. The residue concentrations in the samples were calculated as the mean of the concentrations reported by each laboratory. The mean dexamethasone concentration of liver sample L1 was calculated as 2.27 μg/kg [relative standard deviation (RSD) 43%, n = 9], which exceeds the maximum residue level (MRL) of 2 μg/kg. Three of the 9 laboratories (33%) reported concentration levels less than 2 μg/kg, resulting in obviously false compliant results. The overall mean concentration of flumethasone in liver sample L2 was calculated as 3.27 μg/kg (RSD 33%, n = B). Applying a comparable limit for flumethasone of 2 μ/kg, 8 of the 9 laboratories would have obtained a correct noncompliant result. As for the blank liver sample, 1 participant found a false noncompliant result. The urine sample U1 contained prednisolone residues at a mean concentration of 1.58 μg/kg (RSD 43%, n = 9). Four out of 9 results were less than a theoretical minimum required performance level (MRPL) of 2 μg/kg. The calculated concentration of dexamethasone in urine sample U3 was 5.21 μg/kg (RSD 62%, n = 9). One of the 9 results was lower than 2 μg/kg. Urine sample U2 was correctly reported as blank by all participants.