Virtual approach of the aesthetical fit between hair colours and skin tones in women of different ethnical origin backgrounds.

Objective: To determine the aesthetical accordance between a given skin tone and the 11 possible colours of head hairs, covered by a marketed hair colouration product.

Material And Methods: The photographs of professional top models, representing several ancestries (non-Hispanic European and Euro-American, East Asian, Hispanic Euro-American, and African-American ancestries), were used to virtually modify skin tones (from light, medium to dark) and hair colour by an artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm. Hence, 117 modified photographs were then assessed by five local panels of about 60 women each (one in China, one in France and three in US).

Neuroprotective effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol in an acute model of Parkinson's disease.

Neurons depend on mitochondria for homeostasis and survival, and thus, mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Increasing evidence indicates the mitochondrial uncoupler, 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), protects neurons against neurodegeneration and enhances neural plasticity. Here, the authors evaluated the protective effects of intraperitoneally (i.

Neuroprotective effect of bee venom is mediated by reduced astrocyte activation in a subchronic MPTP-induced model of Parkinson's disease.

Bee venom (BV), also known as apitoxin, is widely used in traditional oriental medicine to treat immune-related diseases. Recent studies suggest that BV could be beneficial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease next to Alzheimer's disease, and PD pathologies are closely associated with neuroinflammation.

Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of morin in a murine model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and is characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although the causes of PD are not understood, evidence suggests that oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation are associated with its pathogenesis. Morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone) is a flavonol found in wine and many herbs and fruits.

Silibinin suppresses astroglial activation in a mouse model of acute Parkinson's disease by modulating the ERK and JNK signaling pathways.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, and is characterized by dopaminergic neuronal loss in midbrain. The MPTP-induced PD model has been well characterized by motor deficits and selective dopaminergic neuronal death accompanied by glial activation. Silibinin is a constituent of silymarin, an extract of milk thistle seeds, and has been proposed to have hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, anti-oxidative, and neuroprotective effects.

Non-Contact Local Conductance Mapping of Individual Graphene Oxide Sheets during the Reduction Process.

We used electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) to investigate local conducting states of atomically thin individual graphene oxide (GO) sheets and monitor the spatial evolution of their conducting properties during the reduction process. Because of the thinness of the GO sheets and finite carrier density, the electric field is partially screened in the reduced GO, which is manifested in the EFM phase signals. We found inhomogeneous oxidation states in as-prepared GO sheets and followed the evolution of reduction process in the individual GO sheets during both thermal and chemical reduction.

Fully solution-processed transparent conducting oxide-free counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: spray-coated single-wall carbon nanotube thin films loaded with chemically-reduced platinum nanoparticles.

We report fully solution-processed fabrication of transparent conducting oxide-free counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by combining spray-coating of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and chemical reduction of chloroplatinic acid precursor to platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) with formic acid. The power conversion efficiency of a semitransparent DSSC with such SWCNT-based CE loaded with Pt NPs is comparable to that of a control device with a conventional CE. Quantification of Pt loading shows that network morphology of entangled SWCNTs is efficient in forming and retaining chemically reduced Pt NPs.

Fully solution-processed semitransparent organic solar cells with a silver nanowire cathode and a conducting polymer anode.

We report the fabrication of efficient indium-tin-oxide-free organic solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM). All layers of the devices from the lowermost silver nanowire cathode to the uppermost conducting polymer anode are deposited from solution and processed at plastic-compatible temperatures<200 °C. Owing to the absence of an opaque metal electrode, the devices are semitransparent with potential applications in power-generating windows and tandem-cells.

Low temperature wet chemical synthesis of good optical quality vertically aligned crystalline ZnO nanorods.

The growth of ZnO nanorods on Au-coated ITO substrates using a low temperature wet chemical process is presented. Electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction observations reveal that the crystalline ZnO nanorods are preferentially oriented along the c axis. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements reveal a strong band edge emission at 382 nm, a signature of good crystallinity, with a weak and broad orange-red emission, which is typically attributed to the oxygen interstitials, in the range between 520 and 720 nm.