Patent Application
20150149318
This invention relates to a computer-based system and method for determining and displaying the metabolic energy of skin cells of an individual, based on a set of biological data collected from the individual, which include but are not limited to: skin wrinkling, skin texture, skin pigmentation, skin hydration, age, UV exposure, and/or health habits. This invention also relates to a system and method for making recommendations of skin care products to consumers based on their corresponding skin energy score so computed.
Recent developments of various state-of-the-art skin imaging technologies have made it easier and faster for medical professionals and researchers to visualize skin cells and assess their physiological and metabolic conditions. For example, two-dimensional digital dermatoscopic images can be obtained by CCD cameras and image processing software. Ultra-sound and OCT systems enable capture of three-dimensional images from the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin. Multi-photon tomography is a novel multi-dimensional imaging technology that employs fluorescence and second harmonic generation to achieve sub-cellular resolution without having to stain the tissue. It takes advantage of certain endogenous fluorophores, such as NADP(H), flavines, elastin, collagen, and melanin, and relies on the fluorescence thereby to achieve function imaging of deep-tissue cells and their cellular compartments (see, Karsten König, Clinical Multiphoton Tomography, J
Despite the availability of such in-depth visualization methods and tools, it is still costly and time-consuming to evaluate and assess the skin condition of an individual on the sub-cellular level, especially the metabolic energy of the skin cells of such individual. Particularly, these methods and tools are limited to usage in the research laboratories, and they are not suitable for real-time, over-the-counter evaluation and assessment of the skin condition of a consumer.
Therefore, there is still a need for an improved system and method for faster and more cost-effective skin evaluation and assessment, which can be used to carry out a real-time, over-the-counter evaluation and assessment of the skin condition of individual consumers.
More specifically, there is a need for a market-friendly system and method for determining and displaying the metabolic energy of the skin cells of individual consumers on the sales counters of skincare or cosmetic products, so as to enable customized recommendations for skincare or cosmetic products based on the determined metabolic energy of the skin cells of the individual consumers.
The present invention provides a computer-based system and method for faster and more cost-effective evaluation and assessment of the metabolic energy of skin cells of a particular individual.
In a particular embodiment, the present invention is related to a system for determining and displaying the metabolic energy of skin cells, which includes:
In another embodiment, the present invention is related to method for determining and displaying the metabolic energy of skin cells, which contains the steps of:
The above-described system and method may further involve devices or steps for making recommendations of cosmetic or skin care products based on the skin energy score so calculated.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”
The present invention provides a computer-based system for determining and displaying the metabolic energy of skin cells of individuals in a fast and cost-effective manner, so as to enable use of such system over in-store sales counters to support real-time skin energy diagnosis of customers, as well as to support the marketing effort for corresponding cosmetic and skincare products that may help to energize and rejuvenate the skin of such customers.
In order to do so, the present invention proposes to calculate a skin energy score that is indicative of the metabolic energy of the skin cells of an individual. The skin energy score is calculated by a function that factors in various biological data collected from the individual customer, such as, for example, skin wrinkling, skin texture, skin pigmentation, skin hydration, age, UV exposure, and/or health habits. The skin energy score-calculating function is in turn established by empirical studies that correlate one or more or all of the above-listed biological data collected from a sample population of individuals with the metabolic energy level measured in the skin cell samples collected from such individuals. Because actual measurement of the metabolic energy level in the skin cells of the individual customer is so costly and time-consuming as to prohibit the use thereof in real market places, the present invention utilizes an empirically derived function to calculate the skin energy score, thereby effectively eliminating the need for actual skin energy measurement.
The skin metabolic energy can be measured by detecting the concentration and/or distribution of one or more biomarkers that is known to be involved in one of the cellular metabolic pathways of the human skin cells. Such biomarkers include, but are not limited to, NADP(H), flavines, elastin, collagen, melanin, protoprophyrin IX monomers, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), IL-1α, ATP, and the like.
The concentration and/or distribution of such biomarkers can be readily detected by various methods and techniques known in the art, which include both conventional biochemical assays such as capillary electrophoresis, cycling assays, high performance liquid chromatography analyses, and spectrophotometric assays (e.g., luciferase-based liquid scintillation spectrometric assays), and recently developed methods such as confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, one/two/multi-photon tomography, and the like.
In a preferred, but not necessary, embodiment of the present invention, a NADP(H)-based two-photon tomography method is used to measure the skin metabolic energy level. The mitochondrial co-enzyme NADP(H) is an endogenous fluorophore present in mitochondria, and it plays a pivotal role in cell energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Autofluorescence of NADP(H) can be excited using distinct wavelengths for complementary imaging methods and is sensitive to protein binding and local environment. Therefore, NADP(H) is a particularly preferred biomarker for skin metabolic energy level. In-vivo two-photon tomography developed by JenLab GmbH (Germany) is a new in-depth skin visualization technique that is particularly useful for detecting and measuring the concentration and distribution of NADP(H) and/or keratohyalin at high resolution, thereby enabling a detailed precise look into the skin (see, Karsten Konig, Clinical Multiphoton Tomography, J
In order to explore the correlation between the metabolic energy levels of skin cells from an individual and various biological data that may affect the skin metabolic energy, such as, for example, skin wrinkling, skin texture, skin pigmentation, skin hydration, age, UV exposure, health habits, and the like, empirical studies can be designed to: (1) collect skin cell samples from a sample population of individuals; (2) measure the metabolic energy levels in such skin cell samples, e.g., by using the two-photon NADP(H) tomography or some other suitable methodologies; (3) measure the skin conditions of such individuals, such as skin wrinkling, skin texture (e.g., elasticity and/or firmness), skin pigmentation (e.g., spots, tone, radiance, translucence, etc.), skin hydration, and the like; and (4) gather information from such individuals by verbal or written inquiry regarding age, UV exposure (e.g., frequency and duration of outdoor exposure and sunscreen habits), health habits (e.g., exercise habits, dietary habits, smoking/drinking habits, etc.), and the like.
Statistical methods well known in the art can then be used to define the correlation between the metabolic energy levels of skin cells from an individual and one or more or all of the above-described biological data. A suitable statistical method is a regression analysis is carried out to define such correlation. More preferably, a multivariate linear regression analysis is conducted to define correlation between the metabolic energy levels and the biological data as independent variables.
Specifically, an empirical study was conducted to take measurements of NADP(H) levels in granular cell samples collected from a sample group of 80 healthy Japanese females (n=80), using the two-photon tomographic technique. Further, the skin wrinkling, skin texture, skin pigmentation, and skin hydration of such individuals were measured using an APSII-100 Aramo portable scanner commercially available from Aram-Huvis (Korea). Various other skin measurement devices well known in the art can also be used to take the skin measurements.
The measured NADP(H) levels in granular cell samples collected from a sample group were then correlated with their ages. Specifically,
Such a linear regression function can be further expanded to include additional variants to form a linear multi-variant regression function. For example, additional biological information collected from the sample population of 80 healthy Japanese females, including the skin conditions such as skin wrinkling, skin texture (e.g., elasticity and/or firmness), skin pigmentation (e.g., spots, tone, radiance, translucence, etc.), skin hydration, and the like, and life-style choices such as UV exposure (e.g., frequency and duration of outdoor exposure and sunscreen habits), health habits (e.g., exercise habits, dietary habits, smoking/drinking habits, etc.), and the like, can be included to establish the multi-variant regression function, thereby achieving better prediction of NADP(H) levels.
The biological data, including the skin conditions and life-style choices of the individual, can be collected by any means known in the art, which are suitable for the practice of the present application. For example, the age and life-style choice information can be readily collected through a questionnaire or a survey, which can be in either paper form or electronic form and can be provided either on site or transmitted remotely (i.e., through telephone, facsimile, or internet). If the questionnaire or survey is in an electronic form, it can be filled out by the individual user either on site (i.e., at the cosmetic or skincare product sales counter) or remotely (i.e., at the individual user's office or home). The skin condition information can be collected by using either a hand-held device specifically designed to carry out certain skin measurements, such as the APSII-100 Aramo Portable Scanner, or a personal computer equipped with a digital camera for taking digital images of the individual user's skin and computer software for analyzing the skin conditions based on such digital images.
Once the function or correlation between the metabolic energy levels of skin cells from an individual and one or more of the biological data is established, a skin energy score can be correspondingly calculated as a parameter indicative of the skin metabolic energy of the individual.
For example, a scaled skin energy score of up to 100 can be calculated as the weighted sum of the individual's age, skin conditions, and life-style choices, while the weight allocated to each of these variables is determined by either the coefficient associated with it in the empirically established linear regression function described hereinabove, or the estimated impact it has on an individual's skin. Preferably, but not necessarily, the weights allocated to all of these biological data are determined by the coefficients associated with them in the empirically established multi-variant linear regression function described hereinabove.
In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a skin energy score (SK) of up to 100 is calculated according to the following function:
SK=A+B+C
wherein A is the weighted age-based prediction value for the granular cell NADP(H) level, B is the weighted life-style choice score, and C is the weighted skin condition score.
First, the weighted age-based predicted value for the granular cell NADP(H) level A is calculated as (−0.234×Age+48.442)×0.8297, which is derived from the empirically established linear regression function between age and granular cell NADP(H) as shown in
The weighted life-style choice score B is calculated based on the following table:
The weighted skin condition score C is calculated based on the following table:
Therefore, for an individual with age, skin conditions, and life-style choices as described hereinabove, the calculated total skin energy score (SK) is the sum of A, B, and C, which is approximately 81.9.
The algorithm for calculating the skin energy score as described hereinabove can be implemented into a software program, thereby enabling computer-aided automatic calculation of the skin energy score. A computer-based system equipped with such a software program and one or more biological data collection devices, such as the APSII-100 Aramo Portable Scanner or a digital camera, can then be readily used at the sales counters of cosmetic and skincare products to conduct real-time, cost-effective analysis of the skin cellular metabolic energy of an individual customer.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
