Equivalence of face and volar forearm for the testing of moisturizing and firming effect of cosmetics in hydration and biomechanical studies

The objective of the study was to compare measurements of skin hydration and of biomechanical properties performed on different zones of face and volar forearm. Two short-term (1 h) and two long-term (3 weeks) studies were conducted with a moisturizing and a firming product, respectively, on groups of female volunteers with dry skin. Measurements (Corneometer) and Dermal Torque Meter or DTM were performed on different zones of the face and of the volar forearm, 1 h after product application, and after 1, 2 and 3 weeks of repeated twice daily application. While the sebaceous-gland rich T-zone behaves differently, probably due to sebum/skin, sebum/product and/or sebum/measuring device interactions, there are no statistically significant differences between measurements made on temple, cheek, maxilla and volar forearm. The volar forearm is representative of the face for measuring skin hydration and biomechanical properties, and relevant for the assessment of the efficacy of cosmetic products destined for facial use.     

Studies of moisture transport processes in compressed porous bodies

Describes a radioisotope tracer method and the corresponding apparatus, and reports the results of determinations of the characteristic pore structure and hydraulic properties of capillary-porous bodies under compression. Studies the mechanism of removal of water from porous materials (peat) compressed at different pressures.     

Distinction of emotions according to the speech melody and various problems of group psychotherapy

The paper deals with the capability of the people to determine the emotional condition of other people from their acoustic-phonetic speech level. The test persons were asked to classify the speech samples of 23 patients with psychic affections who were in different emotional states into certain categories (rage, apathy, excitement, high spirits, etc.). It is pointed out that the ability to understand the emotional condition of a patient must absolutely exist in the psychotherapeutically working physician. This method seems to make an objectivation of important basic variables of the psychotherapeutic process possible.     

’Reachability’ in converged IMS services — a BT Alcatel-Lucent collaboration

BT has commenced the switch-over to its 21st Century Network — an all-IP based network which will reduce costs and provide a more ‘innovation-friendly’ platform where exciting new services can be rolled out much more quickly and cost effectively. Increasing computing power and openness on the client device coupled with the move to an IP environment fundamentally alters the competitive landscape for service provision, making it much harder to control the customer’s service experience. Further complexity is introduced by convergence — the requirement for services to run across a multitude of networks and devices. The challenge is to create an infrastructure capable of delivering the exciting new own-build and third-party converged services users want while preserving ease of use and security. The IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) element of the 21CN architecture is a key enabler in reaching these goals. Alcatel-Lucent is a vendor with a strong track-record both in supplying IMS products and in ongoing research activities, considering improvements and extensions to the current IMS standards. This paper summarises activities to date in a research collaboration between BT and Alcatel-Lucent which is looking at the area of improved intelligence in the provision of converged services over an IMS architecture. The collaboration utilises capabilities produced by Alcatel-Lucent’s research department called the Reachability Server to implement a number of novel converged service scenarios. The paper introduces the Reachability Server, describes the collaboration, summarises the scenario implementation work completed to date and presents a number of conclusions and observations.