The concept of expressing acidity as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration was defined and termed pH in the beginning of the 20th century. The general usefulness of the pH concept for life science was recognized and later gained importance to analytical research. Reports on results of pH measurements from living skin established the term acid mantle - the skin's own protective shield that maintains a naturally acid pH. It is invisible to the eye but crucial to the overall wellbeing of skin. Chronic alkalization can throw this acid mantle out of balance, leading to inflammation, dermatitis, and atopic skin diseases. It is therefore no surprise, that skin pH shifts have been observed in various skin pathologies. It is also obvious that the pH in topically applied preparations may play an important role. Optimal pH and buffer capacity within topical preparations not only support stability of active ingredients and auxiliary materials, but may also increase absorption of the non-ionized species of an acidic or a basic active ingredient. They may even open up opportunities to modify and "correct" skin pH and hence accelerate barrier recovery and maintain or enhance barrier integrity. Further efforts are needed to standardize and improve pH measurements in biological media or pharmaceutical/cosmetic vehicles to increase and ensure quality, comparability, and relevance of research data. In this volume, we present a unique collection of papers that address past, present and future issues of the pH of healthy and diseased skin. It is hoped that this collection will foster future efforts in clinical and experimental skin research.

Based on careful analysis of burden of disease and the costs ofinterventions, this second edition of 'Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edition' highlights achievable priorities; measures progresstoward providing efficient, equitable care; promotes cost-effectiveinterventions to targeted populations; and encourages integrated effortsto optimize health. Nearly 500 experts - scientists, epidemiologists, health economists,academicians, and public health practitioners - from around the worldcontributed to the data sources and methodologies, and identifiedchallenges and priorities, resulting in this integrated, comprehensivereference volume on the state of health in developing countries.

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

There have always been homeless people in the United States, but their plight has only recently stirred widespread public reaction and concern. Part of this new recognition stems from the problem's prevalence: the number of homeless individuals, while hard to pin down exactly, is rising. In light of this, Congress asked the Institute of Medicine to find out whether existing health care programs were ignoring the homeless or delivering care to them inefficiently. This book is the report prepared by a committee of experts who examined these problems through visits to city slums and impoverished rural areas, and through an analysis of papers written by leading scholars in the field.

Sensitive skin is a widely reported condition where there is subjective cutaneous hyper-reactivity to environmental factors. Progress has been made in many aspects of the background science that will help clinicians in their management of patients presenting with the condition. This new text sums up the advances in thinking on pathophysiology, classification, methods of investigation, and the different susceptibilities of different types of skin.

In the early 20th century, tanned skin was associated with good health. However, people began to protect themselves against potential overexposure to avoid sunburns. Around 1945, the first sunscreen products became available. In the years to follow, a vast number of different sunscreen filters and frameworks regulating filter substances and preparations, and methods characterizing sunscreen products were developed. The perception regarding the tasks of sunscreen products changed several times – initially it was promoted as a lifestyle product, then as a skin cancer preventive means, and more recently also for anti-aging. Different purposes and the widespread use of these products have led to myriad studies and a wealth of information. In this volume, the editors present a current collection of information analyzing and discussing issues related to sunscreen products and their use. These include challenges regarding the ideal sunscreen product including filter selection and formulation issues, measurement methods, performance characterization, safety, and regulatory issues. Further papers address topics related to the use of sunscreen products in everyday life, in vulnerable cohorts and outdoor workers. Controversial topics such as environmental effects of sunscreen products and the risks and benefits of UV radiation in the context of skin cancer, vitamin D and cardiovascular and metabolic health are also covered.