Skin is the outermost organ and acts as a barrier between the organism and environment. Skin protects the organism from environmental insults, such as chemicals, pathogens, and UV light. Much of the protective function of skin is dependent on the epidermis, a multi-layered epithelium that is composed of various cell types such as keratinocytes and melanocytes. Keratinocytes produce protective components through a sophisticated differentiation process. Disturbance of keratinocyte differentiation is related to several skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. In this study, we prepared extract of combined medicinal plants (ECMP) consisting of Taraxacum platycarpum H. Dahlstedt, Heartleaf Houttuynia, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, and root bark of Ulmus davidiana. We demonstrated that ECMP enhanced keratinocyte differentiation and barrier functionality using an in vitro cell culture system and in vivo animal test. Treatment of cultured keratinocytes with ECMP resulted in induction of keratinocyte differentiation, as evidenced by increased differentiation markers such as involucrin, loricrin, and filaggrin. In line with these results, ECMP decreased proliferation of keratinocytes cultured in vitro. ECMP applied topically to tape-stripped mouse skins accelerated reduction of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), indicating fast recovery of barrier function. Immunohistochemistry showed that ECMP increased the filaggrin level in tape-stripped mouse skins. These results suggest that ECMP may be applicable for keratinocyte differentiation-related skin diseases.

Ankle-foot orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator, which is intended for the assistance and the enhancement of ankle muscular activities was developed. In this study, the effectiveness of the system was investigated during plantarflexion motion of ankle joint. To find a effectiveness of the system, the subjects performed maximal voluntary isokinetic plantarflexion contraction on a Biodex-dynamometer. Plantarfexion torque of the ankle joint is assisted by subject’s soleus muscle that is generated when ankle joint do plantarflexion motion. We used the muscular stiffness signal of a soleus muscle for feedback control of ankle-foot orthosis as physiological signal. For measurement of this signal, we made the muscular stiffness force sensor. We compared a muscular stiffness force of a soleus muscle between with feedback control and without it and a maximal plantarflexion torque between not wearing a ankle-foot orthosis, without feedback control wearing it and with feedback control wearing it in each ten elderly adults. The experimental result showed that a muscular stiffness force of a soleus muscle with feedback control was reduced and plantarflexion torque of an ankle joint only wearing ankle-foot orthosis was reduced but a plantarflexion torque with feedback control was increased.The amount of a increasing with feedback control is more higher than the amount of a decreasing only wearing it. Therefore, we confirmed the effectiveness of the developed ankle-foot orthosis with feedback control.