scholarly journals Consumer Preference of Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Stretch Marks: Systematic Product Search

10.2196/18295 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e18295
Author(s):  
Pengyi Zhu ◽  
Andrew Fung ◽  
Benjamin K P Woo
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Centella Asiatica ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Shea Butter ◽  
Striae Distensae ◽  
Vehicle Type ◽  
Stretch Marks ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Sample Proportion ◽  
Distressing Condition

Background Striae distensae, or stretch marks, are a common and distressing condition affecting females two-and-a-half times more frequently than males. Despite the numerous products available for stretch mark prevention and treatment, there have been few studies that consider consumer product preference. Objective The aim of this study was to determine which products were preferred by consumers for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks based on product vehicle and product ingredients. Methods In January 2020, a search was conducted on internet retailer Amazon for products related to stretch marks. The top products were identified as those with 100 reviews or greater and a rating of 4 or higher. The products were classified as either stretch mark–specific or non stretch mark–specific. Price, rating, type of vehicle, and specific ingredients of both product groups were compared. Vehicle-type and ingredients in both product groups were compared with two-tailed two-sample proportion tests to determine if certain vehicles or ingredients were more likely to be found in stretch mark–specific products. P<.05 indicated statistical significance. Results Out of over 10,000 products, 184 were selected as the top products according to the review and rating criteria of which 117 (63.6%) were stretch mark–specific and 67 (36.4%) were non stretch mark–specific. Oil was the most common vehicle (131/184, 71.2%) while vitamin E was the most common ingredient (58/184, 31.5%). Oil, as a vehicle, was more likely to be found in stretch mark–specific products than in non stretch mark–specific products (P=.001). Olive oil (P=.02) and cocoa butter (P=.08), Centella asiatica (P=.01), and shea butter (P=.003) were the ingredients more likely to be found in stretch mark–specific products than in non stretch mark–specific products. Conclusions This study demonstrated that there are many products available for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks and identified specific ingredients in the products preferred by customers. There are few studies investigating the effectiveness of the major ingredients in the stretch mark products that are preferred by consumers. Future studies can focus on the effectiveness of the ingredients found in the products that are preferred by consumers.

scholarly journals Consumer Preference of Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Stretch Marks: Systematic Product Search (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengyi Zhu ◽  
Andrew Fung ◽  
Benjamin K P Woo
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Centella Asiatica ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Shea Butter ◽  
Striae Distensae ◽  
Vehicle Type ◽  
Stretch Marks ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Sample Proportion ◽  
Distressing Condition

BACKGROUND Striae distensae, or stretch marks, are a common and distressing condition affecting females two-and-a-half times more frequently than males. Despite the numerous products available for stretch mark prevention and treatment, there have been few studies that consider consumer product preference. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine which products were preferred by consumers for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks based on product vehicle and product ingredients. METHODS In January 2020, a search was conducted on internet retailer Amazon for products related to stretch marks. The top products were identified as those with 100 reviews or greater and a rating of 4 or higher. The products were classified as either stretch mark–specific or non stretch mark–specific. Price, rating, type of vehicle, and specific ingredients of both product groups were compared. Vehicle-type and ingredients in both product groups were compared with two-tailed two-sample proportion tests to determine if certain vehicles or ingredients were more likely to be found in stretch mark–specific products. <i>P</i>&lt;.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS Out of over 10,000 products, 184 were selected as the top products according to the review and rating criteria of which 117 (63.6%) were stretch mark–specific and 67 (36.4%) were non stretch mark–specific. Oil was the most common vehicle (131/184, 71.2%) while vitamin E was the most common ingredient (58/184, 31.5%). Oil, as a vehicle, was more likely to be found in stretch mark–specific products than in non stretch mark–specific products (<i>P</i>=.001). Olive oil (<i>P</i>=.02) and cocoa butter (<i>P</i>=.08), <i>Centella asiatica</i> (<i>P</i>=.01), and shea butter (<i>P</i>=.003) were the ingredients more likely to be found in stretch mark–specific products than in non stretch mark–specific products. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that there are many products available for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks and identified specific ingredients in the products preferred by customers. There are few studies investigating the effectiveness of the major ingredients in the stretch mark products that are preferred by consumers. Future studies can focus on the effectiveness of the ingredients found in the products that are preferred by consumers.

Postpartum stretch marks treated with Centella asiatica cream: report of efficacy from a pilot registry study

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2 Suppl 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Togni ◽  
Giada Maramaldi ◽  
Ivan Pagin ◽  
Antonella Riva ◽  
Roberto Eggenhoffner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Centella Asiatica ◽  
Registry Study ◽  
Stretch Marks

scholarly journals Nonprescription Products of Internet Retailers for the Prevention and Management of Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia: Analysis of Consumer Reviews on Amazon

10.2196/24971 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e24971
Author(s):  
Pengyi Zhu ◽  
Benjamin K P Woo
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Zoster ◽  
Postherpetic Neuralgia ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Aloe Vera ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Lemon Balm ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Care Costs

Background Herpes zoster affects approximately 1 million people annually in the United States, with postherpetic neuralgia as the most common complication. The frequent prescription of opioids as the first-line medication for herpes zoster or postherpetic neuralgia contributes to the increasing health care costs of their treatment. Despite the advent of internet retailers providing alternative products for the prevention and management these conditions, there are limited studies on the availability, ingredients, and consumer preference for the products. Objective This study used the internet retailer Amazon to determine the availability of products for the management of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia, and assessed consumer preference based on listed ingredients. Methods The internet retailer Amazon was used to perform a search for products related to “shingles” in September 2020. Top products sorted by reviews and ratings were determined to be either shingles-specific (including “shingles” in either the product title or description) or shingles-nonspecific. Analysis of price, rating, type of vehicle, and ingredients was performed. The types of vehicles, ingredients, and percentages of positive and negative reviews related to “shingles” of the product groups were analyzed with a two-tailed two-sample proportions Z-test to assess the difference between shingles-specific and shingles-nonspecific products. Statistical significance was judged at P<.05. Results The top 131 products among over 3000 products retrieved were determined based on a rating of 4 or more stars after searching for the term “shingles” on Amazon. Forty-six of the 131 products (35.1%) were shingles-specific. Shingles-nonspecific products were more likely to have positive reviews mentioning “shingles” (P=.005). Vehicles, balms (P=.02), and salves (P=.04) were more likely to be shingles-specific, whereas tablets or capsules (P=.002) were more likely to be shingles-nonspecific. Among the ingredients analyzed, aloe vera was the top-ranked ingredient, included in 29 of the 131 total products (22.1%). Aloe vera (P=.01), lemon balm (P<.001), vitamin E (P=.03), and peppermint oil (P=.008) were more likely to be included in the shingles-specific products, whereas magnesium (P=.01) was more likely to be included in shingles-nonspecific products. Conclusions There is an abundance of products and ingredients being used for the management and treatment of shingles with certain ingredients preferred by consumers. There is a discrepancy between approved ingredients and the ingredients preferred by consumers. Furthermore, there are insufficient studies on ingredients used by consumers on internet retailers such as Amazon, and future studies can focus on the effectiveness of popular ingredients to decrease misinformation on the internet.

Effect of Centella asiatica Supplementation on Striatum Function in Mice According to Various Developing Stages

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 6112-6116
Author(s):  
Ray Wijaya ◽  
Nurhadi Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Glutathione Peroxidase ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Centella Asiatica ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Initiation Time ◽  
Significant Elevation ◽  
Glutathione Peroxidase Activity ◽  
Mature Period

This study is directed to investigate the ‘golden period’ of herbal Centella asiatica (CA) administration towards striatum’s function and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) concentration to achieve its maximum efficacy during various developmental stages of prepubertal, postpubertal, adolescent and young mature period. Mices of age 5, 8 ,12, and 15 weeks old were put into control group. CA aqueous extract with dose of 100 mg/kgBW/day was administered to CA groups of age 5–12, 5–15 and 8–15 weeks old. At the end of intervention, striatums were collected, homogenized and centrifuged at 3500 rpm. Glutathione peroxidase activity was observed using Randox kit at wavelength 340 nm. Behaviour initiation time was recorded using Paired-Associative-Cognitive-Test while mice tried to solve a maze with food as reward stimuli. GPx concentrations were found to increase in all CA-consuming groups with CA 5-12 having significant elevation (p = 0.032). Mice given CA supplementation also spent lesser time in solving the maze with statistical significance found in group CA 5-12 (p = 0.029). Overall, mice given C. asiatica supplementation at earlier developmental stage have greater benefits compared to those who obtain the intervention in later developing period, reflected by greater GPx concentration in striatum and faster record in solving the maze.

Feasibility Study on Applying a Single Loop-Based Vehicle Detector

2013 ◽  
Vol 787 ◽  
pp. 471-477
Author(s):  
Kyung Won Park ◽  
Sung Han Lim
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Traffic Volume ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Single Loop ◽  
Vehicle Type ◽  
Traffic Data Collection ◽  
Economical Feasibility

This study is intended to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a single loop-based vehicle detector in preparation for installing the device for permanent traffic volume counts by segment. Existing AVC comprises two loop sensors and one piezo sensor which are costly for installation. Should the vehicle classifications be similar within the section, reliable traffic data collection would be possible using a single-loop alone, which needs to be evaluated. For this, traffic volume and vehicle classifications collected by two AVCs within a section were analyzed with cost-benefit analysis for analyzing the feasibility of applying a single loop-based vehicle detector . As a result of comparing and analyzing the vehicle type ratio in 36 sections where two AVCs are installed respectively, 90% of the total showed the error rate 15% or less, and according to T-test and correlation analysis result, no statistical significance between two locations in vehicle type ratio was found. According to economical feasibility analysis, B/C 12.19, NPV 474.0 bil and IRR 196%. Thus, collection of vehicle type ratio from one AVC in the section and installation of a singl loop-based vehicle detector in a single section would produce more efficient and cost effective count. Further study on cost and benefit through more intensive statistical analysis would be necessary in the coming days.

scholarly journals Physical, Proximate and Sensory Properties of Cake Produced using Shea Butter as Shortening

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-23
Author(s):  
Osunrinade Oludolapo A. ◽  
Azeez Abibat O. ◽  
Babalola Kafayat A. ◽  
Bamisaye Yemisi O.
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Evaluation ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Ash Content ◽  
Sensory Properties ◽  
Crude Fiber ◽  
Shea Butter ◽  
Content Increase ◽  
Standard Methods ◽  
Food Components ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Shea butter is the under-consumed vegetable fat and oil. Making shea butter a part of food components in confectionaries would increase its utilization. Objective: In this study, the cake was produced by incorporating shea butter as shortening. Methods: Shea butter to margarine ratio was 100: 0, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, and 0:100%, and additional cake samples were produced using flashed shea butter. Standard methods determined the physical and proximate properties of the cake samples, while 25-member panelists did the sensory evaluation. Statistical significance was done at p<0.05. The height, weight, and volume of the cake samples ranged from 3.2 to 3.9 cm, 39 to 50 g, and 625 cm3 to 1026 cm3, respectively. The ranges of moisture, fat, protein, carbohydrate, crude fiber, and the ash content of cakes were 13.7-17.3, 24.3- 30.7, 4.4-8.6, 43-50, 0.10-1.10, and 2.9-3.9%, respectively. The energy value of cake samples in kcal ranged from 440 to 471. Results: There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the height and volume of the cakes produced from 100% shea butter and 100% margarine. The fat, crude fiber, and ash content increase with the increase in Shea butter substitution. There was no significant difference in the taste and appearance of cake samples from 100%, 70%, 60%, and 50% margarine. Conclusion: Cake samples produced with 60% margarine and 40% shea butter were the most liked by the consumers. Acceptable cakes can be produced by the inclusion of up to 50% shea butter as part of the shortening.

scholarly journals Epidemiology, Microbiology and Outcomes of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection and Complicated Urinary Tract Infection in the USA

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S348-S348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay Merchant ◽  
Eric M Sarpong ◽  
Glenn Magee ◽  
Nancy Lapointe ◽  
Jake Gundrum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Tract Infection ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Tract Infection ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Complicated Urinary Tract Infection ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Comorbidity Burden ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Present On Admission

Abstract Background An estimated 93,300 cases of healthcare-associated urinary tract infection (UTI) were recorded in US acute care hospitals in 2011. Many are classified as catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) or complicated UTI (cUTI). Although CAUTI and cUTI share some commonalities, strategies differ for their prevention and treatment. We examined the epidemiology, microbiology and outcome of patients with CAUTI and cUTI in a large multicenter US database. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using the 2013–2015 Premier Healthcare Database. ICD-9-CM codes were used to identify hospitalized adults (≥18 years) with CAUTI or cUTI. The demographics, clinical characteristics, microbiology, and hospital outcomes of all identified patients were compared. Differences between groups were examined using χ2 test for categorical variables and Student’s t-test for continuous variables. Statistical significance was set at&#x2028;P ≤ 0.05. Results Of 120,332 identified patients, 50,034 (41.6%) had CAUTI (87.0% present on admission [POA]) and the remainder had cUTI [95.3% POA]. Patients with CAUTI were older (71.3 ± 16.1 vs. 56.3 ± 19.5 years) and more likely to be male (62.5% vs. 30.6%) and white (71.6% vs. 66.7%) (all P &lt; 0.001). They also had greater comorbidity burden (Charlson Comorbidity Index of 2.8 ± 2.4 vs. 1.7 ± 2.2) and a higher ICU care rate (23.2% vs. 17.8%) than cUTI patients (all P &lt; 0.001). Although Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen in both (69.8% cUTI vs. 39.5% CAUTI), Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounted for one quarter of all CAUTIs and only 5.0% of cUTIs. Compared with cUTI, CAUTI carried a &gt;2-fold increase in unadjusted mortality (3.6% vs. 1.6%) and a higher rate of 30-day readmission (3.9% vs. 2.5%) (all P &lt; 0.001). Additionally, CAUTI was associated with a greater unadjusted ICU length of stay (LOS, 6.0 ± 8.8 vs. 5.5 ± 5.5 days), hospital LOS (8.4 ± 12.9 vs. 5.5 ± 6.4 days) and cost ($16,871+$29,513 vs. $11,915 ± $19,657) (all P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion The volume of CAUTI and cUTI hospitalizations in the US is high, and a majority of infections were present on admission. CAUTI is associated with greater mortality and resource use than cUTI. The high rate of P aeruginosa portends a greater potential for antimicrobial resistance in CAUTI, which may require different prevention and treatment approaches from cUTI. Disclosures S. Merchant, 1Merck & Co., Inc.: Employee and Shareholder, Salary E. M. Sarpong, Merck & Co., Inc.: Employee and Shareholder, Salary M. Zilberberg, EviMed Research Group, LLC,; Universtiy of Massachusetts: Shareholder, Research grant

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