Validation of the mechanism of its enhancing effect on human work performance by measuring brain function *

Sharp Corporation conducted collaborative research on its Plasmacluster technology, with Dr. Goichi Hagiwara, Associate Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Kyushu Sangyo University. When the mechanism of its enhancing effectiveness on human work performance is validated by measuring brain function, Sharp confirmed for the first time in the world, the potential to induce brain activation by exposing working people to Plasmacluster ions with positive and negative ions emitted simultaneously.

Through research using brain wave measurements, Sharp has demonstrated that its Plasmacluster technology contribute to the enhancing effectiveness on work performance (the reducing stress and maintaining the concentration of people working indoors or driving a car^{*3, 4} and the improvement of exercise training efficiency^*5,6and esports scores^*7 and so on), and this time, Sharp could approach specific mechanism for the first time.

From the results so far, Sharp considered the possibility of Plasmacluster technology effect not only on brain waves but also on blood flow (cerebral blood flow) in the prefrontal cortex, which is closely associated with concentration and cognition. Therefore, in this research, Sharp used a device to measure the changes in cerebral blood flow and then compared the changes under the following conditions: when subjects were not exposed to Plasmacluster ions (air flow only) and exposed to Plasmacluster ions. 

As a result, the changes in cerebral blood flow that occurs during brain activation was confirmed when subjects were exposed to Plasmacluster ions, and it is suggested that this brain activation by the Plasmacluster technology contribute to the mechanism of the enhancing effectiveness on human work performance.

Plasmacluster technology is an air purification technology that uses the same positive and negative ions as those present in nature. A high level of safety and various effectiveness have been confirmed by conducting tests at independent third-party testing institutions in and outside Japan for more than 20 years. With the discovery of the potential of Plasmacluster technology to induce brain activation as a turning point, Sharp will continuously conduct the verification of the effectiveness and its mechanism against the human being to enhance its reliability, and will study the additional effectiveness and applicability of Plasmacluster technology to the new field. 

n Overview of Test to Investigate the Effects of Plasmacluster Ions on Cerebral Blood Flow

        n Test conducted by: Dr. Goichi Hagiwara, Associate Professor (Kyushu Sangyo University)

•         n Test space: Laboratory in Kyushu Sangyo University (W 7.80 × D 3.40 × H 2.90 m)

        n Subjects: 24 men and women; 19 to 22 years of age

•         n Verification test apparatus: Testing devices equipped with Plasmacluster technology、NIRS Brain                         Measuring Device

        n Test conditions:  a. Plasmacluster ions OFF (air flow only)

•         b. Plasmacluster ions ON (simultaneous exposure to positive and negative ions)  
•         n Plasmacluster Ion density: Approx. 100,000 ions/cm³ at the positions of subjects 
•         n Test method:
  •             1.  A NIRS Brain Measuring Device was fitted onto each subject.
  •             2. The subjects colored picture under each test condition, and testing devices were halted after a                            predetermined period of time.
  •                3. The changes in cerebral blood flow were checked and compared for the respective test conditions.
• 

                    Fig. 1 Testing device layout Image                                                                            Fig. 2 Image of Testing

• Results: 

• • Cerebral blood flow which the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration increased and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration decreased was confirmed under the Plasmacluster ions ON condition. This suggested that brain activation may have occurred since the change is observed when brain activity occurs. 

  It is thought that this contributes to the mechanism of the enhancing effectiveness on human work performance by the Plasmacluster technology that has previously been verified.

   ※Oxy-Hb：Hemoglobin with bound oxygen、give oxygen to brain tissue

  ※Deoxy-Hb：Hemoglobin after delivering oxygen、back to lungs and receive oxygen

• 

  Research Institutes That Provided Data for Sharp’s Academic Marketing

  Target	Testing and Verification Organization
  Working mechanism of its enhancing effect on work performance	Kyushu Sangyo University, Department of Sport Science and Health, Faculty of Human Sciences
  Working mechanism of inhibitory effects on viruses, fungi, and bacteria	Professor Gerhard Artmann, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany
  Working mechanism of inhibitory effects on allergens	Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University
  Working mechanism of skin moisturizing (water molecule coating) effect	Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University
  Efficacy proven in clinical trials	Kyushu Sangyo University, Department of Sport Science and Health, Faculty of Human Sciences
  	National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya
  	Shibaura Institute of Technology, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Department of Machinery and Control Systems
  	Littlesoftware Inc.
  	Dentsu ScienceJam Inc.
  	Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo / Public Health Research Foundation
  	Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University / Clinical Research Support Center, University Hospital, University of Tokyo
  	National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Georgia
  	Animal Clinical Research Foundation
  	Soiken Inc.
  	School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology
  	National Trust Co., Ltd. / HARG Treatment Center
  Evaluation of effects on cells	Columbia University, Department of Medicine
  Viruses	Kitasato Research Center of Environmental Sciences
  	Seoul National University
  	Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
  	Kitasato Institute Medical Center Hospital
  	Retroscreen Virology, Ltd., UK
  	Shokukanken Inc.
  	University of Indonesia
  	Hanoi College of Technology, Vietnam National University, Vietnam
  	Institut Pasteur, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  	National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University
  	Department of Microbiology, Shimane University, Faculty of Medicine
  	Columbia University, Department of Medicine
  Fungi	Ishikawa Health Service Association
  	University of Lübeck, Germany
  	Professor Gerhard Artmann, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany
  	Japan Food Research Laboratories
  	Shokukanken Inc.
  	Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
  	Biostir Inc.
  	Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University
  Bacteria	Ishikawa Health Service Association
  	Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
  	Kitasato Research Center of Environmental Sciences
  	Kitasato Institute Medical Center Hospital
  	Dr. Melvin W. First, Professor Emeritus, Harvard School of Public Health, US
  	Animal Clinical Research Foundation
  	University of Lübeck, Germany
  	Professor Gerhard Artmann, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany
  	Japan Food Research Laboratories
  	Shokukanken Inc.
  	Chest Disease Institute, Thailand
  	Biostir Inc.
  Allergens	Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University
  	Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University
  Safety	LSI Medience Corporation
  Odors, pet smells	Boken Quality Evaluation Institute
  	Animal Clinical Research Foundation
  Skin beautifying effects	School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology
  Hair beautifying effects	Saticine Medical Co., Ltd.
  	C.T.C Japan Ltd.
  Plant	Facility of Agriculture, Shizuoka University
  Hazardous chemical substances	Sumika Chemical Analysis Service Ltd.
  	Indian Institutes of Technology Delhi