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Psoriasis is present in all racial groups, but in varying frequencies and severity. Considering that small plaque psoriasis is specific to the Asian population and severe psoriasis is more predominant in the Western population, we defined Asian small and intermediate plaque psoriasis as psoriasis subtypes and compared their molecular signatures with the classic subtype of Western large plaque psoriasis. Two different characteristics of psoriatic spreading-vertical growth and radial expansion-were contrasted between subtypes, and genomic data were correlated to histologic and clinical measurements. Compared with Western large plaque psoriasis, Asian small plaque psoriasis revealed limited psoriasis spreading, but IL-17A and IL-17-regulated proinflammatory cytokines were highly expressed. Paradoxically, IL-17A and IL-17-regulated proinflammatory cytokines were lower in Western large plaque psoriasis, whereas T cells and dendritic cells in total psoriatic skin area were exponentially increased. Negative immune regulators, such as CD69 and FAS, were decreased in both Western large plaque psoriasis and psoriasis with accompanying arthritis or obesity, and their expression was correlated with psoriasis severity index. Based on the disease subtype comparisons, we propose that dysregulation of T-cell expansion enabled by downregulation of immune negative regulators is the main mechanism for development of large plaque psoriasis subtypes.

Background: Numerous nonsurgical but invasive cosmetic procedures are performed blindly in the dermis or subcutaneous fat layer of the facial skin. Objectives: To measure the numerical skin thickness of the facial areas where dermatological procedures are performed by applying ultrasound techniques, and to make it possible to estimate the skin thickness by investigating the influence of several individual constitutional factors such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), so that these variables can be applied to estimate skin thickness. Materials and methods: Skin thickness was measured at eight different facial points using an ultrasound machine (Affiniti 50; Philips Inc.). Demographic data were gathered using questionnaires. Manual BMI was calculated from the weight and height of each participant, and individual BMI measurements were performed using a body composition analyzer. Results: In terms of whole skin thickness, the thickest point was the mouth corner, and the thinnest point was the lateral forehead. The thickest point in the epidermis was the chin, and the thinnest point was the nasolabial fold. The thickest point in the dermis was the corner of the mouth, and the thinnest was the lateral forehead. Full skin thickness and dermal thickness were mostly lower in females. Skin thickness was not significantly correlated with BMI. Conclusion: The skin thickness at different points on the face was variable, and realistic data about skin thickness can be obtained by in vivo ultrasonographic analysis of the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although experiments on intratracheal intubation for animals are essential for research, it remains challenging. This study aimed to validate an animal model using a flexible imaging guide system that can be conveniently and safely used as a new method to provide easy access to organs in small animals. PBS (Phosphate Buffered Saline) and PHMG (Polyhexamethylene guanidine) were administered by intratracheal intubation to 20 rodents (10 mice and 10 rats), and the changes in the lungs were observed. Results were verified using lung tissue histopathologic staining through the intratracheally administered material, which confirmed that 100% of changes in lung tissue occurred in the PHMG-injected group, where intubation was facilitated using the flexible imaging guide. The drug was conveniently and safely administered. The flexible-imaging-fiber-guide-based intratracheal drug injectable system may be conveniently used by researchers. It allows drugs to be administered quantitatively, suggesting its potential wide use in drug development and toxicity evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quick and reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based immunoassay technique, using hollow gold nanospheres (HGNs) and magnetic beads, has been developed. Here, HGNs show strong enhancement effects from individual particles because hot spots can be localized on the pinholes in the hollow particle structure. Thus, HGNs can be used for highly reproducible immunoanalysis of cancer markers. Magnetic beads were used as supporting substrates for the formation of the immunocomplex. This SERS-based immunoassay technique overcomes the problem of slow immunoreaction caused by the diffusion-limited kinetics on a solid substrate because all of the reactions occur in solution. For the validation of our SERS immunoassay, a well-known lung cancer marker, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), was used as a target marker. According to our experimental results, the limit of detection (LOD) was determined to be 1-10 pg/mL, this value being about 100-1000 times more sensitive than the LOD of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, the assay time took less than 1 h, including washing and optical detection steps.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging has been used for the targeting and imaging of specific cancer markers in live cells. For this purpose, Au/Ag core-shell nanoparticles, conjugated with monoclonal antibodies, were prepared. The procedures to label live ceils with those bimetallic nanoprobes have been developed and used for highly sensitive SERS imaging of live cells. In the present study, live HEK293 cells expressing PLC[gamma]1 have been used as the optical imaging target. Our results demonstrate the potential feasibility of SERS imaging technology for the highly sensitive imaging of cancer biomarkers in live cells.