Comparison of two skin imaging analysis instruments: The VISIA® from Canfield vs the ANTERA 3D® CS from Miravex.

BACKGROUND: The skin imaging analysis instruments are widely used to record and measure the surface and subsurface skin conditions. The main aim of this study is to reveal the differences and correlations in measuring wrinkle, skin texture, coloration/evenness, vascular features, and pore between two commercially available instruments. METHODS: Twenty-eight subjects were enrolled in the study. A 2*2 cm cardboard was used to make sure the two instruments analyze the same area. Pictures were taken and analyzed by the VISIA® from Canfield and the ANTERA 3D® CS from Miravex, in sequence. RESULTS: The spot, ultraviolet spot, brown spot, red area, texture values measured with VISIA® were positively correlated with age, while the pore and wrinkle values showed no significance. The wrinkle, texture, melanin, hemoglobin, pore index, pore volume values measured with ANTERA 3D® had a significantly positive correlation with age. The spot, brown spot values from VISIA® were positively correlated with the melanin value from ANTERA 3D® . Texture value measured with the two instruments revealed positive linear correlation. Strong correlation was found between the red area value from VISIA® and the hemoglobin value from ANTERA 3D® . Ultraviolet spot from VISIA® showed no linear correlation with the melanin value from ANTERA 3D® . Neither of the wrinkle and pore measured with the two instruments showed linear correlation. CONCLUSIONS: ANTERA 3D® relies on multidirectional illumination obtained by LEDs of different wavelengths from different directions which make it advanced at the qualitative evaluation of various dermatologic conditions. Compared with VISIA® , ANTERA 3D® is more sensitive in the assessment of wrinkle and it may also be available to evaluate the aging-related enlarged pore.

Expression and clinical significance of miR-181a and miR-203 in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

OBJECTIVE: MiR-181a plays a critical role in modulating T cell and B cell differentiation, as well as immune response. Its abnormal expression probably participates in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). MiR-203 is involved in regulating Toll-like receptor and inducing immune tolerance. Abnormal expression or function of miR-203 is related to multiple auto-immune diseases but its role in SLE remains unclear. This study, thus, investigated the serum level of miR-181a and miR-203, to analyze their roles in diagnosing and evaluating SLE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: SLE patients were recruited from our hospital, and divided into non-active and active SLE based on disease activity index, along with healthy individuals. qRT-PCR was used to quantify the serum miR-181a and miR-203 expression, and their correlation with clinical features. ROC was used to evaluate the diagnostic value on SLE, while survival curves were compared to show progression-free survival (PFS) between populations with high and low expression. RESULTS: SLE patients had significantly higher serum levels of miR-181a and lower miR-203, both of which were correlated with SLE activity. Expression levels of miR-181a and miR-203 were correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, anti-dsDNA antibody, complements, and SLEDAI score. Their expression levels had certain values in the differential diagnosis for active SLE (AUC=0.885 and 0.843). PFS in miR-181a high-expression individuals was lower than that in the low-miR-181 group (χ2=7.474, p=0.029). Whilst, miR-203 high-expression SLE patients had higher PFS than low-expression group (χ2=4.367, p=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: SLE patients had higher miR-181a and lower miR-203 expression, which thus may have critical implications in disease diagnosis and evaluation.

The basal translation rate of authentic HIV-1 RNA is regulated by 5'UTR nt-pairings at junction of R and U5.

The paradigm protein synthesis rate is regulated by structural complexity of the 5'untranslated region (UTR) derives from bacterial and other riboswitches. In-solution, HIV-1 5'UTR forms two interchangeable long-range nucleotide (nt) -pairings, one sequesters the gag start codon promoting dimerization while the other sequesters the dimer initiation signal preventing dimerization. While the effect of these nt-pairings on dimerization and packaging has been documented their effect on authentic HIV translation in cellulo has remained elusive until now. HIVNL4-3 5'UTR substitutions were designed to individually stabilize the dimer-prone or monomer-prone conformations, validated in-solution, and introduced to molecular clones. The effect of 5'UTR conformation on ribosome loading to HIV unspliced RNA and rate of Gag polypeptide synthesis was quantified in cellulo. Monomer- and dimer-prone 5'UTRs displayed equivalent, basal rate of translation. Gain-of-function substitution U103, in conjunction with previously defined nt-pairings that reorient AUG to flexible nt-pairing, significantly activated the translation rate, indicating the basal translation rate is under positive selection. The observed translation up-mutation focuses attention to nt-pairings at the junction of R and U5, a poorly characterized structure upstream of the characterized HIV riboswitch and demonstrates the basal translation rate of authentic HIV RNA is regulated independently of monomer:dimer equilibrium of the 5'UTR.