Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease in which keratinocytes proliferate abnormally due to excessive immune action. Psoriasis can be associated with various comorbidities and has a significant impact on health-related quality of life. Although many systemic treatments, including biologic agents, have been developed, topical treatment remains the main option for psoriasis management. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop topical treatments with minimal side effects and high efficacy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit excellent immune regulation, anti-inflammatory activities, and therapeutic effects, and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as crucial mediators of functional transfer from MSCs. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a safe and easy-to-use emulsion cream for treating psoriasis using MSC conditioned media (CM) containing EVs. We developed an enhanced Wharton’s jelly MSC (WJ-MSC) culture method through a three-dimensional (3D) culture containing exogenous transforming growth factor-β3. Using the 3D culture system, we obtained CM from WJ-MSCs, which yielded a higher EV production compared to that of conventional WJ-MSC culture methods, and investigated the effect of EV-enriched 3D-WJMSC-CM cream on psoriasis-related inflammation. Administration of the EV-enriched 3D-WJ-MSC-CM cream significantly reduced erythema, thickness, and scaling of skin lesions, alleviated imiquimod-induced psoriasiform lesions in mice, and ameliorated histopathological changes in mouse skin. The upregulated mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-17a, IL-22, IL-23, and IL-36, decreased in the lesions. In conclusion, we present here a new topical treatment for psoriasis using an MSC EV-enriched cream.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease in which keratinocytes proliferate abnormally due to excessive immune action. Psoriasis can be associated with various comorbidities and has a significant impact on health-related quality of life. Although many systemic treatments, including biologic agents, have been developed, topical treatment remains the main option for psoriasis management. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop topical treatments with minimal side effects and high efficacy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit excellent immune regulation, anti-inflammatory activities, and therapeutic effects, and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as crucial mediators of functional transfer from MSCs. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a safe and easy-to-use emulsion cream for treating psoriasis using MSC conditioned media (CM) containing EVs. We developed an enhanced Wharton’s jelly MSC (WJ-MSC) culture method through a three-dimensional (3D) culture containing exogenous transforming growth factor-β3. Using the 3D culture system, we obtained CM from WJ-MSCs, which yielded a higher EV production compared to that of conventional WJ-MSC culture methods, and investigated the effect of EV-enriched 3D-WJMSC-CM cream on psoriasis-related inflammation. Administration of the EV-enriched 3D-WJ-MSC-CM cream significantly reduced erythema, thickness, and scaling of skin lesions, alleviated imiquimod-induced psoriasiform lesions in mice, and ameliorated histopathological changes in mouse skin. The upregulated mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-17a, IL-22, IL-23, and IL-36, decreased in the lesions. In conclusion, we present here a new topical treatment for psoriasis using an MSC EV-enriched cream.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease in which keratinocytes proliferate abnormally due to excessive immune action. Psoriasis can be associated with various comorbidities and has a significant impact on health-related quality of life. Although many systemic treatments, including biologic agents, have been developed, topical treatment remains the main option for psoriasis management. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop topical treatments with minimal side effects and high efficacy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit excellent immune regulation, anti-inflammatory activities, and therapeutic effects, and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as crucial mediators of functional transfer from MSCs. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a safe and easy-to-use emulsion cream for treating psoriasis using MSC conditioned media (CM) containing EVs. We developed an enhanced Wharton’s jelly MSC (WJ-MSC) culture method through a three-dimensional (3D) culture containing exogenous transforming growth factor-β3. Using the 3D culture system, we obtained CM from WJ-MSCs, which yielded a higher EV production compared to that of conventional WJ-MSC culture methods, and investigated the effect of EV-enriched 3D-WJMSC-CM cream on psoriasis-related inflammation. Administration of the EV-enriched 3D-WJ-MSC-CM cream significantly reduced erythema, thickness, and scaling of skin lesions, alleviated imiquimod-induced psoriasiform lesions in mice, and ameliorated histopathological changes in mouse skin. The upregulated mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-17a, IL-22, IL-23, and IL-36, decreased in the lesions. In conclusion, we present here a new topical treatment for psoriasis using an MSC EV-enriched cream.

Objectives: The outbreak of Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was one of the major events in South Korea in 2015. In particular, this study pays attention to formulating a mathematical model for MERS transmission dynamics and estimating transmission rates. Methods: Incidence data of MERS-CoV from the government authority was analyzed for the first aim and a mathematical model was built and analyzed for the second aim of the study. A mathematical model for MERS-CoV transmission dynamics is used to estimate the transmission rates in two periods due to the implementation of intensive interventions. Results: Using the estimates of the transmission rates, the basic reproduction number was estimated in two periods. Due to the superspreader, the basic reproduction number was very large in the first period; however, the basic reproduction number of the second period has reduced significantly after intensive interventions. Conclusion It turned out to be the intensive isolation and quarantine interventions that were the most critical factors that prevented the spread of the MERS outbreak. The results are expected to be useful to devise more efficient intervention strategies in the future.

No abstract available.
Epidural Abscess* ; Meningitis, Bacterial*

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) meningitis primarily develops during or following a primary genital HSV2 infection that was acquired from sexual contact or through the birth canal during delivery from mother. We describe a 15 year old virgin without history of previous herpes simplex infection who developed 2 episodes of HSV2 meningitis. Although recurrent meningitis due to HSV is primarily seen in young or sexually active adults. HSV2 meningitis should be in the differential diagnosis of recurrent meningitis in adolescent patients.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Herpes Simplex ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Humans ; Meningitis* ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Simplexvirus*

This study examined the health-related factors and nutritional status of 89 single women workers in their 20's who work night and day shift at the take-out coffee shops and the 89 single women office workers. The results of the study are summarized as follows: The shift-workers showed lower rate of office tenure (p < 0.001), income (p < 0.001), job satisfaction (p < 0.05), weight (p < 0.05), and higher rate of weight change (p < 0.001) than the non shift-workers. The shift-workers showed lower rate of of exercise (p < 0.001), sleeping hours (p < 0.01), and good health condition (p < 0.01), and higher rates of smoking (p < 0.001), presence of disease (p < 0.001), gastric and intestinal illnesses (p < 0.001) than the non shift-workers. More than 88.8% of the shift workers answered that they ate alone (p < 0.001). The shift workers showed lower rate of regularity of meal (p < 0.001), balanced diet (p < 0.001), and mealtime (p < 0.001), and higher rate of skipping breakfast (p < 0.001), consumption of salty and spicy food (p < 0.001), and overeating (p < 0.01) than the non shift-workers. The shift workers consumed (p < 0.001) less frequently rice, soup and side dishes, and more frequently noodles and snack, bread than the non-shift-workers. The shift workers showed lower rate of consumption of beer (p < 0.01), and higher rate of consumption of coffee (p < 0.001), tea (p < 0.01) and soju (p < 0.001) in once a week or more intakes than the non-shift-workers. The shift workers showed higher rate of consumption of carbohydrates (p < 0.05), and calcium (p < 0.05) and lower rate of consumption of protein (p < 0.05), fiber (p < 0.05), vitamin C (p < 0.05), and folate (p < 0.05) intakes than the non-shift-workers.
Ascorbic Acid ; Beer ; Bread ; Breakfast ; Calcium ; Carbohydrates ; Coffee* ; Diet ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Job Satisfaction ; Meals ; Nutritional Status* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Snacks ; Tea