Visualization of cutaneous hemoglobin oxygenation and skin hydration using near-infrared spectroscopic imaging.

Background/aims: The visualization of skin hemodynamics and tissue water content has important implications in a number of areas of dermatology, plastic surgery, and clinical skin evaluation. The aim of this study was to develop instrumentation and techniques for infrared spectroscopic imaging, and to evaluate whether they can be used to make objective assessments of skin health, perhaps even before clinical signs are evident.

Methods: A liquid-crystal tunable filter was mounted on the front of the objective lens of an infrared-sensitive charge-coupled device digital camera.

Novel Plasmodium falciparum clones and rising clone multiplicities are associated with the increase in malaria morbidity in Ghanaian children during the transition into the high transmission season.

A survey of Plasmodium falciparum infection and clone multiplicity in Ghanaian children was carried out to study the effect of the onset of the malaria transmission season on disease incidence. Fortnightly blood samples were collected from 40 children living in the rural town of Dodowa, between February and August 1998. P.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index and p53 expression predict outcome for breast cancer patients with four or more lymph node metastases.

In general, extensive lymph node metastasis indicates poor prognosis in breast cancer. Nevertheless, some patients with this condition survive for a long time without recurrent disease. This study involved 112 breast cancer patients with four or more lymph node metastases and without distant metastasis who underwent surgery.

Near infrared spectroscopic assessment of hemodynamic changes in the early post-burn period.

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and imaging was used to assess non-invasively the hemodynamic changes that occur in the early post-burn period in cutaneous burn injuries of varying depth. An acute porcine model was used to demonstrate the potential of near infrared spectroscopy and imaging to accurately determine the change in tissue oxygenation, blood volume and tissue water content following a thermal injury. Near infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor tissue at discrete locations, while spectroscopic imaging was able to survey large areas of tissue.

A combination analysis of p53 and p21 in gastric carcinoma as a strong indicator for prognosis.

We studied p53 and p21 expression simultaneously in gastric carcinoma tissues to investigate the clinical significance of p53-p21 pathway in this disease. One hundred sixty-four primary gastric carcinoma specimens were immunohistochemically stained for p53 and p21 protein, and clinicopathological features of the cases were examined. P53 was stained negatively, while p21 was stained positively in each normal stomach epithelium.

Prediction and confirmation of a site critical for effector regulation of RGS domain activity.

A critical challenge of structural genomics is to extract functional information from protein structures. We present an example of how this may be accomplished using the Evolutionary Trace (ET) method in the context of the regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) family. We have previously applied ET to the RGS family and identified a novel, evolutionarily privileged site on the RGS domain as important for regulating RGS activity.

Involvement of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1-induced erythroid differentiation.

We examined the role of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1)-mediated cellular effects in a human erythroleukemic cell line UT-7. We show that TIMP-1 induced both UT-7 cell erythroid differentiation and proliferation and tyrosine phosphorylation of many intracellular proteins. Using a panel of phosphospecific antibodies, we also demonstrate that phosphorylation of the p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinases is increased by TIMP-1 whereas phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 is not induced.

Inhibition of hepatic stellate cell proliferation and activation by the semisynthetic analogue of fumagillin TNP-470 in rats.

Proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are critical steps for the development of postnecrotic fibrosis in the liver. The present study aimed to reveal the inhibitory effect of the semisynthetic analogue of fumagillin TNP-470 on these events for its possible use as an antifibrogenic agent. Rat models of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))- and dimethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic fibrosis were used for an in vivo study.

[Current status of "low-dose cisplatin-5-FU therapy" for solid tumors (2nd report)--from a nationwide questionnaire on its adverse effects].

A nationwide questionnaire survey was carried out on low-dose cisplatin-5-FU therapy for solid malignant tumors (mostly stomach and colon cancer) regarding its antitumor as well as adverse effects. The regimen was defined as 4 weeks administration of cisplatin 2-5 mg/body, 5 days a week, which was used in 47% of 82 institutions studied. Cases were classified into an Ab regimen (86 cases) with cisplatin 3-5 mg/body, and a Bb regimen (122 cases) with cisplatin 6-30 mg (mostly 10 mg)/body, both of which were given 5-FU 300-500 mg/body daily.

Forskolin and phorbol ester have opposite effects on the expression of mucin-associated sialyl-Lewis(a) in pancreatic cancer cells.

The carbohydrate antigen sialyl-Lewis(a) is important to pancreatic tumour biology because the circulating antigen is used in serological tests for malignancy and because cell surface antigen is involved in tumour cell binding to the endothelial adhesion molecule, E-selectin, in extravasation. In this study, we examined the effects of the adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin, and the diacylglycerol analogue, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), on the expression and release of sialyl-Lewis(a) in human pancreatic cancer cells. Increases in the release of sialyl-Lewis(a) from SW1990 cells produced by forskolin and PMA were associated with increases in the activities of protein kinases A and C, respectively, and could be blocked by inhibitors specific for these enzymes.

[Genome analyses for precancerous lesions in the gastrointestinal tract].

We herein summarize the reports on genetic changes in precancerous lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. It has been reported that with esophageal lesions such as dysplasia and Barrett's esophagus there is a high frequency of p53 mutations. Among gastric lesions, some cases of chronic atrophic gastritis have been shown to harbor K-ras mutations.

A regulator of G protein signaling interaction surface linked to effector specificity.

Proteins of the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) family accelerate GTP hydrolysis by the alpha subunits (G(alpha)) of G proteins, leading to rapid recovery of signaling cascades. Many different RGS proteins can accelerate GTP hydrolysis by an individual G(alpha), and GTP hydrolysis rates of different G(alpha)s can be enhanced by the same RGS protein. Consequently, the mechanisms for specificity in RGS regulation and the residues involved remain unclear.

Formation of helical protein assemblies of IgG and transducin on varied lipid tubules.

Helical protein arrays on lipid tubules are valuable assemblies for studying protein structure and protein-lipid interactions through electron microscopy and crystallography. We describe conditions for forming such arrays from two proteins, IgG and transducin, the photoreceptor G protein, using a variety of lipid surfaces. Anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgG arrays formed on DNP-phosphatidylethanolamine (DNP-PE) mixed with either galactosyl-ceramide lipids or phosphatidylcholine (PC) display different pH sensitivities and dimensions, yet have similar helical symmetries.

[Low-dose FP therapy for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer].

Continuous infusion of 5-FU and low-dose CDDP infusion (low-dose FP therapy) is one of the effective combination chemotherapies for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer. Several studies have reported low-dose FP therapy showed high response rates (40-50%) and a low incidence of toxicities. There was a positive correlation between antitumor effect and survival time on neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.

Visible-near infrared multispectral imaging of the rat dorsal skin flap.

Visible-near infrared multispectral reflectance image sets were acquired from the dorsal surface of rats both before and after elevation of reversed McFarlane skin flaps. Raw images were dominated by uneven surface illumination and shadowing along with the variation associated with instrument response. These interfering features obscured variation associated with a change in tissue reflectance, which is related to the degree of flap perfusion.

Near-infrared spectroscopic assessment of tissue hydration following surgery.

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy and imaging were used to assess tissue hydration following elevation of reverse McFarlane dorsal rat skin flaps (N = 6). A quantitative measure of tissue water content was derived using the integrated intensities of the strong absorption bands of water centered at 970 and 1450 nm. Near-infrared spectroscopy monitored tissue hydration at discrete locations, while imaging provided hydration maps of cutaneous tissues.

Matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression is a prognostic factor for patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Proteolytic activity of cancer cells is an important factor in metastasis. This study examined the relationship between MMP-1 expression of gastric cancer cells and peritoneal metastasis. MMP-1 expression was found in 76/103 (75.

Intrahepatic interleukin-2 with chemotherapy for unresectable liver metastases: a randomized multicenter trial.

Background/aims: A pilot study of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) with chemotherapy for unresectable colorectal liver metastases revealed a favorable response rate (76%). This prospective, randomized, multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this treatment protocol.

Methodology: Over a period of 32 months, 46 patients with unresectable liver metastases were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: group A: chemotherapy alone, group B: chemotherapy plus high-dose, intermittent IL-2 (2.

A novel gene encoding a ras-like GTP-binding protein from Trypanosoma brucei: an evolutionary ancestor of the ras and rap genes of higher eukaryotes?

The ras superfamily of GTP binding proteins encompasses a wide range of family members, related by conserved amino-acid motifs, and act as molecular binary switches that play key roles in cellular processes. Gene duplication and divergence has been postulated as the mechanism by which such family members have evolved their specific functions. We have cloned and sequenced a ras-like gene, tbrlp, from the primitive eukaryote Trypanosoma brucei.

Tissue viability by multispectral near infrared imaging: a fuzzy C-means clustering analysis.

Clinically, skin color, temperature, and capillary perfusion are used to assess tissue viability following microvascular tissue transfer. However, clinical signs that arise as a consequence of poor perfusion become evident only after several hours of compromised perfusion. This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of optical/infrared multispectral imaging in the prognosis of tissue viability immediately post-surgery.

Serum CA 125 level as a predictor of peritoneal dissemination in patients with gastric carcinoma.

Background: Prediction of peritoneal dissemination is very difficult using current diagnostic tools such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, or various tumor markers. The predictive value of serum CA 125 levels for peritoneal metastasis from gastric carcinoma was studied.

Methods: The sera from 384 patients with gastric carcinoma were measured for CA 125 titer using an immunoradiometric assay.

Thymidine phosphorylase activity in tumor correlates with venous invasion.

Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) is identical to platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), an angiogenesis factor. We investigated the correlation between dThdPase activity in gastric cancer tissue and clinicopathological factors. Thirty-three cancer tissue specimens and 23 adjacent normal gastric mucosal specimens were obtained from surgery.