Quantification of systemic interference in optical topography data during frontal lobe and motor cortex activation: an independent component analysis.

Functional near-infrared optical topography (OT) is used to non-invasively measure the changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin (Δ[HbO2], Δ[HHb]) and hence investigate the brain haemodynamic changes, which occur in response to functional activation at specific regions of the cerebral cortex. However, when analysing functional OT data the task-related systemic changes should be taken into account.Here we used an independent component analysis (ICA) method on the OT [HbO2] signal, to determine the task-related independent components and then compared them with the systemic measurements (blood pressure, heart rate, scalp blood flow) to assess whether the components are due to systemic noise or neuronal activation.

A quantitative in vitro model of smooth muscle cell migration through the arterial wall using the human amniotic membrane.

Objective: The development of intimal hyperplasia involves smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration into the intima and proliferation. Matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors play important roles in this process. In this study, we describe a novel in vitro model for studying SMC migration through the vessel wall.

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases reduces local and distant organ injury following experimental acute pancreatitis.

Background: Pulmonary complications from pancreatitis involve parenchymal destruction via proteolytic enzymes. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may play an important role in pulmonary injury following acute severe pancreatitis. We hypothesized that local and distant organ injury would be decreased by the presence of an MMP inhibitor (Batimistat; BB-94) following severe acute pancreatitis (AP).