Manual and automated systems in the analysis of images from prostate tissue microarray cores.

Objective: To compare manual and automated image analysis systems in morphologic analysis of nuclei from benign prostate, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and prostate cancer (CaP). Morphologic features derived using automated image analysis systems may be more objective and reproducible than manual systems, which require humans to segment nuclei from histologic images.

Study Design: Images of hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of prostate tissue microarray were analyzed independently using the automated and manual systems.

Variability in visual segmentation of digitized prostate tissue microarray cores.

Objective: To examine bias associated with human-interactive semi-automated systems key components with machine vision used in quantitative histometry.

Study Design: A standard image set of 20 images was created using 5 nuclei sampled from hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of benign tissue within a prostate tissue microarray that were rotated through the cardinal directions. Four trained technicians performed segmentation of these images at the start, then at the end, of 3 daily sessions, creating a total analytic set of 480 observations.

Androgen deprivation induces rapid involution and recovery of human prostate vasculature.

The response of the prostate tissue microenvironment to androgen deprivation (AD) represents a critical component in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer (CaP). Primary xenografts of human benign and CaP tissue transplanted to immunocompromized SCID mice were used to characterize the response of the prostate vasculature during the initial 14 days of AD. Microvessel density and vascular lumen diameter in the prostate xenografts decreased rapidly after AD, reached a nadir on days 2-4, and recovered between days 4 and 14.

Comparison of ACINUS, caspase-3, and TUNEL as apoptotic markers in determination of tumor growth rates of clinically localized prostate cancer using image analysis.

Background: The balance between apoptotic and proliferative processes determines the enlargement of a tumor. Accurate measurement of apoptotic and proliferative rates from diagnostic prostate biopsies would allow calculation of tumor growth rates in a population-based prostate cancer (CaP) study. Automated image analysis may be used if proliferation and apoptotic biomarkers provide clearly resolved immunostained images.

Thioredoxin Reductase 1 Expression and Castration-recurrent Growth of Prostate Cancer.

Introduction: Many genes are differentially expressed between androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer (CaP). Differential expression analysis and subtractive hybridization previously identified nine genes expressed in intact mice bearing CWR22 tumors and castrated mice bearing recurrent CWR22 tumors but not in regressed tumors. The objectives of this study were to develop an immunostaining method to dual-label foci of proliferating tumor cells [the origin of castration-recurrent CaP (CR-CaP)], to determine which of the nine candidate proteins were differentially expressed in proliferating versus nonproliferating cells at the onset of growth after castration, and to test preclinical findings using clinical specimens of androgen-stimulated benign prostate (AS-BP) and CaP (AS-CaP) and CR-CaP.

Evaluation of heart rate variability indices using a real-time handheld remote ECG monitor.

Studies on retrospective electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings of patients during cardiac arrest have shown significant changes in heart rate variability (HRV) indices prior to the onset of cardiac arrhythmia. The early detection of these changes in HRV indices increases the chances for a successful medical intervention by increasing the response time window. A portable, handheld remote ECG monitor designed in this research detects the QRS complex and calculates short-term HRV indices in real-time.

Development of a remote handheld cardiac arrhythmia monitor.

In this paper we present the design and development of a real-time remote handheld cardiac arrhythmic monitoring system (RCAM). A client-server model based on Internet protocols was used. ECG data was transmitted from the remote handheld client to a centralized server, where the QRS and premature ventricular contraction detection algorithms were implemented and graded depending on the number and pattern of PVCs present.

Feasibility of constructing tissue microarrays from diagnostic prostate biopsies.

Objectives: The ability to construct prostate tissue microarrays (TMAs) using prostate needle biopsies could allow high throughput molecular profiling to search for prostate cancer prognostic biomarkers.

Materials And Methods: Diagnostic prostate biopsies from 13 patients (diagnosed 1996-2000) were obtained from the University of North Carolina (UNC) to construct one prostate TMA under uniform conditions. A second prostate TMA was attempted using diagnostic prostate biopsies from 45 patients (diagnosed 2004) obtained from the North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project (PCaP).

Java Web Start based software for automated quantitative nuclear analysis of prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.

Background: Androgen acts via androgen receptor (AR) and accurate measurement of the levels of AR protein expression is critical for prostate research. The expression of AR in paired specimens of benign prostate and prostate cancer from 20 African and 20 Caucasian Americans was compared to demonstrate an application of this system.

Methods: A set of 200 immunopositive and 200 immunonegative nuclei were collected from the images using a macro developed in Image Pro Plus.

Sampling strategy for prostate tissue microarrays for Ki-67 and androgen receptor biomarkers.

Objective: To develop an optimal sampling strategy for tissue microarrays using automated digital analysis for androgen receptor (heterogeneous expression) and the cellular proliferation marker Ki-67 (homogeneous expression and evaluated by others using nonautomated methods).

Study Design: Tissue microarrays were constructed from 23 radical prostatectomy specimens and immunostained for androgen receptor expression and cellular proliferation. Automated digital image analysis was used, and the minimum number of cores necessary to capture variance change <3% was determined.

Racial differences in androgen receptor protein expression in men with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Purpose: Black American men experience disproportionate mortality from prostate cancer (CaP) compared with white American men. Differences in outcome may stem from differences within the androgen axis. Since serum testosterone levels appear to be similar by race in men with CaP, we measured and compared androgen receptor (AR) protein expression in malignant and benign prostate tissue from black and white men who underwent radical prostatectomy for clinically localized CaP.

A novel method for the analysis of the androgen receptor.

The role of the androgen receptor in the regulation of prostate cancer development and progression has been a focus of intense research. Until recent years, the level of expression of the androgen receptor protein was described qualitatively. Immunohistochemical parameters have been established that show a linear relationship between androgen receptor expression and immunostaining.