Mid-infrared spectroscopy on skin using a silver halide fibre probe in vivo

Background/aim: Mid-infrared spectroscopy is a versatile method for in vivo investigation of skin after topical treatment with skin care products.
Methods: FTIR-spectrometer (Bruker Optics) with a flexible silver halide fibre probe (Infrared Fiber Sensors).
Results: Absorbance spectra from 700 to 3000 cm⁻¹ have been recorded to gain information about proteins (amide-I and amide-II vibrations at 1650 and 1550 cm⁻¹), esters (1740 cm⁻¹), carboxylic acid (1710 cm⁻¹), polyalcohols (1050 cm⁻¹) and hydrocarbons (CH _n vibrations at 2800–3000 cm⁻¹).
Conclusions: Using the particular light guide, we were able to measure for the first time the effects of lip care products on lips directly. Furthermore, water binding and glycerol content of the skin could be determined simultaneously, as well as the replenishment of lipids by lipid-enriched bath oil.     

On medical screening of civilian candidates for cosmonauts by exposure to the head-to-pelvis acceleration profiles]

The subject of analysis was the data on +3 and +5 Gz tolerance of 130 civilian non-pilot applicants for cosmonauts (men and women, aged 23 to 55) gathered over the past 30 years. Length of the centrifuge arm was 7.25 meters and the total number of primary centrifuge runs was 309. For nearly every second of the applicants (46.7%) acceleration at +5 Gz was an ordeal causing distinct vascular or coronary decompensation. Thus, 29.7% exhibited various combinations of brief visual disturbances, tachycardia, tachypnea, and systolic arterial pressure in the shoulders; in 17%, visual disturbances and/or their precursors were combined with exaggerated cardio-vascular functional parameters, arrhythmia, and serious vegetative disorders. Most of those who had failed to endure the first centrifugation were unable to improve G tolerance during next runs; indeed, they showed negative G-tolerance dynamics. G intolerance grew in significance or was exacerbated by new disorders and their combinations. These results testify against exposure of non-pilot applicants for cosmonauts to +5 G, during the primary medical screening.     

Informational technologies in medical support to an interplanetary mission crew]

Plans to send humans to Mars dictate revision of the whole crew medical support system. Autonomy of the mission will extend crew responsibilities for all dimensions of medical support. The article compares and contrasts medical support of crews on orbital and interplanetary missions, and considers the place and functionality of medical informational technologies in a mission to Mars.     

Epidemiology of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in Europe: accurate and comparable data are needed for effective public health monitoring and interventions

Summary Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common malignancy occurring in white populations. It is currently becoming an important challenge in terms of public health management as the increasing incidence rates will probably have a tremendous impact on healthcare costs. Possible factors driving this rise in NMSC numbers are increases in both acute and prolonged UV exposure together with increasing numbers of older people in the population. A better understanding of NMSC epidemiology in Europe is essential if an evidence-based European-wide public health policy is to be developed. It is obvious this can only be achieved by recording and analysing comparative epidemiological data. Finally, by improving the skin examination training for physicians, developing guidelines and exchanging best practices, a high level of healthcare could be provided for NMSC.     

Immunohistochemical identification of tissue factor in solid tumors.

Patients with cancer experience a much higher than expected incidence of thromboembolic disorders, commonly referred as Trousseau syndrome. Although this association has been well documented, the etiology of the hypercoagulable state is not known. The expression on tumor cells of tissue factor (TF), a membrane-bound lipoprotein that functions as a cofactor to factor VIIa in the initiation of the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation, has been postulated as a possible mechanism. Whereas the distribution of TF in normal tissues is known, no large survey of TF expression in malignant tissues has been reported. In this study a polyclonal, monospecific rabbit anti-human TF IgG was used for immunohistochemical localization of TF antigen in 85 different tumor specimens. In general, cell types which normally express TF continued to do so after malignant transformation (41 of 60 epithelial tumor specimens were positive for TF). Tumors of nonepithelial origin frequently lacked TF, with only 3 of 19 specimens containing evidence of TF antigen. In addition five of six benign tumors did not express TF. Many tumor types commonly associated with Trousseau syndrome, for example lung, pancreatic, breast, colon and gastric carcinomas, stained positively for TF. Based on this survey, it appears that TF expression by tumors may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of a hypercoagulable state in some patients with cancer.     

The properties of monoclonal antibodies to HIV gag gene proteins]

Immunization of BALB/c mice with natural purified HIV antigen, fusion of spleen cells with myeloma cells and subsequent selection of hybrid clones using recombinant gag antigen of HIV gave hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (MCA) to HIV. The immune blotting method demonstrated that 3 clones interacted with protein p24 and 4 clones with protein p17 of HIV. Competitive EIA led to a conclusion that the resulting MCA detected at least 3 antigenic determinants in proteins, products of gag gene of HIV. The potentials of using these MCA for the detection of viral antigen in HIV-infected continuous cell lines were demonstrated.