Microwave Spectroscopy of Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction. 2. Biophysical Reconstruction

The proposed dielectrical relaxation model of the myocardium in the microwave spectrum has been verified both on test solutions and on normal canine myocardium. Furthermore, the model was utilized to reconstruct the changes in tissue properties (including myocardial bulk resistance and water content) following myocardial acute ischemia and chronic infarction. It was shown that the reconstructed myocardial resistance and water content correlate dynamically with the process of the development of acute myocardial ischemic injury. In chronic cases the reconstructed resistance and water content of infarcted myocardium are significantly different from that of normal myocardium: the resistance is lower and water content is higher than in normal myocardium. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC00: 8764-t, 8719Xx     

Humoral immune response to thymidylate synthase in colon cancer patients after 5-FU chemotherapy

Thymidylate synthase (TYMS), the critical enzyme for DNA synthesis and a target for chemotherapy, was recently characterized as an oncogene and a potential target for specific immunotherapy. Here we report TYMS-specific antibody response in a fraction of colon cancer patients. Humoral immune response to TYMS is induced by chemotherapy using TYMS inhibitors, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and may be associated with tumor burden. Therefore, TYMS may serve as a useful serological biomarker for monitoring the course of disease and treatment in cancer patients.     

Differential scanning calorimetric study of the complexes of modified myosin subfragment 1 with ADP and vanadate or beryllium fluoride

Summary The effects of various modifications of rabbit skeletal myosin subfragment 1 on thermal denaturation of subfragment 1 in ternary complexes with Mg-ADP and orthovanadate (V_i) or beryllium fluoride (BeF_x) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. It has been shown that specific modifications of SH₁ group of Cys-707 by different sulfhydryl reagents, trinitrophenylation of Lys-83, and reductive methylation of lysine residues promote the decomposition of the S1·ADP·V_i complex and change the character of structural transitions of the subfragment 1 molecule induced by the formation of this complex, but they have much less or no influence on subfragment 1 thermal stability in the S1·ADP·BeF_x complex. Thus, the differential scanning calorimetric studies on modified subfragment 1 preparations reveal a significant difference between S1·ADP·V_i and S1·ADP·BeF_x complexes. It is suggested that S1·ADP·V_i and S1·ADP·BeF_x complexes represent structural analogues of different transition states of the ATPase cycle, namely the intermediate states S1^**·ADP·P_i and S1^*·ATP, respectively. It is also proposed that during formation of the S1·ADP·V_i complex the region containing both Cys-707 and Lys-83 plays an important role in the spread of conformational changes from the active site of subfragment 1 ATPase throughout the structure of the entire subfragment 1 molecule. In such a case, the effects of reductive methylation of lysine residues on the subfragment 1 structure in the S1·ADP·V_i complex are related to the modification of Lys-83.     

Effect of photobiomodulation therapy on the proliferation phase and wound healing in rats fed with an experimental hypoproteic diet

Lasers in Medical Science - Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has been indicated for enforcement on healing skin wounds. This study evaluated the effects of PBMT on the healing of skin wounds...     

Molecular stratification of diagnostically challenging high-grade gliomas composed of small cells: the utility of fluorescence in situ hybridization.

PURPOSE: There is considerable morphologic overlap between various entities of high-grade gliomas, and, therefore, a further planning of their optimal treatment is a controversial issue. The aim of this study was molecular stratification of morphologically ambiguous high-grade gliomas composed from small cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with commercially available probes was used for this purpose. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We analyzed a set of 114 high-grade small-cell gliomas that were difficult to interpret diagnostically because of their distinct cytological origin. FISH assay with locus probes for EGFR, p16, PTEN, and 1p and 19q was done. RESULTS: Morphologically uniform high-grade gliomas composed of small cells varied greatly in terms of molecular features and clinical outcome. Four clinically relevant subsets of patients whose tumors showed distinctly different molecular profiles were identified as follows: (a) 13 patients whose tumors exhibited no discernable molecular alterations (5-year survival rate, 83%); (b) 20 patients whose tumors harbored either 1p/19q codeletion or isolated deletion of 19q unaccompanied by other molecular abnormalities (5-year survival rate, 59%); (c) 35 patients whose tumors showed p16 and/or PTEN deletions unaccompanied by EGFR amplification (5-year survival rate, 8%); and (d) 46 patients whose tumors harbored EGFR amplification (5-year survival rate, 0). CONCLUSIONS: The FISH method provides clinically useful information in the molecular analysis of morphologically ambiguous malignant small-cell gliomas that could potentially enhance the quality of patient care.