No abstract

This study proposes Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a more sensitive, rapid, non-destructive and operator-independent analytical diagnostic method for bladder cancer recurrence from bladder wash than other routinely used urine cytology and cystoscopy methods. A total of 136 patients were recruited. FTIR spectroscopic experiments were carried out as a blind study, the classification results of which were then compared with those of cytology and cystoscopy. Firstly, 71 samples (n = 37; bladder cancer and n = 34; control) were studied with transmittance FTIR spectroscopy. After achieving successful differentiation of the groups, to develop a more rapid diagnostic tool and check the reproducibility of the results, the work was continued with different samples (n = 65 as n = 44; bladder cancer and n = 21; control), using the reflection mode (ATR) of FTIR spectroscopy by a different operator. The results revealed significant alterations in moleculer content in the cancer group. Based on the spectral differences, using transmittance FTIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics, the diseased group was successfully differentiated from the control. When only carcinoma group was taken into consideration a sensitivity value of 100% was achieved. Similar results were also obtained by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. This study shows the power of infrared spectroscopy in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Prostanoids play an important role in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes including inflammation and cancer. The rate-limiting step in the prostanoid biosynthesis pathway is catalyzed by cyclooxygenases (COXs). Aberrant expression of the inducible isoform COX-2 plays a significant role in colon cancer initiation and progression. In this study, we have hypothesized that COX-2 specific inhibitors such as Valdecoxib (VLX), being highly hydrophobic, may alter biophysical properties of cellular lipids. In this study, COX-2 expressing (HT29) and COX-2 non-expressing (SW620) colon cancer cell lines were treated with VLX and examined using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. The results revealed that VLX treatment decreased lipid fluidity in the cells irrespective of COX-2 expression status and affected order parameters of the lipids in both cell lines. Cluster analysis also indicated that the spectral differences between the two cell lines are profound and could be successfully differentiated. Valdecoxib treatment could enhance the composition, order and dynamics of the lipids of colon cancer cells independently of its COX-2 inhibitory mechanism. Valdecoxib has therapeutic effects upon colon cancer, therefore it can be used as an adjuvant and/or chemopreventive agent for colon cancer.

L-Tryptophan is an extremely important amino acid for a variety of biological functions in living organisms. In this study we were able to measure changes in the concentration of L-tryptophan when incorporated into pellets with polyethylene as a host. The changes were measured both through the characteristic absorption bands of the C11 and C12 bonds in the low terahertz frequency range and using changes in the refractive index where pellets with higher concentrations of L-tryptophan showed higher refractive indices. The volumetric concentration of L-tryptophan in the polyethylene pellet was accurately determined with a simple model that explains the contribution to the complex refractive index for the resultant sample due to the two constituent materials. These measurements show that terahertz time-domain techniques can be applied to detect variation in concentration of certain amino acids rapidly by examining the relative phase delay and amplitude change of the terahertz transients.

iLTP) their functional link with the synaptic terminals has been highlighted. The insight provided at the molecular level makes IML techniques the suitable tool for a quantitative study of Gephyrin distribution at synaptic level. Quantitative approach based on clustering analysis [4] provided access to a more comprehensive set of parameters able to define the response to iLTP, such as the area and the density of the scaffold protein. At the fluorescent tag level, to fulfill the requests of the quantitative analysis, an irreversibly photoactivatable fluorescent protein has been used (mEos), knowing its photophysical properties [5].

No abstract

Review on LIPE, with data on DNA, on the protein encoded and where the gene is implicated

Butyric acid is a product of dietary fiber fermentation in the colon. Previous studies showed that this fatty acid inhibited cell proliferation and caused cell differentiation and apoptosis. It has been known that there is a relation between the tumorigenesis of colon cancer and the poor differentiation of colonic epithelial cells. Although the effects of butyrate on cellular differentiation has been documented at molecular level, the butyrate‐induced changes in the content of cancer cell macromolecules such as saturated, unsaturated lipids, protein and glycogen are less understood. The objective of this study was to clarify these changes in colon cancer cells in a time dependent manner using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microscopy. In this study, CaCo‐2 cells were treated with 3mM sodium butyrate (NaB) and cultured for 12, 24 and 48h. The macromolecular structural and function alterations induced by NaB were determined from spectral analysis of chemical maps of the studied groups. An increase in saturated and unsaturated lipid and a decrease in the triglyceride, and protein content has been obtained in 48 h treated group with respect to the other groups. The variation in membrane fluidity and lipid order has been also determined for this treated group. This study demonstrated that FTIR imaging enables to determine the colon cancer differentiation at the cellular level. This work is supported by METU‐BAP 07.02.2012.004.