Detecting temporal and spatial effects of epithelial cancers with Raman spectroscopy.

PublishedJournal ArticleResearch Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tThis is the final version of the article. Available from Hindawi Publishing Corporation via the DOI in this record.Epithelial cancers, including those of the skin and cervix, are the most common type of cancers in humans. Many recent studies have attempted to use Raman spectroscopy to diagnose these cancers. In this paper, Raman spectral markers related to the temporal and spatial effects of cervical and skin cancers are examined through four separate but related studies. Results from a clinical cervix study show that previous disease has a significant effect on the Raman signatures of the cervix, which allow for near 100% classification for discriminating previous disease versus a true normal. A Raman microspectroscopy study showed that Raman can detect changes due to adjacent regions of dysplasia or HPV that cannot be detected histologically, while a clinical skin study showed that Raman spectra may be detecting malignancy associated changes in tissues surrounding nonmelanoma skin cancers. Finally, results of an organotypic raft culture study provided support for both the skin and the in vitro cervix results. These studies add to the growing body of evidence that optical spectroscopy, in this case Raman spectral markers, can be used to detect subtle temporal and spatial effects in tissue near cancerous sites that go otherwise undetected by conventional histology.The authors acknowledge the financial support of the NCI/NIH (R01-CA95405 and R21-CA95995), as well as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (pre-doctoral fellowship for MK). We would also like to thank the doctors and staff at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Tri-state Women’s Health for all their assistance

Application of Raman spectroscopy for Cervical Dysplasia Diagnosis

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women worldwide, with over 490 000 cases diagnosed and 274 000 deaths each year. Although current screening methods have dramatically reduced cervical cancer incidence and mortality in developed countries, a See and Treat method would be preferred, especially in developing countries. Results from our previous work have suggested that Raman spectroscopy can be used to detect cervical precancers; however, with a classification accuracy of 88%, it was not clinically applicable. In this paper, we describe how incorporating a woman\u27s hormonal status, particularly the point in menstrual cycle and menopausal state, into our previously developed classification algorithm improves the accuracy of our method to 94%. The results of this paper bring Raman spectroscopy one step closer to being utilized in a clinical setting to diagnose cervical dysplasi

Effect of Normal Variations on Classification of Raman Spectra of Cervical Tissue

In this paper, we examine how variations in normal tissue can influence disease classification of Raman spectra. Raman spectra from normal areas may be affected by previous disease or proximity to areas of dysplasia. Spectra were acquired in vivo from 172 patients and classified into five tissue categories: true normal (no history of disease), previous disease normal (history of disease, current normal diagnosis), adjacent normal (disease on cervix, spectra acquired from visually normal area), low grade, and high grade. Taking into account the various normal states of the tissue before statistical analysis led to a disease classification accuracy of 97%. These results indicate that abnormal changes significantly affect Raman spectra, even when areas are histopathologically normal. The sensitivity of Raman spectroscopy to subtle biochemical differences must be considered in order to successfully implement it in a clinical setting for diagnosing cervical dysplasia and cancer

Effects of two pre-workout supplements on concentric and eccentric force production during lower body resistance exercise in males and females: a counterbalanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract Background Pre-workout supplements purportedly enhance feelings of energy, reduce fatigue and improve exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the performance effects of caffeinated and non-caffeinated multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements. Methods In a counterbalanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, eccentric and concentric force production during lower body resistance exercise on a mechanized squat device were assessed after supplement ingestion. Repetitions-in-reserve/RPE and subjective feelings of energy, focus and fatigue were also examined. Twenty-one resistance-trained adults (12 F, 9 M) completed three conditions in random order: caffeinated supplement, non-caffeinated supplement and placebo. Subjects were not informed of the presence of a placebo condition. Thirty minutes after supplement ingestion, a 3-repetition maximum test and 5 sets of 6 repetitions were completed using the squat device. Each repetition involved 4-s eccentric and concentric phases, and the force signal throughout each repetition was sampled from a load cell contained within the squat device. The scaled and filtered force signals were analyzed using customized software. Repeated measures analysis of variance and appropriate follow-up analyses were utilized to compare dependent variables, and relevant effect sizes (d) were calculated. Results Supplement or placebo ingestion led to similar subjective responses (p > 0.05). Energy (+8 to 44%; d = 0.3 to 0.8) and focus (+8 to 25%; d = 0.3 to 0.5) were acutely increased by supplement or placebo ingestion and decreased as the exercise session progressed. Fatigue was acutely decreased by supplement or placebo ingestion (−7 to 38%; d = −0.1 to −0.6) and increased as the exercise session progressed. Eccentric and concentric forces were unimproved by supplementation during the exercise sets for both sexes. In the non-caffeinated supplement condition only, maximal eccentric force production was lower during sets 3 to 5, as compared to set 1 (p < 0.05). Effect size data indicated that both the caffeinated and non-caffeinated supplements may contribute to small increases in concentric force production in males (+5 to 20%, d = 0.2 to 0.4 relative to placebo), but not females. Conclusions As compared to placebo, caffeinated and non-caffeinated multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements failed to improve concentric and eccentric force production. In males, effect size data indicate a possible small benefit of supplementation on concentric force production, although this was not statistically significant. When resistance-trained subjects were unaware of the presence of a placebo, resistance exercise performance was similar regardless of whether a placebo or multi-ingredient supplement was ingested

Eradicating multiple invasive species on inhabited islands: the next big step in island restoration?

Invasive species are the greatest threat to island ecosystems, which harbour nearly half the world's endangered biodiversity. However, eradication is more feasible on islands than on continents. We present a global analysis of 1,224 successful eradications of invasive plants and animals on 808 islands. Most involve single vertebrate species on uninhabited islands, but plant and invertebrate eradications occur more often on inhabited islands. Inhabited islands are often highly modified and support numerous introduced species. Consequently, targeting a single invasive species can be ineffective or counterproductive. The impacts of other pests will continue and, in some cases, be exacerbated. The presence of people also creates regulatory, logistical and socio-political constraints. Real or perceived health risks to inhabitants, pets and livestock may restrict the use of some eradication tools, and communities or individuals sometimes oppose eradication. Despite such challenges, managing invasive species is vital to conserve and restore the unique biodiversity of many inhabited islands, and to maintain or improve the welfare and livelihoods of island residents. We present a brief case study of the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile, and discuss the feasibility of eradicating large suites of invasive plants and animals from inhabited islands while managing other invaders for which eradication is not feasible or desirable. Eradications must be planned to account for species interactions. Monitoring and contingency plans must detect and address any 'surprise effects'. Above all, it is important that the local community derives social, cultural and/or economic benefits, and that people support and are engaged in the restoration effort