Near Infrared Raman Spectroscopy To Detect The Calcification Of The Annular Mitral Valve

Cardiac valves are subjected to high repetitive mechanical stresses, particularly at the hinge points of the cusps and leaflets d ue to the over 40 millions cardiac cycles per year. These delicate structures can suffer cumulative lesions, complicated by the deposition of calcium phosphate mineral, which may lead to clinically important disease. Near Infrared Raman Spectroscopy gives important information about biological tissues composition and it is being used for diagnosis of some pathologies. The aim of this work was to detect trough the use of the Raman Spectroscopy technique the mitral annular calcification. A Ti:saphire laser operating at the near infrared wavelength of 785 nm was used for the excitation of the valve samples and the Raman radiation was detected by an optical spectrometer with a CCD liquid nitrogen cooled detector. In all, ten samples of normal and pathologic tissues were studied. They were approximately squared with the lateral size of 5 mm. It was observed that the Raman spectrum of the calcified mitral valve showed different behavior, when compared to normal tissues. Results indicate that this technique could be used to detect the deposition of the calcium phosphate mineral over the mitral valve.5622PART 16266Christensen, G., Cardiovascular and renal effects of atrial natriuretic factor (1993) Scand J. Clin Lab Invest, 53, pp. 203-207Peters, N.S., Cardiac arrhythmogenesis and the gap junction (1995) J Mol Cell Cardiol., 27, pp. 37-40Hanlon, E.B., Prospect for "in vivo" Raman spectroscopy (2000) Phys. Med. Biol., 45, pp. R1-59Lucas, A., Development of an avian model for restenosis (1996) Atherosclerosis, 119, pp. 17-41Sathaiah, S., Silveira Jr., L., Pasqualucci, C.A., Zangaro, R.A., Chavantes, M.C., Mtt, P., Correlated diagnosis of atherosclerosis with non-invasive Raman spectroscopy and pathological techniques (1996) International Laser Congress, p. 72. , GreeceSathaiah, S., Pasqualucci, C.A., Mtt, P., Application of near Infrared Raman spectroscopy for less invasive diagnosis of atherosclerosis (1997) Proc. International Conference on Lasers, 97. , U.S.AManoharan, R., UV resonance Raman spectroscopy for detection of colon cancer (1995) Lasers in Life Sci., 6, pp. 217-249Boustany, N.N., Analysis of normal and diseased colon mucosa using ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy (1996) Proceedings of SPIE, 2679, pp. 66-70. , Advances in Lasers and Light Spectroscopy to Diagnose Cancer and other Diseases III: Optical Biopsy, San Jose CAPilotto, S., Mtt, P., Silveira Jr., L., Balbin Villaverde, A., Zangaro, R.A., Analysis of near-infrared Raman Spectroscopy as a new technique for a transcutaneous non-invasive diagnosis of blood components (2001) Laser Med. Sci, 16, pp. 2-9Jianan, Y., Wilson, B.C., Suria, D., Concentration measurements of multiple analytes in human sera by near-infrared laser Raman spectroscopy (1999) Appl Opt, 38 (25), pp. 5491-5497Berger, A., Koo, T.W., Itzhan, I., Horowitz, G., Feld, M.S., Multicomponent blood analysis by near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (1999) Appl Opt, 38 (13), pp. 2916-2916Otero, E.U., Sathaiah, S., Silveira Jr., L., Pma, P., Cag, P., Raman spectroscopy for diagnosis of calcification in human heart valves (2004) Spectroscopy: An International Journal, 18 (1), pp. 75-84Stone, N., Near-infrared Raman Spectroscopy for classification of epithelial pre-cancers and cancers (2002) J. Raman Spectrosc, 33, pp. 564-57

Safflower Oil: An Integrated Assessment Of Phytochemistry, Antiulcerogenic Activity, And Rodent And Environmental Toxicity

Gastric ulcers are a significant medical problem and the development of complications lead to significant mortality rates worldwide. In Brazil, Carthamus tinctorius L., Asteraceae, seeds essential oil, the safflower oil, is currently used as a thermogenic compound and as treatment for problems related to the cardiovascular system. In this study, by Raman spectroscopy, it was shown that oleic and linoleic acids are the compounds present in higher concentrations in the safflower oil. We demonstrated that safflower oil (750 mg/kg, p.o.) decrease the ulcerogenic lesions in mice after the administration of hydrochloric acid-ethanol. The gastric ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in mice treated with cholinomimetics were treated with four different doses of safflower oil, of which, the dose of 187.5 mg/kg (p.o.) showed significant antiulcerogenic properties (p < 0.01). Moreover, the safflower oil at doses of 187.5 mg/kg (i.d.) increased the pH levels, gastric volume (p < 0.01) and gastric mucus production (p < 0.001), and decreased the total gastric acid secretion (p < 0.001). The acute toxicity tests showed that safflower oil (5.000 mg/kg, p.o.) had no effect on mortality or any other physiological parameter. Ecotoxicological tests performed using Daphnia similis showed an EC50 at 223.17 mg/l, and therefore safflower oil can be considered “non-toxic” based on the directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances by European legislation. These results indicate that the antiulcer activity of Safflower oil may be due to cytoprotective effects, which serve as support for new scientific studies related to this pathology.245538544ABNT, Ecotoxicologia aquatica: Toxicidade aguda-metodo de ensaio com (2004) Daphnia, 21p. , spp (Cladocera, Crustacea). NBR 12713, Rio de JaneiroAmandeep, K., Robin, S., Ramica, S., Sunil, K., Peptic ulcer: A review of etiology and pathogenesis (2012) Int. J. Clin. Pharm, 3, pp. 34-38Arakawa, T., Watanabe, T., Tanigawa, T., Tominaga, K., Fujiwara, Y., Morimoto, K., Quality of ulcer healing in gastrointestinal tract: Its pathophysiology and clinical relevance (2012) World J. Gastroenterol, 18, pp. 4811-4822Bae, C.S., Park, C.H., Cho, H.J., Han, H.J., Kang, S.S., Choi, S.H., Uhm, C.S., Therapeutic effects of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed powder on osteoporosis (2002) Korean J. Electron. Microscopy, 32, pp. 285-290Baeten, V., Dardenne, P., Aparicio, R., Interpretation of Fourier transform Raman spectra of the unsaponifiable matter in a selection of edible oils (2001) J. Agric. Food Chem, 49, pp. 5098-5107Brito, A.R.M.S., (1994) Manual de ensaios toxicologicos in vivo, 116p. , 1a ed., Campinas, Editora UnicampCEC, (1996) Technical guidance document in support of commission directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances, , Part II, environmental risk assessment. Commission of the European Communities, Luxembourg: Office for official publication of the European CommunitiesCorley, D.A., Kubo, A., Zhao, W., Quesenberry, C., Proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists are associated with hip fractures among at-risk patients (2010) Gastroenterol, 139, pp. 93-101Deplege, M., Pharmaceuticals: Reduce drug waste in the environment (2011) Nature, 36, p. 478Fent, K., Weston, A.A., Caminada, D., Ecotoxicology of human pharmaceuticals (2006) Aquat. Toxicol, 76, pp. 122-159George, P., Concerns regarding the safety and toxicity of medicinal plants-An overview (2011) J. Appl. Pharm. Sci, 1, pp. 40-44Gilbert, N., Drug-pollution law all washed up (2012) Nature, 491, pp. 503-504Isidori, M., Parrella, A., Pistillo, P., Temussi, F., Effects of ranitidine and its photoderivatives in the aquatic environment (2009) Environ. Intern, 35, pp. 821-825Jain, K.S., Shah, A.K., Bariwal, J., Shelke, S.M., Kale, A.P., Jagtap, J.R., Bhosale, A.V., Recent advances in proton pump inhibitors and management of acid-peptic disorders (2007) Bioorg. Med. Chem, 15, pp. 1181-1205Kim, S.K., Cha, J.Y., Jeong, S.J., Chung, C.H., Choi, Y.R., Cho, Y.S., Properties of the chemical composition of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) sprout (2000) Korean J. Life Sci, 10, pp. 68-73Madanick, R.D., Proton pump inhibitor side effects and drug interactions: Much ado about nothing? Cleve (2011) Clin. J. Med, 78, pp. 39-49Malfertheiner, P., Chan, F.K.L., McColl, K.E.L., Peptic ulcer disease (2009) Lancet, 374, pp. 1449-1461Mizui, T., Doteuchi, M., Effect of polyamines on acidified ethanol-induced gastric lesion in rats (1983) Jpn. J. Pharmacol, 33, pp. 939-945Olfert, D., Cross, B.M., McWilliam, A.A., (1993) Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animal, 213p. , Canadian Council on Animal Care, OntarioPintao, A.M., Da Silva, I.F., A verdade sobre o acafrao (2008) Workshop Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterapeuticas nos Tropicos. IICT/CCCM, 29, pp. 30, 31. , de Outubro, 1-19Rainsford, K.D., The effects of aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs on gastro-intestinal mucus glycoprotein biosynthesis in vivo: Relationship to ulcerogenic actions (1978) Biochem. Pharmacol, 27, pp. 877-885Rudolphi, S., Becker, H.C., Schierholt, A., Witzke-Ehbrecht, S.V., Improved estimation of oil, linoleic and oleic acid and seed hull fractions in safflower by NIRS.J (2012) Am. Oil Chem. Soc, 89, pp. 363-369Santos, L.H.L.M., Araujo, A.N., Fachinia, A., Pena, A., Delerue-Matos, C., Montenegro, M.C.B.S.M., Ecotoxicological aspects related to the presence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment (2010) J. Hazard Mater, 175, pp. 45-95Saraf, A., Saraf, S., Legal regulations of complementary and alternative medicines in different countries (2012) Pharmacogn. Rev, 6, pp. 154-160Shay, H., Komarov, S.A., Fels, S.S., Meranze, D., Gruenstein, M., Siplet, H., A simple method for the uniform production of gastric ulceration in the rat (1945) Gastroenterol, 5, pp. 43-61Silveira, F.L., Silveira, L., Jr., Villaverde, A.B., Pacheco, M.T.T., Pasqualucci, C.A., Use of dispersive Raman Spectroscopy in the determination of unsaturated fat in commercial edible oil-and fat-containing industrialized foods (2010) Instrum. Sci. Technol, 38, pp. 107-123Silveira, L., Silveira, F.L., Bodanese, B., Zangaro, R.A., Pacheco, M.T.T., Discriminating model for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma in vitro based on the Raman spectra of selected biochemicals (2012) J. Biomed. Opt, 17Stachowska, E., Dolegowska, B., Dziedziejk, V., Rybicka, M., Kaczmarczyh, M., Bober, J., Rac, M., Chlubek, D., Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthesis is regulated by conjugate linoleic acids (CLA) in human macrophages (2009) J. Physiol. Pharmacol, 60, pp. 77-85Sun, X.B., Matsumoto, T., Yamada, H., Effects of a polysaccharide fraction from the root of Bupleurum falcatum L on experimental gastric ulcer models in rats and mice (1991) J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 43, pp. 669-704Szelenyi, I., Thiemer, K., Distention ulcer as a model for testing of drugs for ulcerogenic side effects (1978) Arch. Toxicol, 41, pp. 99-105Takeuchi, H., Matsuo, T., Tokuyama, K., Shimomura, Y., Suzuki, M., Diet-induced thermogenesis is lower in rats fed a lard diet than in those fed a high oleic acid safflower oil diet, a safflower oil diet or a linseed oil diet (1995) J. Nutr, 125, pp. 920-925US EPA, (2002) Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater and Marine Organisms, 266p. , 5th ed. United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-821-R-02-012Webb, S., A data-based perspective on the environmental risk assessment of human pharmaceuticals I. collation of available ecotoxicity data and II. aquatic risk characterisation (2001) Pharmaceuticals in the environment sources, fate, effects and risks, pp. 175-230. , Kummerer K editor. 1st ed. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag pWHO, (1997) Adverse Drug Reaction Database, , World Health Organization, Uppsala Sweden. 36. Institute of Safe Medication Practices Medication Safety Alert. June 4, V 01. 2 No. llWHO, (2002) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, , (Some Traditional Herbal Medicines), World Health Organization Vol. 82, IARC Press Lyon, FranceZapata-Colindres, J.C., Zepeda-Gomez, S., Montano-Loza, A., Jesus-Villalobos, J.E., Valdovinos-Andraca, F., The association of Helicobacter pylori infection and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in peptic ulcer disease (2006) Can. J. Gastroenterol, 20, pp. 277-28

An investigation of Stimulated Raman Scattering in gases using a tunable laser

Incl. 1 reprint at backAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D72031/87 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Higher-Stokes order Raman conversion to the near IR: high efficiency and brightness via a capillary waveguide amplifier

Efficient Raman conversion in H2 gas from 0.53 µm to third Stokes (S3) at 1.58 µm has been demonstrated using an oscillator/amplifier configuration. Seed radiation from the oscillator controls the divergence of the Stokes beams and a capillary amplifier configuration enhances the conversion. An overall 9% photon conversion efficiency to S3 is achieved with the S3 beam divergence twice the diffraction limit. Photon conversion efficiency within the amplifier is ~20%

An analysis of stimulated Raman scattering in guided systems

In this paper we compare the performance of a capillary waveguide and an unguided cell in terms of the pump power necessary to reach the threshold for Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) and the Raman exponential gain. The main characteristics of the capillary waveguide and their role in the SRS process are discussed. The case of a non diffraction limited beam is also considered and a general expression is derived for the overall enhancement provided by the capillary

High efficiency and high brightness Raman conversion of dye laser radiation

A technique for efficient Raman conversion of an excimer pumped dye laser is described, based on the use of a Raman oscillator/amplifier combination. A photon conversion efficiency of 90% to first Stokes is demonstrated, with diffraction-limited beam quality

A synchronously pumped waveguide CH₄ Raman laser at 1.54µm

The threshold for stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in CH4 gas with a 1.06µm pump has been reduced to only ~50kW using an arrangement involving synchronous pumping and confinement in a capillary waveguide. This corresponds to a threshold reduction of ~50 compared to an unguided, single pass device. This Raman laser has produced stable mode-locked 1.54µm pulses of ~12kW power and pulse duration ~100ps

Low threshold operation of a waveguide CH₄ Raman laser at 1.54µm

A convenient source of high-power (~20 kW) stable mode-locked pulses at 1.54 µm, suitable for pulse-compression studies in the negative group-velocity-dispersion region of optical fibres, is described. The source is based on a capillary-waveguide Raman laser, using CH4 gas, and pumped by a mode-locked Q-switched CW Nd:YAG laser. Initial results for a synchronously pumped Raman laser are also presented

Comparison between the fluorescence spectroscopy and the 125i albumin-labeling technique for the study of skin edema dynamics

Skin injury caused by chemicals substances as the carrageenan produces a local inflammatory reaction involving the liberation of mediators that leads to an increase in vascular permeability and, consequently, edema formation. The vascular permeability can be evaluated by measuring the amount of some extravasating specific dyes. The Evans blue dye is recommended due to its systemic effect and non-toxicity to the organism. That dye binds to the plasma albumin and emits radiation when excited, allowing for spectroscopic monitoring of the edema. In this study, the amount of extravasating plasma albumin in the site of the carrageenan-induced edema in Wistar rats is evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The intensity of the Evans blue dye fluorescence signal for different edema evolution times is compared to the 125I labeled albumin data obtained with a γ-counter. A dye laser (458 nm) was used as the fluorescence excitation source. The fluorescence intensity was taken at the 680 nm peak of the dye spectral emission. The spectroscopic data shows the dye emission intensity growing with the settling up of the edema and decreasing as the tissue recovers from the inflammatory stimulus. A good correlation between the spectroscopic and the γ-counter data was obtained, which suggests that the Evans blue dye fluorescence is a promising technique for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of edema dynamics.Skin injury caused by chemicals substances as the carrageenan produces a local inflammatory reaction involving the liberation of mediators that leads to an increase in vascular permeability and, consequently, edema formation. The vascular permeability can be evaluated by measuring the amount of some extravasating specific dyes. The Evans blue dye is recommended due to its systemic effect and non-toxicity to the organism. That dye binds to the plasma albumin and emits radiation when excited, allowing for spectroscopic monitoring of the edema. In this study, the amount of extravasating plasma albumin in the site of the carrageenan-induced edema in Wistar rats is evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The intensity of the Evans blue dye fluorescence signal for different edema evolution times is compared to the 125I labeled albumin data obtained with a γ-counter. A dye laser (458 nm) was used as the fluorescence excitation source. The fluorescence intensity was taken at the 680 nm peak of the dye spectral emission. The spectroscopic data shows the dye emission intensity growing with the settling up of the edema and decreasing as the tissue recovers from the inflammatory stimulus. A good correlation between the spectroscopic and the γ-counter data was obtained, which suggests that the Evans blue dye fluorescence is a promising technique for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of edema dynamics51511311