Detection of myocardial scars in neonatal infants from computerized echocardiographic texture analysis

It has been demonstrated that highly reflectile echoes (HREs) on standard echocardiograms may represent foci of myocardial fibrosis, calcification, or infiltration. A pilot study of the echocardiograms of premature infants by our group has indicated the presence of HREs in many stressed infants. We have subsequently shown that these HREs correspond to myocardial scarring or necrosis.

By studying normal two-dimensional echocardiograms and those with visually observed highly reflectile echoes (HREs), we have been able to develop echo-intensity ranges for normal neonatal myocardium and suspected foci of necrosis. An amplitude analysis of the intensity levels of these highly reflectile areas (HREs) in the echocardiogram has indicated that their mean intensity was significantly higher than the surrounding healthy myocardial areas. Significant correlation was found between these highly reflectile echo zones and calcified or necrotic tissue based on postmortem pathological examination.

An objective method of quantifying the ultrasonic reflection amplitude has thereby been developed by us, based on image analysis of the echograms available from the B-scan system. Algorithms have been developed for evaluating the greylevels (or echo intensities or reflection amplitudes) of the pixels, normalizing them with respect to the reflection amplitude of the pericardium, and then printing out the grey-level distribution over an image. Appropriate software has been developed to designate scarred myocardial segments, based on the mean and standard deviation of the selected region on the echo image in comparison with these values for the pericardium.

Carbon source regulation of RAS1 expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the phenotypes of ras2- cells

Transcriptional analysis of the yeast RAS genes in different culture conditions suggests that the inability of ras2 mutants to grow in nonfermentable carbon sources results from the regulation of RAS1 mRNA expression. The amount of RAS1 mRNA is significantly repressed in cultures grown on the nonfermentable carbon sources ethanol and acetate. As a result, low RAS function should be expressed under these conditions in a ras2 mutant. This can explain the inability of ras2- cells to grow on nonfermentable carbon sources. This interpretation is supported by the finding that an extragenic suppressor of ras2- (sra6-15), which restores growth on ethanol or acetate, also leads to an increase in the amount of RAS1 mRNA under these conditions. The sra6-15 mutation does not alter the level of RAS1 mRNA in cells grown on glucose. The pattern of transcriptional regulation described for the RAS1 gene is not shared by RAS2, indicating differential control of the functionally homologous yeast RAS genes at the level of gene expression.

Experimental production of basement membrane zone antibodies

Sera from animals immunized to basement membrane proteins were collected and studied by indirect immunofluorescence using rat skin, esophagus, kidney, urinary bladder, rabbit skin, and human skin as substrates. Serum of immunized rabbits showed indirect immunofluorescent staining at the basement membrane zone of rat skin, esophagus, glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, rabbit skin, and human skin. In addition, the connective tissue sheaths of muscle fibers showed fluorescent staining. Direct immunofluorescence of skin, esophagus, kidney, and urinary bladder obtained from immunized animals was negative in all cases. This study demonstrates the antibody-inducing capability of basement membrane zone antigens of stratified squamous epithelium and suggests the presence of an antigen common to basement membranes of stratified squamous epithelium, glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, and the connective tissue sheaths of striated muscle. Histopathologic abnormalities were not associated with these antibodies in the immunized animals.

The Quinones of Nepenthes rafflesiana. The Crystal Structure of 2,5-Dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxy-7-methylnaphtho-1,4-quinone (Nepenthone-E) and a Synthesis of 2,5-Dihydroxy-3-Methoxy-7-methylnaphtho-1,4-quinone (Nepenthone-C)

Plumbagin (1), droserone (2), hydroxydroserone (4) and four new quinones, nepenthone-A, nepenth-one-B, nepenthone-C (17) and nepenthone-E (9), have been isolated from the roots of Nepenthes rafflesiana Jack. A fifth quinone-nepenthone-D-has been detected in the extract and has been assigned the tentative structure (29) from its spectroscopic properties. ��� The crystal structure of nepenthone-E (9) was determined by X-ray diffraction; diffractometer data at 295 K were refined by full-matrix least squares to a residual of 0.061 (1040 'observed' reflections). Crystals of nepenthone-E (9) are triclinic, Pī a 7.579 (4), b 7.764 (5), c 10.806 (7) Ǻ, α 70.86 (4), β 101.40 (5), γ 91.70 (5)°, Z 2. ��� The structure of nepenthone-C (17) has been confirmed by an unambiguous synthesis. A synthesis of 2,7,8-trimethoxy-3-methyl-5,6-methylenedioxynaphtho-1,4-quinone (49) has revealed that this substance (49) is not identical with the O,O-dimethyl ether of nepenthone-A, and it is suggested that nepenthone-A is either the 5- or 8-O-methyl ether of 2,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methyl-6,7-methylenedioxy-naphtho-1,4-quinone [(36) or (37), respectively].

Chemistry and Crystal Structures of Some Constituents of Zingiber cassumunar

The novel aromatic compounds cis-3-(2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-2''',4''',5'''-trimethoxy-styryl]cyclohex-1-ene(1), cis-3-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-3''',4'''-dimethoxystyryl]cyclohex-1-ene (2), a substance assigned the tentative structure cis-3-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-2''',4''',5'''- trimethoxystyryl]cyclohex-1-ene (3),(E)-4-(3',4'-dimethoxypheny1)but-3-en-1-ol (5), (E)-4-(3',4'-dimethoxypheny1)but-3-en-1-yl acetate (6), and 8-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-methoxynaphtho-1,4- quinone (7) have been isolated from the rhizomes of Zingiber cassurnunav Roxb. (Zingiberaceae). The crystal structures of the cyclohexene derivative (1) and the quinone (7) have been determined from X-ray diffractometer data at 295 K and refined by block diagonal least squares to residuals of 0.046 (2099 'observed' reflections) and 0.093 (1246), respectively. Crystals of compound (1) are triclinic, P1, a 18.027(12), b 10.037(9), c 6.530(5) α, 84.22 (7), β 81.87 (6), γ 85.72 (6)�, Z 2. Crystals of the quinone (7) are monoclinic, P21/a, a 22.89 (1), b 8.022 (5), c 8.458 (5) �, β 91.98 (5)�, Z 4. Although the latter crystal structure determination is imprecise, due largely to the very small size of the crystal available, the solution is unambiguous. A simple two-step synthesis of the quinone (7) has been achieved.