Infrared Spectroscopic Study and Mathematical Simulations of Carotid Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The pathogenesis, treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis continue to be the subject of intensive research and study by the scientific community. Based on Fourier-transform infrared spectra and 3D-Doppler echogram, we attempted to develop a computational simulation model for predicting the association of atherosclerotic risk factors with pathogenic molecular structural changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Atheromatic carotid arteries from 56 patients (60-85 years old) were used as samples. Color 3D-Doppler echogram screening was performed on all patients preoperatively. Each infrared spectrum consisted of 120 co-added spectra at a spectral resolution of 4 cm-1 Results: The infrared spectral analysis reveals 'marker bands', such as the 1,744 cm-1 band assigned to aldehyde formation and to the 'fingerprint' digital spectral region of 1,050-1,169 cm-1, characteristic of the presence of advanced glycation end products (C-O-C). The accumulation of calcium phosphate salts increases the formation rate of stenosis. The critical point of stenosis risk starts at about 45%, while when stenosis is over 60-70%, the risk of ischemic stroke or other major adverse cardiovascular events increases dramatically. CONCLUSION: Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and mathematical simulation models showed that carotid artery stenosis over 45% reduces the blood flow rate, while stenosis over 65% dramatically increases the hemodynamic disturbance, with a parallel increase the rate of ischemic stroke or other major adverse cardiovascular events.

Oxidative stress in ageing and disease development studied by FT-IR spectroscopy.

FT-IR spectroscopy was used to investigate the effect of oxidative stress and to approach the mechanism on cancer bone demineralization, aortic valve mineralization and heterotopic ossification on disease development. The FT-IR spectra obtained from paediatric, adult bone and ex vivo irradiated adult healthy bone with a dose of 20Gy were compared with those of healthy bone. The increase of band intensity changes of vasCH2,vsCH2 in the region 3000-2850cm-1 depended on aging, the disease progression and the dose of irradiation. The bands at 3080cm-1 and 1744cm-1, which originate from olefinic terminal bond (v=CH) and ester carbonyl group (vROCO), respectively, indicate the influence of oxidative stress on lipid degradation and peroxidation, respectively. The new bands at about 1690cm-1 and 1516cm-1 denote the presence of ß-sheet conformation of the proteins due to the diseases, confirming the increasing amount of lipophilic environment and fibril formation. Comparison of the FT-IR spectra of calcified aortic valve and hip heterotopic ossification with that of normal bones showed that in the bone-like formation the peroxide anion free radicals play an important role in the disease.