IMPROVING FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE BY DIVERSIFYING CROPS

Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries,

Repeatability of brown adipose tissue measurements on FDG PET/CT following a simple cooling procedure for BAT activation

Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) is present in a significant number of adult humans and can be activated by exposure to cold. Measurement of active BAT presence, activity, and volume are desirable for determining the efficacy of potential treatments intended to activate BAT. The repeatability of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of BAT presence, activity, and volume under controlled conditions has not been extensively studied. Eleven female volunteers underwent double baseline FDG PET imaging performed following a simple, regional cold intervention intended to activate brown fat. The cold intervention involved the lightly-clothed participants intermittently placing their feet on a block of ice while sitting in a cooled room. A repeat study was performed under the same conditions within a target of two weeks. FDG scans were obtained and maximum standardized uptake value adjusted for lean body mass (SULmax), CT Hounsfield units (HU), BAT metabolic volume (BMV), and total BAT glycolysis (TBG) were determined according to the Brown Adipose Reporting Criteria in Imaging STudies (BARCIST) 1.0. A Lin's concordance correlation (CCC) of 0.80 was found for BMV between test and retest imaging. Intersession BAT SULmax was significantly correlated (r = 0.54; p < 0.05). The session #1 mean SULmax of 4.92 ± 4.49 g/mL was not significantly different from that of session #2 with a mean SULmax of 7.19 ± 7.34 g/mL (p = 0.16). BAT SULmax was highly correlated with BMV in test and retest studies (r ≥ 0.96, p < 0.001). Using a simplified ice-block cooling method, BAT was activated in the majority (9/11) of a group of young, lean female participants. Quantitative assessments of BAT SUL and BMV were not substantially different between test and retest imaging, but individual BMV could vary considerably. Intrasession BMV and SULmax were strongly correlated. The variability in estimates of BAT activity and volume on test-retest with FDG should inform sample size choice in studies quantifying BAT physiology and support the dynamic metabolic characteristics of this tissue. A more sophisticated cooling method potentially may reduce variations in test-retest BAT studies

Dot-based ELISA and RIA: Two rapid assays that screen hybridoma supernatants against whole live cells

Two assays are described that are suitable for the screening of large numbers of hybridoma supernatants as well as for the screening of a wide range of tissues for the distribution of a given cell surface antigen. These assays use whole live cells as targets, avoiding fixation or extraction, which could alter the antigenic structural profile. The assays are rapid, simple and inexpensive. Their advantages and applications are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24666/1/0000079.pd

The Parent Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ-Parent). Adaptation and validity testing with parents of children with epilepsy

Aims: The aim of this study was to adapt the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) in English and Norwegian for use with parents. Methods: The research group evaluated all HLQ items and, where relevant, modified them to refocus the attribution of care to that of a child by a parent. Five cognitive interviews with parents were undertaken to gain a detailed depiction of the meanings and processes they used to respond to the HLQ items. Assessment of the psychometric properties of the revised HLQ was undertaken using data from a cross-sectional survey of 254 parents of children with epilepsy. Analysis included internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: Some 22 out of 44 items and the names of three domains were modified (e.g. attribution changed from ‘me’ to ‘my child’). Cognitive interviews indicated that parents interpreted the HLQ-Parent items in the way intended. All but three factor loadings were high to acceptable. All nine HLQ scales showed satisfactory to good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.70 to 0.87). When fitting one-factor CFA models, correlated residuals were required for four scales to generate an acceptable fit. One scale, ‘8. Ability to find good health information’, required inclusion of two correlated residuals to generate an acceptable CFA model fit, indicating that further work on this scale is warranted. Conclusions: The results from both the adaptation process and the CFA analysis supported the relevance, understanding and theoretical structure of the instrument in a parental context

High-dose, unlabeled, nonspecific antibody pretreatment: influence on specific antibody localization to human melanoma xenografts

Nonspecific uptake of radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies in normal tissues is a significant problem for tumor imaging. A potential means of decreasing nonspecific antibody binding is to “blockade” nonspecific antibody binding sites by predosing with cold, nonspecific isotypematched antibody, before injecting specific antibody. Nontumor-specific murine monoclonal antibody LK2H10 (IgG1) or Ab-1 (IgG2a) was given i.v. at doses of 0 to 3.5 mg to nude mice with xenografts of human melanoma. These mice were then given i.v. 4 μg of 131 I anti-high molecular weight antigen of melanoma (HMWMAA) monoclonal antibody 763.24T (IgG1) or 225.28S (IgG2a), respectively. These mice were also given a tracer dose of 125 I LK2H10 or Ab-1, respectively. Specific tumor uptake of anti-HMWMAA antibodies was see in all cases. No drop in tumor or nontumor uptake was demonstrated for either of the tumor-specific or nonspecific monoclonal antibodies due to nonspecific monoclonal antibody pretreatment. These data suggest that high doses of isotype-matched unlabeled nonspecific monoclonal antibody given before 131 I tumor-specific monoclonal antibody, will not enhance tumor imaging.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46853/1/262_2004_Article_BF00205633.pd

Improved radioimmunolocalization of human tumor xenografts following subcutaneous delivery of monoclonal antibodies

The localization of a radiolabeled murine monoclonal antibody reactive with choriocarcinomas to human choriocarcinoma xenografts following intravenous and subcutaneous injection was evaluated by gamma scanning and tissue sampling. Tumor xenografts were established in the popliteal node region of athymic nude mice after repeated innoculations of the hind foot pads with BEWO choriocarcinoma cells. In dual label specific antibody studies, tumor/non tumor uptake ratios following subcutaneous (resulting in considerable intralymphatic uptake) injection of 131 I-5F9.3 were significantly higher than those achieved post simultaneous intravenous injection of 125 I-5F9.3. Double label experiments with 131 I-5F9.3 and a nonspecific antibody, 125 I-UPC-10, following subcutaneous injection, demonstrated that the high localization to popliteal region tumors was largely due to antibody specificity. Gamma scans following subcutaneous antibody administration of specific antibody to tumor bearing animals showed tumors soon after subcutaneous injection, at times earlier than those typically seen following intravenous delivery. Similar subcutaneous injections showed little normal nodal uptake in BALB/c control animals on gamma scans. No correlation was seen between tumor localization by specific antibody between the intravenous and intralymphatic routes, implying a difference in the mechanisms of tumor uptake of antibody by these two routes. The subcutaneous approach to antibody delivery offers advantages over intravenous delivery in tumors of human origin, including higher tumor/non tumor ratios and earlier imaging times. This was true even though these tumors were many times larger than normal lymph nodes. This subcutaneous delivery advantage should be exploitable in imaging nodal metastases of human tumors.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46825/1/259_2004_Article_BF00256630.pd

Preliminary assessment of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron mission tomography in patients with bladder cancer

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of imaging of bladder cancer with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scanning. We studied 12 patients with histologically proven bladder cancer who had undergone surgical procedures and/or radiotherapy. Retrograde irrigation of the urinary bladder with 1000–3710 ml saline was performed during nine of the studies. Dynamic and static PET images were obtained, and standardized uptake value images were reconstructed. FDG-PET scanning was true-positive in eight patients (66.7%), but false-negative in four (33.3%). Of 20 organs with tumor mass lesions confirmed pathologically or clinically, 16 (80%) were detected by FDG-PET scanning. FDG-PET scanning detected all of 17 distant metastatic lesions and two of three proven regional lymph node metastases. FDG-PET was also capable of differentiating viable recurrent bladder cancer from radiation-induced alterations in two patients. In conclusion, these preliminary data indicate the feasibility of FDG-PET imaging in patients with bladder cancer, although a major remaining pitfall is intense FDG accumulation in the urine.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46842/1/259_2004_Article_BF00841398.pd

INVESTIGATION OF THE TRANSMISSION AND STOPPING OF LIGHT IONS PASSING THROUGH A PLASMA TARGET

Transmission and energy losses of 2 MeV/u Carbon and Sulphur beams passing through a plasma target, have been extensively investigated. A hydrogen plasma ignited by an electrical discharge was coupled to the Orsay Tandem beam accelerator. Fluctuations in beam transmission have been observed and attributed to a magnetic focusing effect generated during the plasma evolution. Energy loss measurements were performed on the basis of time of flight techniques and indicate an enhanced stopping power of the plasma relative to its cold matter equivalent

Clinical Trial Design and Development Work Group within the Quantitative Imaging Network

The Clinical Trial Design and Development Working Group within the Quantitative Imaging Network focuses on providing support for the development, validation, and harmonization of quantitative imaging (QI) methods and tools for use in cancer clinical trials. In the past 10 years, the Group has been working in several areas to identify challenges and opportunities in clinical trials involving QI and radiation oncology. The Group has been working with Quantitative Imaging Network members and the Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance leadership to develop guidelines for standardizing the reporting of quantitative imaging. As a validation platform, the Group led a multireader study to test a semi-automated positron emission tomography quantification software. Clinical translation of QI tools cannot be possible without a continuing dialogue with clinical users. This article also highlights the outreach activities extended to cooperative groups and other organizations that promote the use of QI tools to support clinical decisions

embracing diversity in a strengths-based approach to promote health and equity, and avoid epistemic injustice

APP1155125. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Author(s) (or their employer(s)).Definitions of health literacy have evolved from notions of health-related literacy to a multidimensional concept that incorporates the importance of social and cultural knowledge, practices and contexts. This evolution is evident in the development of instruments that seek to measure health literacy in different ways. Health literacy measurement is important for global health because diverse stakeholders, including the WHO, use these data to inform health practice and policy, and to understand sources of inequity. In this Practice paper, we explore the potential for negative consequences, bias and epistemic injustice to occur when health literacy instruments are used across settings without due regard for the lived experiences of people in various contexts from whom data are collected. A health literacy measurement approach that is emic-sensitive, strengths based and solution oriented is needed to minimise biased data interpretation and use and to avoid epistemic injustice.publishersversionpublishe