Gastric xenon trapping mimicking COPD: Recognition using an effervescent agent

Trapping of xenon 133 in the stomach due to gas swallowing can mimic xenon 133 retention in the left lower lobe due to obstructive lung disease on pulmonary ventilation/perfusion studies. In such cases, ingestion of sodium citrate-bicarbonate-simethicone crystals, which from CO 2 gas on contact with water, can distend the xenoncontaining stomach and allow clear delineation of its gastric location. This approach is useful in selected cases and may help avoid false-positive diagnoses of obstructive airways disease.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46824/1/259_2004_Article_BF00276710.pd

Regional 2-[ 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxy- d -glucose uptake varies in normal lung

2-[ 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxy- d -glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a promising imaging procedure for detecting primary and metastatic cancer in the lungs. We have, however, failed to detect some small tumors in the lower lobes of the lungs. This study aimed to determine whether increase 18 F background activity in the dependent lower lungs is present, which could make lesion detection more difficult. We measured the standardized uptake values (SUVs) for FDG of normal lung remote from the nodular lesion in 16 patients with newly diagnosed untreated lung lesions stronlgy suspected to represent non-small cell lung cancers. In addition, 15 patients with known or suspected primary breast cancers without pulmonary lesions were included as control subjects. After PET transmission images of the thorax were obtained, approximately 370 MBq of FDG was injected intravenously and imaging was immediately begun. Patients were supine throughout the study. SUVs were determined with images obtained 50–70 min after FDG injection. Regions of interest (ROls) of 6×6 pixels were positioned over normal lung in anterior, mid, and posterior portions of upper, middle, and lower lung fields. Thus, as many as 18 ROls were positioned in each patient. The SUVs of the posterior portion were significantly higher than those of the anterior and mid portions in the population of 31 cases ( P <0.001). Also, the mean SUV of the lower lung field was significantly higher than the SUVs of the upper and middle lung fields in this population ( P <0.01). This pattern was seen among the two groups of 16 patients suspected of having lung cancer and 15 control subjects. Background 18 F activity was highest in posterior and lower lung in these patients. The maximum value of mean SUV observed in normal posterior lower lung was 0.804±0.230 (41% greater than the mean SUV in the anterior upper lung), which is in the range of the apparent SUV for a 5-mm lung lesion, with higher SUV, due to recovery coefficient issues. Thus this phenomenon could contribute to occasional false-negative lesions in those areas. Increased blood flow and FDG delivery and also scatter from heart and liver may contribute to the increased lower lung background activity. Regional differences in normal lung FDG uptake are significant and should be considered when interpreting pulmonary PET studies in patients with suspected primary or metastatic lung cancer.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46841/1/259_2004_Article_BF00833385.pd

Quantitative autoradiographic evaluation of the influence of protein dose on monoclonal antibody distribution in human ovarian adenocarcinoma xenografts

We studied the effect of monoclonal antibody protein dose on the uniformity of radioiodinated antibody distribution within tumor masses using quantitative autoradiography. Groups ( n = 11–13/group) of athymic nude mice with subcutaneous HTB77 human ovarian carcinoma xenografts were injected intraperitoneally with an 125 I-labeled anticarcinoma-associated antigen murine monoclonal antibody, 5G6.4, using a high or a low protein dose (500 µg or 5 µg). At 6 days post-injection the macroscopic and microscopic intratumoral biodistribution of radiolabeled antibody was determined. The degree of heterogeneity of the labeled antibody distribution within each tumor was quantified and expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV) of the activity levels in serial histological sections. Tumors from mice given the 500-µg protein doses had substantially lower CV values, 0.327±0.027, than did tumors from animals given 5-µg protein doses, 0.458±0.041, ( P = 0.0078), indicating that the higher protein dose resulted in more homogeneous distribution of radioactivity in tumors than did the lower dose. While the percentage of the injected dose reaching the tumor was comparable between groups, injecting the higher dose of protein resulted in significantly lower tumor to non-tumor uptake ratios than those obtained for the lower protein dose. These data indicate, in this system, that to achieve more uniform intratumoral antibody (and radiation for radioimmunotherapy) delivery, a relatively high protein dose must be administered. However, to obtain this increased uniformity, a substantial drop in tumor/background uptake ratios was seen. Quantitative autoradiographic evaluation of human tumor xenografts is a useful method to assess the intratumoral distribution of antibodies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46859/1/262_2005_Article_BF01789014.pd

Modified Habitats Influence Kelp Epibiota via Direct and Indirect Effects

Addition of man-made structures alters abiotic and biotic characteristics of natural habitats, which can influence abundances of biota directly and/or indirectly, by altering the ecology of competitors or predators. Marine epibiota in modified habitats were used to test hypotheses to distinguish between direct and indirect processes. In Sydney Harbour, kelps on pier-pilings supported greater covers of bryozoans, particularly of the non-indigenous species Membranipora membranacea, than found on natural reefs. Pilings influenced these patterns and processes directly due to the provision of shade and indirectly by altering abundances of sea-urchins which, in turn, affected covers of bryozoans. Indirect effects were more important than direct effects. This indicates that artificial structures affect organisms living on secondary substrata in complex ways, altering the biodiversity and indirectly affecting abundances of epibiota. Understanding how these components of habitats affect ecological processes is necessary to allow sensible prediction of the effects of modifying habitats on the ecology of organisms

High (but Not Low) Urinary Iodine Excretion Is Predicted by Iodine Excretion Levels from Five Years Ago

Background: It has not been investigated whether there are associations between urinary iodine (UI) excretion measurements some years apart, nor whether such an association remains after adjustment for nutritional habits. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between iodine-creatinine ratio (ICR) at two measuring points 5 years apart. Methods: Data from 2,659 individuals from the Study of Health in Pomerania were analyzed. Analysis of covariance and Poisson regressions were used to associate baseline with follow-up ICR. Results: Baseline ICR was associated with follow-up ICR. Particularly, baseline ICR >300 mu g/g was related to an ICR >300 mu g/g at follow-up (relative risk, RR: 2.20; p < 0.001). The association was stronger in males (RR: 2.64; p < 0.001) than in females (RR: 1.64; p = 0.007). In contrast, baseline ICR <100 mu g/g was only associated with an ICR <100 mu g/g at follow-up in males when considering unadjusted ICR. Conclusions: We detected only a weak correlation with respect to low ICR. Studies assessing iodine status in a population should take into account that an individual with a low UI excretion in one measurement is not necessarily permanently iodine deficient. On the other hand, current high ICR could have been predicted by high ICR 5 years ago. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Isoforms of U1-70k control subunit dynamics in the human spliceosomal U1 snRNP

Most human protein-encoding genes contain multiple exons that are spliced together, frequently in alternative arrangements, by the spliceosome. It is established that U1 snRNP is an essential component of the spliceosome, in human consisting of RNA and ten proteins, several of which are post- translationally modified and exist as multiple isoforms. Unresolved and challenging to investigate are the effects of these post translational modifications on the dynamics, interactions and stability of the particle. Using mass spectrometry we investigate the composition and dynamics of the native human U1 snRNP and compare native and recombinant complexes to isolate the effects of various subunits and isoforms on the overall stability. Our data reveal differential incorporation of four protein isoforms and dynamic interactions of subunits U1-A, U1-C and Sm-B/B’. Results also show that unstructured post- ranslationally modified C-terminal tails are responsible for the dynamics of Sm-B/B’ and U1-C and that their interactions with the Sm core are controlled by binding to different U1-70k isoforms and their phosphorylation status in vivo. These results therefore provide the important functional link between proteomics and structure as well as insight into the dynamic quaternary structure of the native U1 snRNP important for its function.This work was funded by: BBSRC (OVM), BBSRC and EPSRC (HH and NM), EU Prospects (HH), European Science Foundation (NM), the Royal Society (CVR), and fellowship from JSPS and HFSP (YM and DAPK respectively)

Clinical trials update of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast Cancer Group

The present clinical trial update consists of a review of two of eight current studies (the 10981-22023 AMAROS trial and the 10994 p53 trial) of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast Cancer Group, as well as a preview of the MIND-ACT trial. The AMAROS trial is designed to prove equivalent local/regional control for patients with proven axillary lymph node metastasis by sentinel node biopsy if treated with axillary radiotherapy instead of axillary lymph node dissection, with reduced morbidity. The p53 trial started to assess the potential predictive value of p53 using a functional assay in yeast in patients with locally advanced/inflammatory or large operable breast cancer prospectively randomised to a taxane regimen versus a nontaxane regimen