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Biomedical subjects

T K Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to T K Johnson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A new method for the correction of gamma camera nonuniformity due to spatial distortion.

A methodology for correcting scintillation camera nonuniformity resulting from spatial linearity distortion is described. The method simultaneously corrects for both variations in count density and distortions in spatial linearity without altering the intrinsic sensitivity or resolution of the imaging system. This approach to linearity correction requires only a single flood image from which the spatial shift vectors are derived. The algorithm has been implemented on a PC-based, EISA bus microcomputer, and reduces the measurement of integral uniformity for 201Tl from 25% to 5%. Combined with regional correction for photopeak pulse-heights shifts (i.e. energy correction), the algorithm represents a novel technique for implementing uniformity correction completely within software.

Algorithms

Distribution of a breast-directed I-131-radiolabeled monoclonal antibody in blood and bone marrow: implications for radiation immunotherapy.

Bone marrow is most often the dose-limiting organ in radiation immunotherapy. Controversy exists over optimal methods of estimating radiation dose to bone marrow. The authors compared findings in serial blood samples to findings in bone marrow biopsy samples as measures of bone marrow activity from which to calculate bone marrow dose. Peripheral blood samples and bone marrow biopsy samples were obtained from 11 female patients at 48 and 168 hours after infusion of iodine-131-labeled Mc5 antibody. Bone marrow biopsy data demonstrated markedly decreased specific activity compared with that measured in the peripheral blood. Activities at 48 hours after infusion ranged from 3% to 22% of the peripheral blood activity. These results indicate that activity concentration in the bone marrow is not equivalent to activity concentration in the blood for the Mc5 antibody. These results imply that a dose three to four times that indicated from serial blood samples could be tolerated by patients, provided the antibody-radioisotope does not bind to the marrow.

Bone Marrow

Lethal(1) aberrant immune response mutations leading to melanotic tumor formation in Drosophila melanogaster.

Using P element-mediated mutagenesis we have isolated 20 X-linked lethal mutations, representing at least 14 complementation groups, which exhibit melanotic tumor phenotypes. We present the systematic analysis of this interesting group of lethal mutations that were selected for their visible melanotic or immune response. The lethal and melanotic tumor phenotypes of each lethal(1) aberrant immune response (air) mutation are pleiotropic effects of single genetic lesions. Lethality occurs throughout the larval and early pupal periods of development and larval development is extended in some air mutants. The air mutant lethal syndromes include abnormalities associated with the brain, haematopoietic organs, gut, salivary glands, ring glands, and imaginal discs. Additional characterization of the melanotic tumor mutations Tuml and tu(1)Szts have indicated that the melanotic tumor phenotype is similar to that observed in the air mutants. These studies have led to the proposal that two distinct classes of melanotic tumor mutations exist. Class 1 includes mutants in which melanotic tumors result from "autoimmune responses" or the response of an apparently normal immune system to the presence of abnormal target tissues. The Class 2 mutants display obvious defects in the haematopoietic organs or haemocytes, manifested as overgrowth, and the resulting aberrant immune system behavior may contribute to melanotic tumor formation.

Animals

A pharmacokinetic model describing the removal of circulating radiolabeled antibody by extracorporeal immunoadsorption.

Extracorporeal immunoadsorption is a new technique for removal of circulating radiolabeled antibody from the peripheral blood (1) to reduce background activity for improved tumor imaging, and (2) to reduce whole-body and marrow toxicity when high doses of radiolabeled antibodies are used for antitumor therapy. A pharmacokinetic model was developed to describe plasma disappearance of 111In-KC-4G3 prior to, during, and after immunoadsorption in humans. The model is developed based on a two-compartment open model, and during immunoadsorption a third compartment is added for removed radioactivity by the immunoadsorption column. Goodness-of-fit statistics indicate a good fit of the model to the data. The resulting pharmacokinetic parameters for a selected patient are V1 = 2.64 L, VSS = 3.64 L, t 1/2 alpha = 3.77 hr, and t 1/2 beta = 48.5 hr. The immunoadsorption clearance (CLIA = 19.3 ml/min) was 21-fold greater than the patient's plasma clearance (CL10 = 0.899 ml/min), indicating a very effective immunoadsorption process. The model predicts an increase in plasma radioactivity upon termination of immunoadsorption, probably due to redistribution of radioactivity from the extravascular compartment to the plasma in response to the rapid decline in plasma radioactivity during immunoadsorption. Two series of simulations were performed to examine the influence of onset time and duration of immunoadsorption. In series one the onset time was varied and in series two immunoadsorption duration was varied. In series one, the predicted radioactivity amounts adsorbed by the immunoadsorption column ranged from 75% of the injected dose (4-hr onset) to 52% of the injected dose (24-hr onset). In series two, immunoadsorbed radioactivity ranged from 32% (2-hr duration) to 64% of the injected dose (12-hr duration). When instituted as early as 4 hr, the predictions suggest that earlier immunoadsorption onset improves the effectiveness of radioactivity removal, relating to higher early circulation concentrations, and longer immunoadsorption periods remove more radioactivity, but also result in larger predicted radioactivity redistribution form tissue to plasma. To employ the immunoadsorption procedure for tumor imaging and therapy optimally, the data and our predictions indicate that a compromise must be made that will balance immunoadsorption onset and duration against tumor radioactivity uptake and subsequent radioactivity redistribution from tissues back to plasma. Together with biologic considerations providing sufficient antigen-antibody interaction and dependent on the utilized radioisotope, these data support the utility of extracorporeal immunoadsorption during the radioimmunodetection of cancer and for future therapeutic applications.

Adsorption

Improved tumor imaging with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies by plasma clearance of unbound antibody with anti-antibody column.

Imaging of tumors by using radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies (MoAs) is hindered by the presence of background activity. To reduce this problem, the authors investigated the process of removing labeled MoAs from plasma at selected times by means of extracorporeal immunoadsorption. In seven patients with either lung or breast carcinoma, an indium-111-labeled murine antibody was intravenously administered. Six to 24 hours later, immunoadsorption was performed by passing the patients' plasma through a goat anti-mouse antibody column connected to a plasma separator. Whole-body computer images were obtained before and after the treatment. Blood pool activity in the images was reduced by an average of 59%, while tumor activity dropped by only 10%. Tumor-to-blood activity ratios therefore more than doubled, improving by an average of 121% between the pre- and posttreatment image sets. Eight of 12 areas of known disease and three areas of unknown but later documented disease were detected after the immunoadsorption process, while the three areas of unknown disease and three of the areas of known disease were not detected in the preclearance images. Thus, the feasibility of using extracorporeal immunoadsorption to improve MoA imaging of tumors was demonstrated.

Adenocarcinoma

Mobile elements and transposition events in the cut locus of Drosophila melanogaster.

We have cloned from the Oregon R strain of Drosophila melanogaster a 240 kb segment of DNA that contains the cut (ct) locus, and characterized the region for the presence of repetitive elements. Within this region at least five copies of the suffix element were detected, as well as several putatively novel mobile elements. A number of mutations obtained from the unstable ctMR2 strain and its derivatives were mapped within the cut locus. Comparison between parental and daughter strains indicates that frequently two or more independent transposition events involving the cut locus occur simultaneously within a single germ cell, thus providing a molecular basis for the transposition explosion phenomenon.

Alleles

On the possibility of 'real-time' Monte Carlo calculations for the estimation of absorbed dose in radioimmunotherapy.

Dosimetry calculations of monoclonal antibodies (MABs) are made difficult because the focus of radioactivity is targeted for a nonstandard volume in a nonstandard geometry, precluding straightforward application of the MIRD formalism. The MABDOS software addresses this shortcoming by interactive placement of a spherical perturbation into the Standard Man geometry for each tumor focus. S tables are calculated by a Monte Carlo simulation of photon transport for each organ system (including tumor) that localizes activity. Performance benchmarks are reported that measure the time required to simulate 60,000 photons for each penetrating radiation in the spectrum of 99mTc and 131I using the kidney as source organ. Results indicate that calculation times are probably prohibitive on current microcomputer platforms. Mini and supercomputers offer a realistic platform for MABDOS patient dosimetry estimates.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Correlation of Fourier spectral shift-determined hepatic acoustic attenuation coefficients with liver biopsy findings.

We calculated hepatic acoustic attenuation coefficients (ACs) in 13 patients who had liver biopsies and in 3 normal subjects by means of Fourier spectral analysis of reflected ultrasound signals from increasing depths in the liver. The ACs were correlated with estimated percentage area occupied by fat in the liver biopsies; linear regression analysis revealed a correlation coefficient of r = .78 (p less than .001). The presence of fibrosis did not correlate with AC.

Biopsy, Needle

An improved radiolabeling technique of ivalon and its use for dynamic monitoring of complications during therapeutic transcatheter embolization.

Transcatheter embolization by Ivalon particles for treatment of arteriovenous malformations has been an accepted therapeutic technique for many years. We describe a new and efficient radiolabeling technique of Ivalon particles using [99mTc]sulfur colloid. Continuous and dynamic monitoring of injected radiolabeled Ivalon particles is made possible by viewing the persistence scope of a portable gamma camera whose head is positioned over the patient undergoing therapeutic embolization. Therefore, if inadvertent pulmonary embolism or reflux migration of radiolabeled Ivalon particles has occurred, the angiographer is immediately aware of this potentially serious or fatal complication and can take corrective action. We describe two patients, each with an arteriovenous malformation, who had therapeutic embolization with radiolabeled Ivalon particles, one resulting in reflux migration and the other resulting in inadvertent pulmonary embolism.

Adult

Ribosomal protein S14 is encoded by a pair of highly conserved, adjacent genes on the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster.

We describe a Drosophila DNA clone of tandemly duplicated genes encoding an amino acid sequence nearly identical to human ribosomal protein S14 and yeast rp59. Despite their remarkably similar exons, the locations and sizes of introns differ radically among the Drosophila, human, and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ribosomal protein genes. Transcripts of both Drosophila RPS14 genes were detected in embryonic and adult tissues and are the same length as mammalian S14 message. Drosophila RPS14 was mapped to region 7C5-9 on the X chromosome. This interval also encodes a previously characterized Minute locus, M(1)7C.

Animals

Clinical comparison of high-resolution with high-sensitivity collimators in low-count cardiac gated blood pool studies.

We compared high-sensitivity (HS) and high-resolution (HR) collimators for 2.5-minute low-count acquisitions in 13 patients undergoing cardiac gated blood pool studies. High-count acquisitions served as standards. Ejection fractions calculated from low-count acquisitions were plotted against high-count acquisitions for each collimator; the variance of the HS plot was lower, and HS images were superior.

Adult

Efficient transfer of proteins from acetic acid-urea and isoelectric-focusing gels to nitrocellulose membrane filters with retention of protein antigenicity.

A method which facilitates the rapid and quantitative electrophoretic transfer of proteins from gels not containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to nitrocellulose membranes is described. The equilibration of non-SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic gels in a buffer containing SDS confers a net negative charge to the proteins present, presumably as a result of the formation of SDS-protein complexes. Proteins from gels equilibrated in the SDS buffer and then electroblotted in a Tris-glycine buffer at pH 8.3 are transferred with much greater efficiency than are proteins from untreated gels. The method has been shown to significantly enhance the electrophoretic transfer of polyoma viral proteins resolved in either acetic acid-urea or isoelectric-focusing gels to nitrocellulose membranes, and it is suggested that the method should have universal applicability to all gel electrophoresis systems currently employed. The proteins from isoelectric-focusing gels treated with SDS and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes were found to retain antigenicity to antisera prepared against either denatured or native viral proteins.

Acetates

Eighteen-month clinical experience with extended wear silicone contact lenses on 400 patients.

Four hundred patients wearing silicone elastomer contact lenses for extended wear were monitored over an 18-month period. Safety and efficacy were evaluated as related to corneal physiology and lens performance. These lenses proved to be reasonably durable and the lens material and design characteristics did not interfere with ocular physiology but permitted good visual acuity and comfort. The authors' clinical experiences, when compared with other reports of extended-wear lens designs and materials, indicate that this silicone elastomer lens provides superior performance characteristics.

Adolescent

Hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila: the mechanism of T-007-induced male recombination.

The term "hybrid dysgenesis" describes a syndrome of genetic effects which sometimes results when Drosophila melanogaster from wild populations are outcrossed; this syndrome often includes male recombination as well as enhanced rates of genic and chromosomal mutation, sterility, and transmission ratio distortion. In this study, we have examined the mechanism of T-007-induced male recombination by genetically characterizing third chromosomes generated by an exchange in a well-marked euchromatic region. Most recombinant chromosomes were sequentially normal, and no recessive lethal events at the point of exchange were recovered. The results demonstrate that although some recombinants may be generated by nonhomologous chromosome (or chromatid) breakage and reunion, the predominant effect of T-007 is through an enhanced rate of normal mitotic exchange. The rate of mitotic exchange is also increased by ionizing radiation and chemical mutagens; we suggest that the common factor in all three cases is the induction of single strand breaks.

Animals