Search

Introduction/Justification: Early evidence appointed fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a type II transmembrane serine protease, as highly expressed in the stroma of various tumor entities, designating FAP as the next target for cancer studies in nuclear medicine. Several radiolabeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitors (FAPI) are currently in development and investigation as potential PET imaging agents for different neoplasms, with the potential for future theranostic applications. Objectives: The aim of this study was to implement the efficient and convenient automated synthesis of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 from ABX, using Modular Lab Pharm Tracer and the generator Gallia Pharm® from Eckert & Ziegler, for clinical applications in nuclear medicine services, as well as to evaluate routine quality control parameters such as radiochemical yield and purity, radiochemical stability, and sterility tests in accordance with the GMP rules. Materials and Methods: The synthesis was conducted in automated module, employing disposable cassettes in an adapted synthesis template with high purity raw materials and reagents. [68Ga]GaCl3 was percolated through resin and eluted with 0.5 mL of 5.5 M HCl in saline into a reaction vial containing 50 μg of FAPI-46 in 1.5 mL of 0.1 M acetate buffer (pH = 4.5) and 100 µL of ethanol. The solution was heated at 95°C for 10 min. The resulting product was purified through a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge, which was pre-conditioned with ethanol and 0.9% saline, and eluted with 0.4 mL of 70% ethanol. The final product was diluted with 0.9% saline and filtered through a Millipore 0.22 µm filter. Radiochemical yield (RCY) was assessed by determining the activity retained in the module in relation to the final product. Radiochemical purity (RCP) of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 was analyzed by ascending chromatography using either ITLC-SG strip and 0.1 M ammonium acetate and methanol (1:1) solution or TLC and 1 M sodium citrate (pH = 5.5), and Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. Radiochemical stability was assessed through UHPLC analysis. Microbiological, pyrogenic, and filter tests were conducted on all batches. Additionally, in-vitro studies were carried out to assess Log P and serum protein binding for [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46. Results: The automated synthesis produced [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 with an activity of 684 ± 67 MBq, a RCY of 88.4 ± 2.6%, and pH = 4.5 (n = 8). The RCP was determined as 97.32 ± 1.92% by ascending chromatography and 97.74 ± 2.12% by Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. The RCP remained above 97% for more than 120 min as analyzed by UHPLC, showing high radiochemical stability. Microbiological assays demonstrated that the final product was obtained as a sterile and pyrogen free solution. The filter test passed for all batches. The Log P was determined as -3.57 ± 0.15 (n = 10), showing the hydrophilic characteristics of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 with a serum protein binding of 52.11 ± 1.49% (n = 6). Conclusion: The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 was synthesized with consistently high RCY and RCP, exhibiting reproducibility, yielding a sterile and pyrogen free final solution, that means an efficient way for routine syntheses in nuclear medicine services confirmed by clinical application in six patients.

In recent years, technological advancement in communication has given citizens opportunities to be recipients and purveyors of news. Social networking sites propagate citizen journalism, wherein ordinary citizens without professional training gather and disseminate information. This has presented a number of challenges due to limited quality control standards for determining what constitutes news. The study thus sought to establish the depth and breadth of the impact of citizen journalism on traditional journalism in Lesotho. The study used the qualitative methodology embedded in a case study design. The in-depth face-to-face interviews with (n=10) journalists were conducted to get insight into the impact citizen journalism has on traditional media. The respondents were selected using a purposive sampling technique. In this case, respondents were selected based on their availability and knowledge of the subject at hand. The findings were analysed using thematic analysis to interpret the findings. The results revealed that citizen journalism had posed an imminent threat to traditional journalism as it plays a complementary role. It was also discovered that the fast passed nature of citizen journalists compromises the quality of the content. The study also revealed that mainstream media professionals face fierce competition from citizen journalism, resulting in poor-quality stories. Therefore, the study recommends that mainstream media should have platforms where citizen journalists can submit content that can be vetted for quality control and ethical considerations.

Yolk sac tumour frequently arises in the gonads as a type of germ cell tumour, though rare is a highly malignant ovarian tumour in children and prompt treatment should be done. We hereby report a case of malignant ovarian tumour presenting with an abdominal lump and increased urinary frequency. Different diagnostic modalities were used such as ultrasonography of the whole abdomen, contrast-enhanced computed tomography abdomen pelvis and tumour markers of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein. This revealed an 18.2x14.3x10 cm mass likely a neoplastic germ cell tumour with minimal ascites. A tumour mass was found to arise from the left ovary and complete excision of the tumour along the left fallopian tube was done. Adjuvant chemotherapy started immediately. We hereby present a case of a 9-year-old girl with a huge yolk sac tumour of the left ovary which is rare in our setting and is presented here to differentiate any ovarian mass in this age group.

Introduction: Clinical laboratory holds a central position in patient care, thus, ensuring accurate laboratory test results is a necessity. Internal quality control ensures day-to-day laboratory consistency. However, unless practised, laboratory quality systems cannot be achieved. This depends on the efforts and commitment of laboratory personnel for its implementation. Hence, the aim of this study was to find out the knowledge of internal quality control for laboratory tests among laboratory personnel working in the Department of Biochemistry in a tertiary care centre. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from 1 July 2022 to 30 August 2022 after receiving ethical approval from Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 2341/022). Semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess knowledge on internal quality control. Three non-respondents were excluded. The operational definition of the knowledge domain was set before finalizing the questionnaire. The convenience sampling method was used. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated. Results: Among 20 laboratory personnel, 5 (25%) (6.02-43.98, 95% Confidence Interval) had adequate knowledge of internal quality control. The mean knowledge score was 12±2.44. Conclusions: The prevalence of adequate knowledge of internal quality control for laboratory tests among laboratory personnel working in the Department of Biochemistry was similar to the other study done in a similar setting.

The analysis of pharmaceuticals is fundamental in both human and veterinary medicine. In this context, quality control must accompany the process from the acquisition of raw material to the transformation into a finished product, since its goal is to ensure safe and effective drugs for human or animal consumption. Considering the significant increase in veterinary prescriptions containing antimicrobial drugs, the present work carried out a search for information about the qualification of veterinary preparations available in the national market, highlighting, through legislation, the quality parameters applied to pharmaceutical products for veterinary use. The quality of solid pharmaceutical preparations containing cephalexin, acquired in the national veterinary pharmaceutical market, was also evaluated. The six different brands of cephalexin tablets and coated tablets analyzed in this study were approved with regard to identification, average weight, determination of mechanical strength in tablets, disintegration test, and content. The results of the determination of the content varied between 94.9% and 103%, being within the limits indicated for preparations for human use, as recommended by USP 44 and the Brazilian Pharmacopeia 6th edition. Even so, it is important to emphasize the need for improvement in the legislation that regulates the quality control of medicines for veterinary use, since the norms are not very specific, with an absence of parameters, specifications, and release procedures that ensure which tests should be performed. This study is a perspective that can bring subsidies for investigations of other therapeutic classes, considering the large number of formulations available in the Brazilian market of veterinary medicines.

Objective: We aimed to realize a verification of the performance of the rapid serological tests used in Risaralda department.Methods: Analytical, cross-sectional study. Serum samples from health workers in Pereira city, who had a clinical and epidemiological suspicion for SARS-CoV-2 were included. The processing and validation of the tests was carried out at Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira. Sensitivity and specificity of rapid IgM / IgG sero-logical tests were calculated using RT-PCR as the gold standard test. Results: 144 samples of health professionals were included. Rapid serological tests useful to identify or rule out the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies, especially in symptomatic patients, in whom the onset of symptoms is longer than 11 days. Discussion: The use of rapid tests is increasing, not only due to the speed of their results, but also due to the low associated costs and the need to identify non-susceptible patients, who must prioritize their return to work activities in the community as part of the economic reactivation of Colombia. It is necessary to confirm the adequate performance of the test to increase the probability of an adequate classification before proceeding with the routine use of this test.

Water plays a major role in supporting the wellness and life processes in living things as well as in the ecological structure’s stabilities. However, several environmental scientists have recounted the alarming menace unfit water quality portends as well as the shortfalls of its global utilization in various spheres of life. This study aims to determine the fitness of the Ossiomo River and its likely health risk impact when consumed or used for other domestic purposes. The outcome of the physicochemical and heavy metal characterization showed that most of the parameters surpassed the slated benchmarks. Findings from the study revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) for water temperature, color, TDS, BOD5, HCO3, Na, Fe, Mn, and THC across the four stations respectively. Meanwhile, pH, salinity, turbidity, TSS, DO, Cl, P, NH4H, NO2, NO3, SO4, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and V showed no significant (p > 0.05) across the four stations respectively. The pH level of the water was slightly acidic at the range of 4.40–6.82. The outcome of the computed water quality index showed that station 1 (66.38) was poor for human ingestion which was above the set slated benchmarks of 26–50. However, stations 2–4 (163.79, 161.79, and 129.95) were unsuitable for drinking which was above the set slated benchmarks of 100. The outcome of the health risk evaluation revealed that the hazard quotients (HQs) were considered greater than 1 (>1) for Cr (2.55). The hazard index (0.46) via the dermal pathway was 1. The sum of the HQs (4.81) was also > 1. Thus, there are possible non-carcinogenic health risks via direct ingestion of the water. The outcome from the carcinogenic risk for Pb, Cr, and Cd (6 × 10–3, 4.00 × 10–1, and 1.22 × 100), was somewhat greater than the target goal (1.0 × 10–6 to 1.0 × 10–4) of carcinogenic risks stipulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water, respectively, especially for Cd. There might be a potential carcinogenic risk if the water is consumed when the metal contents are higher than the target limits set. Sustainable farming and treatment of wastes from industrial outputs should be the main management of this watercourse.

Luiz Francisco Cardoso, Daniella Vianna C Krokoscz, Edison Ferreira de Paiva, Ilka Spinola Furtado, Jorge Mattar Jr, Marcia Martiniano de Souza e Sá, Antonio Carlos Onofre de Lira Sírio Libanês Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of preventable death in hospitalized patients. However, existing prophylaxis guidelines are rarely followed. Objective: The aim of the study was to present and discuss implementation strategies and the results of a VTE prophylaxis program for medical and surgical patients admitted to a large general hospital. Patients and methods: This prospective observational study was conducted to describe the strategy used to implement a VTE prophylaxis program in hospitalized medical and surgical patients and to analyze the results in terms of the risk assessment rate within the first 24 hours after admission, adequacy of the prophylaxis prescription, and prevalence of  VTE in the discharge records before and after program implementation. We used the Mantel–Haenszel chi-square test for the linear trend of the data analysis and set the significance level to P

Photogrammetric documentation can provide a sound database for the needs of architectural heritage preservation. However, the major part of photogrammetric documentation production is not used for subsequent architectural heritage projects, due to lack of knowledge of photogrammetric documentation accuracy. In addition, there are only a few studies with rigorous analysis of the requirements for photogrammetric documentation of architectural heritage. In particular, requirements focusing on the geometry of the models generated by fully digital photogrammetric processes are missing. Considering these needs, this paper presents a procedure for architectural heritage documentation with photogrammetric techniques based on a previous review of existing standards of architectural heritage documentation. The data product specification proposed was elaborated conforming to ISO 19131 recommendations. We present the procedure with two case studies in the context of Brazilian architectural heritage documentation. Quality analysis of the produced models were performed considering ISO 19157 elements, such as positional accuracy, logical consistency and completeness, meeting the requirements. Our results confirm that the proposed requirements for photogrammetric documentation are viable.

This paper describes Total Quality Management (TQM) that deescribes how quality would be achieved through control porcess in the education practices. Quality refers to structured process to improve the outputs. To accomplish standardized quality of an output, all school components are required in a networking involving principals, teachers, students, staffs, and students-parents. Education quality should serve input and porcess to achieve standardized quality of the output. Essentially, TQM is a core management to see quality control from process into quality.

Anew procedure for the aggregation of human albumin and 99mTc-labelling of the prepared macroaggregated albumin are presented. Simple methods for quantifying of all the radiochemical impurities existing in 99mTc-MAA were tested. Thus, 85% methanol was used as the mobile phase in paper and ITL chromatography with Whatman No 1 and ITLC-SAstrips. Asystem of two solvents (acetone and 1MNaCl or 0.9%NaCl) was used for 3MM paper, ITLC-SA and ITLC-SG strips and silica gel plates as the stationary phase. Low-voltage paper electrophoresis with Whatman 3MM paper sheets soaked in barbiturate buffer and the gel chromatography column method (Sephadex G-25) were also applied. Filtration through syringe filters, proposed by European and Yugoslav Pharmacopoeia, was performed for comparison. The application of the mentioned tests lead to consistent results for the labelling efficiency (> 98.5%) and percent radiochemical impurities of 99mTc-MAA. Determination of the particles number in a counter chamber and their size distribution under a light microscope with a calibrated ocular scale gave the result of 300000 –350000 particles per 1 mg of HA. This confirmed that the human albumin macroaggregates prepared by our new procedure is remarkably improved and convenient for routine diagnostic purposes.

In developing countries, building maintenance technology is currently vastly underrated and ignored by owners, managers, and professionals. The building and construction authority of Singapore (BCA) has identified that the complaints about building defects have gone up in recent years with common problems such as leaky roof and walls, floor defect, and improper outlet pipe. This paper presents a brief description on building defect in use for commercial building as well as residential buildings in Singapore. The main objective is to highlight the important problems and suggest a greater participation of professionals in building maintenance. It also provides some site investigations photographs of various defects, which is expected to be useful for builders, architects, and others who deal with building materials.

Quality control forms an integral part of precast production. An efficient quality system is most critical in the mass production of precast components in any project. In this study, the quality control system implemented in a precast factory is discussed. The precast factory is set up for the manufacture of large quantity of tunnel segments under a contract. Processes in the precast manufacture are discussed with respect to the control procedures in the quality inspection plan. The standard tests involved, roles of inspectors and corrective actions on-site are highlighted. Critical issues pertaining to the productivity and quality of precast production are reviewed. These include the quality of staff and maintenance, which could potentially affect the efficiency of the quality system. Some considerations should also be given to improve the workflow and productivity of the plant.

Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is one of the 10 most problematic weeds in the world. Its control using chemical herbicides is not completely effective. Aceria malherbae is a mite used successfully as a biological agent to control field bindweed. Effective implementation of this kind of biocontrol requires high-quality production of these mites. The purpose of this study was to investigate different quality indicators for effectively rearing A. malherbae under greenhouse conditions. The indicators considered were number of gallmites (adults, immature stages, and eggs), number of developed stems per plant, and number of galls per stem. We used 25 plots with 10 pots per plot, testing a sub-sample from one-fourth of these pots. The Shewhart chart or process-behavior chart was applied to determine basic statistics (means and range) and acceptance and rejection limits. Rejection limits for inferior plots were set at 3.9 developed stems per plant, 5.2 galls per stem, 7.4 adults, 32 nymphs, and 11 eggs, per plot. We also propose for quality control that the number of developed stems per plant and the number of galls per stem be routinely counted to detect any reduced quality of mite production. The results suggest that these indicators could be used for assessing quality control in large-scale reproduction of A. malherbae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of studies performed to investigate the potential of applying thin layer chromatography (TLC) detection in combination with selected extraction and cleanup methods, for providing an alternative cost-effective analytical procedure for screening and confirmation of pesticide residues in plant commodities. The extraction was carried out with ethyl acetate and an on-line extraction method applying an acetone-dichloromethane mixture. The extracts were cleaned up with SX-3 gel, an adsorbent mixture of active carbon, magnesia, and diatomaceous earth, and on silica micro cartridges. The Rf values of 118 pesticides were tested in eleven elution systems with UV, and eight biotest methods and chemical detection reagents. Cabbage, green peas, orange, and tomatoes were selected as representative sample matrices for fruits and vegetables, while maize, rice, and wheat represented cereal grains. As an internal quality control measure, marker compounds were applied on each plate to verify the proper elution and detection conditions. The Rf values varied in the different elution systems. The best separation (widest Rf range) was achieved with silica gel (SG)-ethyl acetate (0.05-0.7), SG-benzene, (0.02-0.7) and reverse phase RP-18 F-254S layer with acetone: methanol: water/30:30:30 (v/v) (0.1-0.8). The relative standard deviation of Rf values (CVRf) within laboratory reproducibility was generally less than 20%, except below 0.2 Rf, where the CVRf rapidly increased with decreasing Rf values. The fungi spore inhibition, chloroplast inhibition, and enzyme inhibition were found most suitable for detection of pesticides primarily for confirming their identity or screening for known substances. Their use for determination of pesticide residues in samples of unknown origin is not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays authenticity of foods and fish in particular has become of crucial importance because of high number of adulteration cases. Authenticity control has gained ground thanks to the development of several rapid physico-chemical and microbiological methods aiming at distinguishing one species from another based on solid scientific evidence. It has been proven that despite the precision and accuracy of robust analytical and protein and DNA-based techniques, detection of authenticity could not be claimed without resorting to multivariate analysis. This review summarizes both the most advanced and state of the art used techniques for detecting fish and seafood authenticity (both in terms of species and geographical origin). Another issue reported in this review is the preservation of fish and seafood through the implementation of old and novel techniques (ice, modified atmosphere packaging). Several informative tables were included in this paper referring to the employed quality control and sensory analysis methods and multivariate analysis for fish and seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine produced by recombinant DNA technology and used clinically to treat neutropenia. An isocratic high performance liquid chromatography procedure was developed for the assay of filgrastim in pharmaceutical formulations. HPLC separation was carried out by size-exclusion chromatography on a TSK gel G2000 SW column(60 cm × 7.5 mm I.D.). The mobile phase was composed of phosphoric acid(pH 2.5; 0.1 M), run at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1 and with UV detection at 214 nm. Method validation investigated parameters such as the range, linearity(r2 = 0.9998), precision, accuracy, and robustness; the method yielded good results with a quantitation limit of 45 µg mL−1 and a detection limit of 12 µg mL−1. The results demonstrate the validity of the SEC-HPLC method for the analysis of filgrastim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of plasma cell leukaemia, a rare disorder with an aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis, is not always straightforward and may be dependent on the results of immunophenotyping. Samples from two cases of plasma cell leukaemia have been issued by the UK NEQAS for Leucocyte Immunophenotyping Scheme during the last 5 years and on each occasion a significant number of laboratories failed to make the correct diagnosis. The details of the two samples issued and the results of both surveys are presented. The data highlights the need to adhere to guidelines for immunophenotyping, with respect to using the correct antibody panels, the importance of data interpretation in conjunction with morphological appearance as well as the need to participate in external quality assurance schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M. Saville and H. Mitchell Randomized controlled trial evaluating rapid pre-screen of cervical cytology specimens A randomized controlled trial of 75 355 cervical cytology specimens was performed comparing rapid pre-screen with no pre-screen. While the percentage of cases receiving a final report of definite high-grade abnormality was higher in the no pre-screen arm (no pre-screen = 0.70%, pre-screen = 0.65%), the percentage of cases receiving a final report of possible or definite high-grade abnormality was essentially identical in the two arms of the trial (no pre-screen = 1.22%, pre-screen = 1.21%). In the randomized trial, one extra cytology report of definite high-grade abnormality was made for every 12 568 slides pre-screened. This level of benefit was reduced by about half when rapid pre-screen was adopted as a routine laboratory practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capture-recapture (CR) models have been proposed as an objective method for controlling software inspections. CR models were originally developed to estimate the size of animal populations. In software, they have been used to estimate the number of defects in an inspected artifact. This estimate can be another source of information for deciding whether the artifact requires a reinspection to ensure that a minimal inspection effectiveness level has been attained. Little evaluative research has been performed thus far on the utility of CR models for inspections with two inspectors. In this paper, we report on an extensive Monte Carlo simulation that evaluated capture-recapture models suitable for two inspectors assuming a code inspections context. We evaluate the relative error of the CR estimates as well as the accuracy of the reinspection decision made using the CR model. Our results indicate that the most appropriate capture-recapture model for two inspectors is an estimator that allows for inspectors with different capabilities. This model always produces an estimate (i.e., does not fail), has a predictable behavior (i.e., works well when its assumptions are met), will have a relatively high decision accuracy, and will perform better than the default decision of no reinspections. Furthermore, we identify the conditions under which this estimator will perform best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organization, work, membership, and influence of the Statistical Research Group, an Office of Scientific Research and Development activity at Columbia University during the Second World War, is described. A detailed account is given of the origins of sequential analysis in 1943, and a brief account of the origins at Stanford University in 1942 of the intensive courses in statistical quality control that were sponsored during the Second World War by the Office of Production Research and Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern extracapsular cataract surgery is considerably more complex than the previous intracapsular procedure Intraocular manipulations are required, and solutions and products must be introduced into the eye Due to the shift to ambulatory surgery, modern cataract surgery is also being performed in a difficult and more dangerous environment In these circumstances, sterility and product quality may be compromised when a lack of appropriate surveillance techniques leads to the use of defective products in surgery The modern cataract surgeon must, therefore, become knowledgeable about infect/on and quality control procedures In the operating room, and also about details of manufacture and industrial standards applicable to the products used in eye surgery [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical research, as a rule, is based on the sample. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the quality of the sample studied. Our sample evaluation is based on a new interpretation of such concepts as a random factor, disturbance factor, homogeneity, representativeness, and population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lactose intolerance is characterized by the absence of the enzyme lactase (beta-galactosidase) and affects two thirds of the world adult population. Our aim was to evaluate a lactase gastro-resistant formulation to ensure increased activity in the action site of the enzyme (lumen of the small intestine). Simultaneously, we also evaluated the commercial product stability and enzyme activity, because the product containing beta-galactosidase is classified as food supplement according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so it is free to pass quality testing, efficacy and stability. So, it is possible that contain some irregularities as to the content and enzymatic activity., Methods: The dissolution assay was performed using a dissolution test system and commercial product and the gastro-resistant formulation were evaluated according to a method adapted to the conditions recommended by United States Pharmacopeia (US Pharmacopeia) for gastro-resistant formulations. For the assessment of enzymatic activity throughout the dissolution test was employed the official method of lactase assay described in US Pharmacopoeia. This method is based on a colorimetric reaction which the substrate reacts with the enzyme generate a colored product further analyzed by UVVisible spectrophotometry., Results: When carrying out dissolution test in commercial product it is noted that the existing formulation is not able to protect the enzyme from degrading action of gastric environment (a loss of 86.0 ± 0.8% of lactase activity was observed). Our proposed gastro-resistant pharmaceutical form there was no loss of activity during the acid step and the end of the dissolution test the found activity was 95 ± 1.3%., Conclusion: The formulations proposed in this work using hypromellose capsules ensure the enzymatic activity of lactase, preventing its contact with the acid medium. For the other side, the results of commercial tablets for lactase release indicate a significant loss of enzyme activity due to the immediate release of the enzyme in the simulated gastric fluids., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Developing new bone pain palliation agents is a mandate in handling end-stage cancer patients around the world. Possibly, Lu-177 ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonic acid ((177)Lu-EDTMP) is a therapeutic agent which can be widely used in bone palliation therapy. In this study, (177)Lu-EDTMP complex was prepared successfully using synthesized EDTMP ligand and (177)LuCl3. Lu-177 chloride was obtained by thermal neutron irradiation (4 × 10(13) n.cm(-2)s(-1)) of natural Lu2O3 samples. Radiochemical purity of (177)Lu-EDTMP was determined by ITLC (more than 99%). Stability studies of the final preparations in the presence of human serum were performed. The biodistribution of (177)Lu-EDTMP and (177)LuCl3 in wild-type rats was studied by SPECT imaging. A comparative accumulation study for (177)Lu-EDTMP and (177)LuCl3 was performed for vital organs up to 7 days. The complex was obtained in high radiochemical purity (more than 99%). The complex was stable in vitro in presence of human serum as well as final formulation. Significant bone uptake (> 70%) was observed for the radiopharmaceutical. Due to better physical properties of Lu-177 compared to Sm-153 and acceptable biodistribution results of the compound, (177)Lu-EDTMP seemed to be an interesting new candidate for clinical trials for bone pain palliation therapy.

Background and the Purpose of the Study: Technetium-99m is the major radionuclide used in the world and mainly is provided by fission product. However extensive research has been conducted on the use of accelerators for production of (99m)Tc. This investigation reports the production of (99m)Tc radioisotope using cyclotrons and the preparation, quality control and biodistribution studies of four major Tc-radiopharmaceuticals., Methods: The high purity molybdenum natural target (130 mg/cm(2)) was irradiated in a Cyclone 30 accelerator using 160 µA of 25 MeV proton beam energy for 1000 µA-h. After dissolution, the technetium radionuclides were extracted using methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) followed by preparation of Tc-MIBI, Tc-DTPA, Tc-DMSA and Tc-phytate as radiopharmaceutical samples., Results: The results of quality controls and animal biodistribution studies showed successful production of Tc radionuclides (including (99m)Tc) in the bombarded target and subsequent labelling of the kit with Tc., Conclusion: The developed high power Mo target if constructed using enriched (100)Mo, could be a practical method for large-scale production of (99m)Tc and promising as an alternative to fission product (99)Mo-(99m)Tc generators for local applications near cyclotron facilities.