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Abstract: Very high specific activity (A S) 186gRe could be produced by either proton or deuteron cyclotron irradiation on highly enriched 186W target in no-carrier-added (NCA) form, leading to a A S very close to the theoretical carrier free (CF) value of 6.88GBqμg−1. Thick target yields (TTYs), obtained irradiating both thick metal W targets of natural isotopic composition and highly enriched pressed powdered 186W targets, were measured at different particles energies taking into account high accuracy and precision on both yield and beam energy. The measurement of radionuclidic purity of 186gRe obtained activating highly enriched 186W by both p and d beams were also carried out and accurately compared. The excitation function as thin-target yields (tty, i.e. proportional to the reaction cross-sections) and the integrated TTYs for all Re (A=181, 182, 183, 184, 186 and their metastable levels), W and Ta co-produced radionuclides will be presented elsewhere in deep details. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The production of no-carrier-added (NCA) α-emitter 211At/211gPo radionuclides for high-LET targeted radiotherapy and immunoradiotherapy, through the 209Bi(α,2n) reaction, together with the required wet radiochemistry and radioanalytical quality controls carried out at LASA is described, through dedicated irradiation experiments at the MC-40 cyclotron of JRC-Ispra. The amount of both the γ-emitter 210At and its long half-lived α-emitting daughter 210Po is optimised and minimised by appropriate choice of energy and energy loss of α particle beam. The measured excitation functions for production of the main radioisotopic impurity 210At→210Po are compared with theoretical predictions from model calculations performed at ENEA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the measurement of natural occurring radioactive material (NORM) concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 238U are measured by passive gamma ray spectrometry with either HPGe or NaI(Tl) detectors. 40K is measured through its 1460.8 keVγ line. However, till now it has been ignored that this line is mixed with the 1459.2 keV line of 228Ac from the chain of 232Th. A correction must be made for this contribution. All the data in literature has wrong data about the concentration of 40K although in many cases the error is less than 1%. However, there are cases of considerably higher errors. It should be emphasized that even if the correction in 40K concentration is large the correction of external dose index is negligible due to the higher weighing factor for 232Th than for 40K (by at least a factor of 10). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel method for production of No-Carrier-Added 64Cu and 66,67Ga has been developed, based on reactions induced by deuterons up to 19 MeV on Zn target. HPGe and beta (by LSC) spectrometries proved very effective to determine radionuclidic purity of 64Cu and 66,67Ga fractions. Experimental specific activity for 64Cu was measured by ET-AAS and was of the order of 700 MBq · μg−1. Radiochemical yields for 64Cu and 66,67Ga were >80% and >99%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Iodine-125 is a radioisotopic impurity “always” present in iodine-123, produced by nuclear reactions induced either on natural or “highly” enriched targets. Liquid scintillation counting is a very sensitive tool to determine low level impurities of both low energy electrons and photons in aqueous and organic solutions of radiopharmaceutical compounds. With this technique it was possible to determine, on commercial samples, that the content of 125I was of the order of not less than 0.1% for 123I produced via 127I(p,5n) reactions and not less than 0.01% for 123I produced via “highly” enriched 124Xe(p,X) nuclear reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The activity size distributions of the natural radionuclide tracer 7Be in different size fractions (<0.4 μm, 0.4–0.7 μm, 0.7–1.1 μm, 1.1–2.1 μm, 2.1–3.1 μm, 3.1–4.2 μm, 4.2–5.8 μm, 5.8–9.0 μm > 9.0 μm) were determined at four different site places in Northern Italy during the four seasons of the year 2011. One cascade impactor operated at the LASA-station considered the reference station and the other used for simultaneous measurements at the three other sites. Three sets of independent samples were collected during every season of the year 2011. The initial activity distribution inverted into smooth size distribution. The model parameters successfully defined to obtain the best fit-curve and two or three modes were resolved, with the predominant fit at the accumulation range. The lowest Activity Median Aerodynamic Diameter (AMAD) values were observed during summer. The AMAD values were anticorrelated with 7Be activities, while they were correlated with Relative Humidity. Similar AMAD values in suburban and urban regions were observed during all periods of the year. AMAD values of 7Be aerosol particles in areas with poor air quality were greater than those at the less polluted environments far from anthropogenic activities regions. This indicates that 7Be AMAD values could be used as an index of air quality conditions in areas like the Po Valley. • For first time 7Be AMAD obtained by simultaneous measurements at different areas. • The 7Be AMAD values were anticorrelated with 7Be activities. • At all stations the 7Be concentrations are lower during winter and higher at summer. • The greatest 7Be AMAD values observed at the most polluted areas throughout the year. • Two or three modes revealed by inverting the initial activity distribution to smooth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of 131I, 137Cs and 134Cs in airborne aerosols were carried out in daily samples at two different sites of investigation: Thessaloniki, Greece (40° N) and Milan, Italy (45° N) after the Fukushima accident during the period of March–April, 2011. The radionuclide concentrations were determined and studied as a function of time. The 131I concentration in air over Milan and Thessaloniki peaked on April 3–4, 2011, with observed activities 467 μBq m−3 and 497 μBq m−3, respectively. The 134Cs/137Cs activity ratio values in air were around 1 in both regions, related to the burn-up history of the damaged nuclear fuel of the destroyed nuclear reactor. The high 131I/137Cs ratio, observed during the first days after the accident, followed by lower values during the following days, reflects not only the initial release ratio but also the different volatility, attachment and removal of the two isotopes during transportation due to their different physico-chemical properties. No artificial radionuclides could be detected in air after April 28, 2011 in both regions of investigation. The different maxima of airborne 131I and 134, 137Cs in these two regions were related to long-range air mass transport from Japan, across the Pacific and to Central Europe. Analysis of backward trajectories was used to confirm the arrival of artificial radionuclides following atmospheric transport and processing. HYSPLIT backward trajectories were applied for the interpretation of activity variations of measured radionuclides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The short-lived (12.7h half-life) 64Cu radioisotope is both a β + and a β − emitter. This property makes 64Cu a promising candidate for novel medical applications, since it can be used simultaneously for therapeutic application of radiolabelled biomolecules and for diagnosis with PET. Following previous work on 64Cu production by deuteron irradiation of natural zinc, we report here the production of this radioisotope by deuteron irradiation of enriched 64Zn. In addition, yields of other radioisotopes such as 61Cu, 67Cu, 65Zn, 69mZn, 66Ga and 67Ga, which were co-produced in this process, were also measured. The evaporation code ALICE-91 and the transport code SRIM 2003 were used to determine the excitation functions and the stopping power, respectively. All the nuclear reactions yielding the above-mentioned radioisotopes were taken into account in the calculations both for the natural and enriched Zn targets. The experimental and calculated yields were shown to be in reasonable agreement. The work was carried out at the Scanditronix MC-40 Cyclotron of the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (Ispra site, Italy). The irradiations were carried out with 19.5MeV deuterons, the maximum deuteron energy obtainable with the MC-40 cyclotron. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: We evaluated whether multidisciplinary disease management programme developed with collaboration of physicians and nurses inside and outside general district hospital settings can affect clinical outcomes in heart failure population over a 12-month period. Methods: 571 patients hospitalised with CHF were referred to our unit and 509 patients agreed to participation. The intervention team included physicians and nurses from Internal Medicine and Cardiac Dept., and the patient''s general practitioners. Contacts were on a pre-specified schedule, included a computerised programme of hospital visits and phone calls; in case of NYHA functional class III and IV patients, home visits were also planned. Results: The median age of patients was 77.7±9 years (43.3% women). At baseline the percentage of patients with NYHA class III and IV was 56.0% vs. 26.0% after 12 months (P <0.05). Programme enrolment reduced total hospital admissions (82 vs. 190, −56%, P <0.05), number of patients hospitalised (62 vs. 146, 57%, P <0.05). All NYHA functional class benefited (class I=75%, class IV=67%), with reduction in the costing (−48%, P <0.05). Improvement in symptoms (−9.0±3.2) and signs (−5.2±3.1) scores was measured (P <0.01). Therapy optimisation was obtained by 20.5% increase in patients taking betablockade and 21.0% increase in those on anti-aldosterone drugs. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary approach to CHF management can improve clinical management, reducing hospitalisation rate and costing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The radioisotopes of ruthenium (103Ru and 106Ru) are abundant fission products and represent a radiological risk for the population in case of nuclear accidents. Few biokinetic studies have been performed on humans up to now and consequently the current model recommended by ICRP for ruthenium is derived mainly by extrapolation from animal data.The stable isotope 101Ru and proton activation analysis have been used to study the biokinetics of Ru in blood plasma samples taken during 8 studies in three healthy volunteers. The results obtained demonstrated that complexed Ru (in the form of citrate Ru(IV) complexes) is cleared from blood plasma very rapidly (characteristic half time of 17±2 min), while inorganic Ru remains longer in the systemic circulation, and is transferred to other organs and/or excreted with a biological half time of 23±2 h. Good reproducibility of the clearance curves indicated no evidence of inter- or intra-individual variability when the same Ru solution was injected in repeated experiments to different subjects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is much interest in understanding the biokinetics of zirconium in humans due to the potential radiological risk represented by the radionuclide 95Zr and by its daughter 95Nb. Despite the significance of zirconium, few data are available on the actual biokinetics of zirconium in humans. Accordingly the biokinetic model currently recommended by ICRP for this element is based mainly on data from animal experiments.In this study, the use of the stable isotopes 90Zr and 96Zr as tracers has enabled the conduct of 6 biokinetic investigations in 3 healthy volunteers. These studies have provided new valuable information about intestinal absorption and kinetics in blood plasma of zirconium and have been used for the set-up of a more realistic compartmental model with possible applications for dosimetric purposes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a group of 20 patients implanted with a single-lead VDD pacing system, a wide interindividual variability was found in P-wave amplitude changes occurring under dynamic conditions, even though they were of minor clinical relevance because constant atrial tracking was maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First results are given from the comparison of experimental values and model calculations on accelerator-produced high specific activity radionuclides in no-carrier-added (NCA) form. The relevant radioisotopes are: 64Cu, produced by natZn(d,αxn) and natZn(d,2p) reactions, for simultaneous positron/negatron metabolic radiotherapy and PET imaging; 66Ga high-energy positron emitter (4.2 MeV), produced by natZn(d,xn) reactions, for metabolic radiotherapy and for PET; 186gRe, produced by 186W(p,n) and 186W(d,2n) reactions, for negatron (1.1 MeV) metabolic radiotherapy; 211At/211Po, produced by 209Bi(α,2n) reaction (with spike of gamma emitter 210At produced by 209Bi(α,3n) reaction) and 225Ac/213Bi/213Po, produced by 226Ra(p,2n) reaction, both for high-LET radiotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]