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The accurate and early diagnosis of infection is an important feature in the biomedical sciences for better treatment and to decrease the rate of morbidity associated with diseases. Doxycycline (DC) is a semisynthetic antibiotic that belongs to tetracycline family and usually prescribed to treat a variety of infections. The objective of the present research work was to develop a new radiopharmaceutical

Kanamycin is an antibiotic, isolated from Streptomyces kanamyceticus, which is used to treat serious bacterial infections. The fact that the present radioligand 99m Tc-kanamycin used for diagnosis is short-lived, raised a need to label and study kanamycin with one of the most important beta (β) radiation emitting isotope 177 Lu. Labeling yield of 177 Lu-kanamycin was confirmed by different chromatography techniques such as paper chromatography, TLC, HPLC. Several experiments were performed to optimize labeling with changing reaction conditions such as pH, temperature, amount of ligand, and reaction time. In vitro stability analysis was performed incubation with human serum. Electrophoresis analysis was also conducted to determine the charge on 177 Lu-kanamycin. The biodistribution and scintigraphy were performed in normal mice and rabbit, respectively, at different time intervals of postinjection. 177 Lu-kanamycin was prepared with very high yield (~100%), with excellent stability in vivo and in vitro (>99% 6 hr postprep.), at pH 7. Maximum labeling was achieved at less reaction time (15 min), with maximum conjugation of the ligand (12.5 mg) with 177 Lu. Electrophoresis analysis showed net neutral charge. The radioligand showed rapid clearance from body in biodistribution and scintigraphy studies. The preparation 177 Lu-kanamycin could be used as a radio-pharmaceutical for infection imaging purpose, especially when transporting the radioligand to long-range distances.

A semiautomated extraction protocol of HCV-RNA using Favorgen RNA extraction kit has been developed. The kit provided protocol was modified by replacing manual spin steps with vacuum filtration. The assay performance was evaluated by real-time qPCR based on Taqman technology. Assay linearity was confirmed with the serial dilutions of RTA (Turkey) containing 1×(106, 105, 104, and 103) IU mL−1. Comparison of test results obtained by two extraction methods showed a good correlation (r=0.95,n=30) with detection limit of 102 IU mL−1. The semiautomated vacuum filtration based protocol demonstrated high throughput: 35 minutes for the extraction of a batch of 30 samples (150 µL each) with reduced labor, time, waste, and cost. Performance characteristics of semiautomated system make it suitable for use in diagnostic purpose and viral load determinations.

Kanamycin is an antibiotic, isolated from Streptomyces kanamyceticus, which is used to treat serious bacterial infections. The fact that the present radioligand

In fossil specimens, measurements of the natural isotopic ratio (129)I/I may provide a method to estimate the age of sample. The motivation for measuring the isotopic composition ((129)I/I) of petrified wood samples collected from Austria was to check this feasibility. Alkaline fusion together with anion exchange was used to extract iodine from the sample. Typical sample size for this study was 10-90 g. An atomic ratio as low as 10(-14) was determined using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Uranium concentrations measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and α-spectrometry were found to be less than 3 mg kg(-1), therefore the contribution from fissiogenic (129)I was small and an estimation of ages was based on the decrease of the initial ratio (due to decay of the cosmogenic (129)I in a closed system) after subtraction of the fissiogenic (129)I. The value of the prenuclear ratio is crucial for the use of the (129)I system for dating purposes in the terrestrial environment. From the preanthropogenic (initial) ratio of 1.5 × 10(-12) of the hydrosphere and the results of the present study for the samples from Altenburg (1.05 × 10(-12)) and Fuerwald (6.16 × 10(-13)), respective ages of 8 ± 2.2 and 20.2 ± 2.2 million years were derived. Since samples were collected from a stratum deposited in the Upper Oligocene/Ergerien period (~25-30 million years ago), it can be concluded that these isotopic ratios do not show ages but an elapsed time since fossil wood was isolated from mineral rich water. Paleontological investigation shows that samples from Altenburg had mixed characteristics of old and modern Tertiary plants, thus an origin from a younger stratum re-sedimented with Oligocene cannot be excluded. However, the sample from Drasenhofen reflects that the (129)I/I system might not always be suitable for the dating of petrified wood sample due to fixation of anthropogenic (129)I into surface fractures.

The knowledge about the distribution of anthropogenic (129)I is crucial for a successful establishment of transport mechanisms, fate and behaviour in the environment. In present study, the historical record of dry deposition of (129)I in Austria over four decades back to the 1960s is reconstructed. The (129)I/(127)I isotopic ratio of the order of 10(-9)-10(-7) in airborne particles revealed a prominent anthropogenic (129)I signature. The time profile of airborne (129)I follows directly the pattern of the gaseous emissions from European reprocessing plants. Furthermore, temporal variations of (129)I were traced monthly over two years. The potential risks of internal exposure to (129)I are associated with both inhalation and ingestion. Since dose via inhalation was found insignificant, the thyroid equivalent dose from the internal exposure of (129)I using a value of 10(-8) for the isotopic ratio (129)I/(127)I in the thyroid and ICRP reference man was calculated. The corresponding thyroid cancer risk factor of 10(-11) for an adult from life-time exposure is one order of magnitude higher than for a 1-year old child. Due to low radiation toxicity of (129)I the annual dose is 8 × 10(4) times lower than the dose limit of the National Research Council, USA which is 0.04 mSv y(-1) to whole body or any organ for a combined beta and photon emitting radionuclide.

Concentrations of gases and particulate matter have been proven to be affected by meteorological and geographical variables from urban locations to high mountain clean air sites. Following our previous research in Vienna, we summarize here new findings about concentration levels of iodine isotopes in aerosols collected at two Alpine meteorological stations, Sonnblick (Austria) and Zugspitze (Germany) during 2001. The present study mainly focuses on the effect of altitude on the anthropogenic concentration of (129)I and on the isotopic ratio (129)I/(127)I. Iodine was separated from matrix elements by using either an anion exchange method or solvent extraction, and was analyzed by ICP-MS and AMS. Over the altitude change from Vienna to Zugspitze and Sonnblick (202 m to 2962 m and 3106 m above sea level), stable iodine level decreased from an average of 0.94 ng m(-3) to 0.52 ng m(-3) and 0.62 ng m(-3), respectively. Similarly, (129)I concentrations at both Alpine stations were about 1 order of magnitude lower (10(4) atoms m(-3)) than values obtained for Vienna (10(5) atoms m(-3)) and reveal a strong vertical concentration gradient of (129)I. A high degree of variability is observed, which is due to wide variation in the origin of air masses. Furthermore, air trajectory analysis demonstrates the importance of large scale air transport mostly from southeast Europe for influencing Sonnblick whereas influence from northwest Europe is strong at Zugspitze. In contrast to (129)I, a higher concentration of (7)Be was found at higher altitude stations compared to Vienna which probably results from its production in the upper atmosphere.

Atmospheric concentrations of many elements have been significantly increased by human activities. The quantification of these changes and their effect on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is important because of their potentially adverse effects. The human nuclear activities, especially releases from the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, are presently the main source of 129I in the environment. In this work, the concentration of 129I and the ratios of 129I/127I in aerosols weekly collected in Vienna, Austria (202 m a.s.l) during the year 2001 are presented. Iodine was extracted from the aerosol filters using a strong basic solution and separated from the matrix elements by anion exchange. The chemical yield of the procedure, determined by ICP-MS, ranges from 70% to 95%. The AMS results indicated that the 129I/127I isotopic ratios were of the order 10−8 to 10−7. The 129I originated from gaseous emissions from the Sellafield reprocessing plant. The measured 129I concentrations were compared with those of 7Be, a cosmogenic radionuclide. Although, both radionuclides exhibit nearly the same distribution pattern (higher levels in summer and lower in winter) their different origins can clearly be deduced from short term variations.

All commercially available mineral waters of Austrian origin were investigated with regard to the natural radionuclides 228Ra, 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 238U and 234U. From 1 to 1.5 L of sample the nuclides were extracted and measured sequentially: the radium isotopes as well as 210Pb were measured by liquid scintillation counting after separation on a membrane loaded with element-selective particles (Empore Radium Disks), 210Po was determined by α-particle spectroscopy after spontaneous deposition onto a copper planchette and uranium was determined also by α-particle spectroscopy after anion separation and microprecipitation with NdF3. The calculated committed effective doses for adults, teens and babies were compared to the total indicative dose of 0.1 mSv/year given in the EC Drinking Water Directive. The dominant portion of the committed effective dose was due to 228Ra. Highly mineralised waters showed also higher 226Ra and 228Ra levels.

Radioactive contamination poses risks to environment and human health. The microbial-mediated transformation presents opportunity for the remediation of radionuclide contamination of the environment by immobilizing them or accelerating their removal. This chapter aims to interpret the mechanisms by which microbes interact with their surroundings to eliminate radionuclides of concern from the environment and how they influence the behavior and transport of radionuclides. Recent advances in microbial ecology have provided molecular strategies for the modeling of microbial process in order to increase the effectiveness and reliability of bioremediation and natural attenuation of polluted sites.

A semiautomated extraction protocol of HCV-RNA using Favorgen RNA extraction kit has been developed. The kit provided protocol was modified by replacing manual spin steps with vacuum filtration. The assay performance was evaluated by real-time qPCR based on Taqman technology. Assay linearity was confirmed with the serial dilutions of RTA (Turkey) containing 1 × (10(6), 10(5), 10(4), and 10(3)) IU mL(-1). Comparison of test results obtained by two extraction methods showed a good correlation (r = 0.95, n = 30) with detection limit of 10(2) IU mL(-1). The semiautomated vacuum filtration based protocol demonstrated high throughput: 35 minutes for the extraction of a batch of 30 samples (150 µL each) with reduced labor, time, waste, and cost. Performance characteristics of semiautomated system make it suitable for use in diagnostic purpose and viral load determinations.

A review of literature focused on (129)I determination in air is provided. (129)I analysis in the environment represents a vital tool for tracing transport mechanisms, distribution pathways, safety assessment and its application as environmental tracer. To achieve that, specific chemical extraction methods and high sensitivity analytical techniques have been developed. This paper is intended to give an overview about the sample collection, extraction and distribution of (129)I in the air. Sensitivity of available measurement techniques for the determination of (129)I is compared. The article also provides the summary of current worldwide distribution of (129)I in air and respective radiation exposure of man.