A quantum chemical study of the formation of 2-hydroperoxy-coelenterazine in the Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>-regulated photoprotein obelin

The Ca²⁺-regulated photoprotein obelin determines the luminescence of the marine hydroid Obelia longissima. Bioluminescence is initiated by calcium and appears as a result of the oxidative decarboxylation related to the coelenterazine substrate. The luciferase of the luminescent marine coral Renilla muelleri (RM) also uses coelenterazine as a substrate. However, three proteins are involved in the in vivo bioluminescence of these animals: luciferase, green fluorescent protein, and Ca²⁺-regulated coelenterazine-binding protein (CBP). In fact, CBP that contains one strongly bound coelenterazine molecule is the RM luciferase substrate in the in vivo bioluminescent reaction. Coelenterazine becomes available for oxygen and the reaction with luciferase only after binding CBP with calcium ions. Unlike Ca²⁺-regulated photoproteins, the coelenterazine molecule is not activated by oxygen in the CBP molecule. In this work, by means of quantum chemical methods the behavior of substrates in these proteins is analyzed. It is shown that coelenterazine can form different tautomers: CLZ(2H) and CLZ(7H). The formation of 2-hydroperoxy-coelenterazine is studied. According to the obtained data, these proteins use different forms of the substrates for the reaction. In obelin, the substrate is in the CLZ(2H) form that affords hydrogen peroxide. In RM, coelenterazine is in the CLZ(7H) form, and therefore, CBP is not activated by oxygen.     

A Novel Catalytic Function of Synthetic IgG‐Binding Domain (Z Domain) from Staphylococcal Protein A: Light Emission with Coelenterazine

The synthetic IgG‐binding domain (Z domain) of staphylococcal protein A catalyzes the oxidation of coelenterazine to emit light like a coelenterazine‐utilizing luciferase. The Z domain derivatives (ZZ‐gCys, Z‐gCys and Z‐domain) were purified and the luminescence properties were characterized by comparing with coelenterazine‐utilizing luciferases, including Renilla luciferase, Gaussia luciferase and the catalytic 19 kDa protein of Oplophorus luciferase. Three Z domain derivatives showed luminescence activity with coelenterazine and the order of the initial maximum intensity of luminescence was ZZ‐gCys (100%) > Z‐gCys (36.8%) > Z‐domain (1.1%) > bovine serum albumin (BSA; 0.9%) > staphylococcal protein A (0.1%) and the background value of coelenterazine (0.1%) in our conditions. The luminescence properties of ZZ‐gCys showed the similarity to that of Gaussia luciferase, including the luminescence pattern, the emission spectrum, the stimulation by halogen ions and nonionic detergents and the substrate specificity for coelenterazine analogues. In contrast, the luminescence properties of Z‐gCys were close to the catalytic 19 kDa protein of Oplophorus luciferase. The catalytic region of the Z domain for the luminescence reaction might be different from the IgG‐binding region of the Z domain.     

Ca(2+)-triggered coelenterazine-binding protein from Renilla as an enzyme-dependent label for binding assay

The recombinant Ca²⁺-triggered coelenterazine-binding protein (CBP) from Renilla muelleri was investigated as a biospecifically labeled molecule for in vitro assay applications. The protein was shown to be stable in solutions in the frozen state, as well as stable under heating and to chemical modifications. Conjugates with biotin, oligonucleotide, and proteins were obtained and applied as biospecific molecules in a solid-phase microassay. CBP detection was performed with intact (no modifications were made) Renilla luciferase in the presence of calcium, and the detection limit was found to be 75 amol. Model experiments indicate that this approach shows much promise, especially with regard to the development of multianalytical systems.     

Development of Luminescent Coelenterazine Derivatives Activatable by β‐Galactosidase for Monitoring Dual Gene Expression

Two bioluminogenic caged coelenterazine derivatives (bGalCoel and bGalNoCoel) were designed and synthesized to detect β‐galactosidase activity and expression by means of bioluminescence imaging. Our approach addresses the instability of coelenterazine by introducing β‐galactose caging groups to block the auto‐oxidation of coelenterazine. Both probes contain β‐galactosidase cleavable caging groups at the carbonyl group of the imidazo–pyrazinone moiety. One of the probes in particular, bGalNoCoel, displayed a fast cleavage profile, high stability, and high specificity for β‐galactosidase over other glycoside hydrolases. bGalN‐oCoel could detect β‐galactosidase activity in living HEK‐293T cell cultures that expressed a mutant Gaussia luciferase. It was determined that coelenterazine readily diffuses in and out of cells after uncaging by β‐galactosidase. We showed that this new caged coelenterazine derivative, bGalNoCoel, could function as a dual‐enzyme substrate and detect enzyme activity across two separate cell populations.     

Tyr72 and Tyr80 are Involved in the Formation of an Active Site of a Luciferase of Copepod Metridia longa

Luciferase of copepod Metridia longa (MLuc) is a naturally secreted enzyme catalyzing the oxidative decarboxylation of coelenterazine with the emission of light. To date, three nonallelic isoforms of different lengths (17–24 kDa) for M. longa luciferase have been cloned. All the isoforms are single‐chain proteins consisting of a 17‐residue signal peptide for secretion, variable N‐terminal part and conservative C‐terminus responsible for luciferase activity. In contrast to other bioluminescent proteins containing a lot of aromatic residues which are frequently involved in light emission reaction, the C‐terminal part of MLuc contains only four Phe, two Tyr, one Trp and two His residues. To figure out whether Tyr residues influence bioluminescence, we constructed the mutants with substitution of Tyr to Phe (Y72F and Y80F). Tyrosine substitutions do not eliminate the ability of luciferase to bioluminescence albeit significantly reduce relative specific activity and change bioluminescence kinetics. In addition, the Tyr replacements have no effect on bioluminescence spectrum, thereby indicating that tyrosines are not involved in the emitter formation. However, as it was found that the intrinsic fluorescence caused by Tyr residues is quenched by a reaction substrate, coelenterazine, in concentration‐dependent manner, we infer that both tyrosine residues are located in the luciferase substrate‐binding cavity.     

A Laccase of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fomes durissimus</Emphasis> MTCC-1173 and Its Role in the Conversion of Methylbenzene to Benzaldehyde

A laccase has been purified from the liquid culture growth medium containing bagasse particles of Fomes durissimus. The method involved concentration of the culture filtrate by ultrafiltration and anion exchange chromatography on diethyl aminoethyl cellulose. The sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis both gave single protein band indicating that the enzyme preparation was pure. The molecular mass of the purified laccase determined from SDS-PAGE analysis was 75 kDa. Using 2,6-dimethoxyphenol as the substrate, the determined K _m and k _cat values of the laccase are 182 μM and 0.35 s⁻¹, respectively, giving a k _cat/K _m value of 1.92 × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. The pH and temperature optimum were 4.0 and 35 °C, respectively. The purified laccase has yellow colour and does not show absorption band around 610 nm found in blue laccases. Moreover, it transformed methylbenzene to benzaldehyde in the absence of mediator molecules, property exhibited by yellow laccases.     

Synthetic Routes to Coelenterazine and Other Imidazo[1,2‐a]pyrazin‐3‐one Luciferins: Essential Tools for Bioluminescence‐Based Investigations

In the last few decades, bioluminescent systems based on the expression of a luciferase and the addition of a luciferin to monitor the emission of light have become very important tools for biological investigations. A growing proportion of these systems use coelenterazine or analogues of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyrazine luciferins along with photoproteins or luciferases from sea creatures such as Aequorea, Renilla, Gaussia or Oplophorus. Central to the success of these tools are the synthetic pathways developed not only to prepare the naturally occurring luciferins, but also to design altered compounds that exhibit improved bioluminescence. Current work is indeed focused on the design of systems exhibiting extended luminescence (“glow” systems) or redshifted wavelengths, as well as constructions better adapted to conditions in cells or in vivo. This review describes the synthetic pathways used to prepare imidazo[1,2‐a]pyrazine luciferins along with the research efforts aimed at preparing analogues even better suited to the design of assays.     

Purification and Characterization of a Novel Heparin Degrading Enzyme from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus flavus</Emphasis> (MTCC-8654)

A heparinase-producing fungus was isolated, and the strain was taxonomically characterized as Aspergillus flavus by morphophysiological and 26S rRNA gene homology studies. The culture produced intracellular heparinase enzyme, which was purified 40.5-fold by DEAE-Sephadex A-50, CM-Sephadex C-50, and Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. Specific activity of the purified enzyme was found to be 44.6 IU/μg protein and the molecular weight of native as well as reduced heparinase was 24 kDa, showing a monomeric unit structure. Peptide mass spectrum showed poor homogeneity with the database in the peptide bank. The enzyme activity was maximum at 30 °C in the presence of 300 mM NaCl at pH 7.0. In the presence of Co²⁺, Mn²⁺ ions, and reducing agents (β-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol), enzyme activity was enhanced and inhibited by iodoacetic acid. These observations suggested that free sulfohydryl groups of cysteine residues were necessary for catalytic activity of the enzyme. The enzyme was also inhibited by histidine modifier, DEPC, which suggests that along with cysteine, histidine may be present at its active site. The enzyme showed a high affinity for heparin as a substrate with K _m and V _max as 2.2 × 10⁻⁵ M and 30.8 mM min⁻¹, respectively. The affinity of the enzyme for different glycosaminoglycans studied varied, with high substrate specificity toward heparin and heparin-derived polysaccharides. Depolymerization of heparin and fractionation of the oligosaccharides yielded heparin disaccharides as main product.     

Effect of Constant Glucose Feeding on the Production of Exopolysaccharides by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tremella fuciformis</Emphasis> Spores

A fed-batch culture system with constant feeding (glucose 80 g L⁻¹, 0.25 ml min⁻¹) was used to study the influence of glucose on cell dry weight and exopolysaccharides production from submerged Tremella fuciformis spores in a 5-L stirred-tank bioreactor. The results showed that high levels of cell mass (9.80 g L⁻¹) and exopolysaccharides production (3.12 g L⁻¹) in fed-batch fermentation were obtained after 1 h of feeding, where the specific growth rate (μ) and exopolysaccharides yield on substrate consumed (YP/S) were 0.267 d⁻¹ and 0.14 g g⁻¹. Unlike batch fermentation, maximal cell mass and exopolysaccharides production merely reached 7.11 and 2.08 g L⁻¹; the specific growth rate (μ) and exopolysaccharides yield on substrate consumed (YP/S) were 0.194 d⁻¹ and 0.093 g g⁻¹, respectively. It is concluded that the synthesis of exopolysaccharides can be promoted effectively when feeding glucose at a late exponential phase.     

Direct electrochemistry and biocatalysis of glucose oxidase immobilized on magnetic mesoporous carbon

A magnetic mesoporous carbon material (i.e., mesoporous iron oxide/C, mesoFe/C) is synthesized for protein immobilization, using glucose oxidase (GOx) as model. Transmission electron microscopy images show that mesoFe/C has highly ordered porous structure with uniform pore size, and iron oxide nanoparticles are dispersed along the wall of carbon. After adsorption of GOx, the GOx-mesoFe/C composite is separated with magnet. The immobilized GOx remains its natural structure according to the reflection–absorption infrared spectra. When the GOx-mesoFe/C composite is coated on a Pt electrode surface, the GOx gives a couple of quasireversible voltammetric peaks at −0.5 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode) due to the redox of FAD/FADH₂. The electron-transfer rate constant (k _s) is ca. 0.49 s⁻¹. The modified electrode presents remarkably amperometric response to glucose at 0.6 V. The response time (t _95%) is less than 6 s; the response current is linear to glucose concentration in the range of 0.2–10 mM with a sensitivity of 27 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻². The detection limit is 0.08 mM (S/N = 3). The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K _m^app) of the enzyme reaction is ca. 6.6 mM, indicating that the GOx immobilized with mesoFe/C has high affinity to the substrate.     

Study on the preparation and biological evaluation of <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc–gatifloxacin and <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc–cefepime complexes

The aim of this work is the development of new radiopharmaceuticals for imaging infection and inflammation in human. Gatifloxacin (fluoroquinolone derivative) and cefepime (cephalosporine derivative) are antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections were investigated to label with one of the most important radioactive isotopes (technetium-99m). The reaction parameters that affect the labeling yield such as substrate concentration, stannous chloride dihydrate concentration, pH of the reaction mixture, and reaction time were studied to optimize the labeling conditions. Maximum radiochemical yield of ^99mTc–gatifloxacin (90  ± 1.8%) complex was obtained by using 50 μg SnCl₂·2H₂O and 2.5 mg gatifloxacin at pH 10 while ^99mTc–cefepime was prepared at pH 8 with a maximum radiochemical yield of 98  ± 1.4% by adding ^99mTc to 5 mg cefepime in the presence of 50 μg SnCl₂·2H₂O. Biological distribution of ^99mTc–gatifloxacin and ^99mTc–cefepime was carried out in experimentally induced infection rats, in the left thigh, using Escherichia coli. Both thighs of the rats were dissected and counted and the ratio of bacterial infected thigh/contralateral thigh was then evaluated. T/NT for both ^99mTc–gatifloxacin and ^99mTc–cefepime was found to be 4.5  ± 0.3 and 8.4  ± 0.1, respectively, which was higher than that of the commercially available ^99mTc–ciprofloxacin. The abscess to normal muscle ratio indicated that ^99mTc–cefepime could be used for infection imaging. Besides, in vitro studies showed that ^99mTc–cefepime can differentiate between bacterial infection and sterile inflammation.     

Recombination System Based on Cre α Complementation and Leucine Zipper Fusions

A gene encoding β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was cloned by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from Bacillus subtilis MA139. Sequencing result showed 97% homology to the corresponding gene from Bacillus licheniformis. The open reading frame (ORF) of the gene contained 690 bp coding for a 226 amino-acid matured protein with the estimated molecular weight of 24.44 kDa. The β-1,3-1,4-glucanase gene was subcloned into an expression vector of pET28a and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and then purified by metal affinity chromatography using a nickel–nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni–NTA) column. The purified β-1,3-1,4-glucanase demonstrated 24.05 and 12.52 U ml^-1 activities for the substrates of barley β-glucan and lichenan, respectively, and the specific activities were 728.79 and 379.1 U mg^-1 for them, respectively. The optimal temperature and pH of the purified enzyme were 40°C and 6.4, respectively. When barley β-glucan was used as the substrate, K _m was 5.34 mg ml^-1, and K _cat showed 7,206.71 S^-1, thus the ratio of K _cat and K _m was 1,349.67 ml s^-1 mg^-1. The activity of β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was affected by a range of metal ions or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).     

Three Efficient Methods for Preparation of Coelenterazine Analogues

The growing popularity of bioluminescent assays has highlighted the need for coelenterazine analogues possessing properties tuned for specific applications. However, the structural diversity of known coelenterazine analogues has been limited by current syntheses. Known routes for the preparation of coelenterazine analogues employ harsh reaction conditions that limit access to many substituents and functional groups. Novel synthetic routes reported here establish simple and robust methods for synthesis and investigation of structurally diverse marine luciferase substrates. Specifically, these new routes allow synthesis of coelenterazine analogues containing various heterocyclic motifs and substituted aromatic groups with diverse electronic substituents at the R² position. Interesting analogues described herein were characterized by their physicochemical properties, bioluminescent half‐life, light output, polarity and cytotoxicity. Some of the analogues represent leads that can be utilized in the development of improved bioluminescent systems.     

Module-assisted one-pot synthesis of [18F]SFB for radiolabeling proteins

The need of reliable production of N-succinimidyl 4-[¹⁸F]fluorobenzoate ([¹⁸F]SFB), a versatile ¹⁸F-labeled prosthetic group for protein labeling, has increased dramatically due to the easy availability of proteins or their engineered derivatives for targeted molecular imaging. A module-assisted radiosynthesis of [¹⁸F]SFB was developed using a three-step, one-pot procedure and ethyl 4-(trimethylammonium)benzoate triflate (1) as the starting material. The radiochemical transformations were carried out in a general-purpose, custom-made module and streamlined by an anhydrous deprotection strategy using t-BuOK/DMSO. After HPLC-purification, [¹⁸F]SFB was synthesized in radiochemical yields of 20–30% (n > 10, not decay-corrected) and excellent radiochemical and chemical purities (>98%). The total synthesis and purification time required is ~90 min. Using the purified [¹⁸F]SFB, three ¹⁸F-labeled proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA), chicken egg albumin (CEA) and transferrin, were synthesized in yields of 61.0–79.5%. The ¹⁸F-Annexin V for apoptosis imaging was also produced in 5% radiolabeling yield and >95% radiochemical purity.     

Application of a pH Feedback-Controlled Substrate Feeding Method in Lactic Acid Production

Substrate concentration in lactic acid fermentation broth could not be controlled well by traditional feeding methods, including constant, intermittent, and exponential feeding methods, in fed-batch experiments. A simple feedback feeding method based on pH was proposed to control pH and substrate concentration synchronously to enhance lactic acid production in fed-batch culture. As the linear relationship between the consumption amounts of alkali and that of substrate was concluded during lactic acid fermentation, the alkali and substrate in the feeding broth were mixed together proportionally. Thus, the concentration of substrate could be controlled through the adjustment of pH automatically. In the fed-batch lactic acid fermentation with Lactobacillus lactis-11 by this method, the residual glucose concentration in fermentation broth was controlled between 4.1 and 4.9 g L⁻¹, and the highest concentration of lactic acid, maximum cell dry weight, volumetric productivity of lactic acid, and yield were 96.3 g L⁻¹, 4.7 g L⁻¹, 1.9 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 0.99 g lactic acid per gram of glucose, respectively, compared to 82.7 g L⁻¹, 3.31 g L⁻¹, 1.7 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 0.92 g lactic acid per gram of glucose in batch culture. This feeding method was simple and easily operated and could be feasible for industrial lactic acid production in the future.     

Examining the Potential of Plasma-Assisted Pretreated Wheat Straw for Enzyme Production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma reesei</Emphasis>

Plasma-assisted pretreated wheat straw was investigated for cellulase and xylanase production by Trichoderma reesei fermentation. Fermentations were conducted with media containing washed and unwashed plasma-assisted pretreated wheat straw as carbon source which was sterilized by autoclavation. To account for any effects of autoclavation, a comparison was made with unsterilized media containing antibiotics. It was found that unsterilized washed plasma-assisted pretreated wheat straw (which contained antibiotics) was best suited for the production of xylanases (110 IU ml⁻¹) and cellulases (0.5 filter paper units (FPU) ml⁻¹). Addition of Avicel boosted enzyme titers with the highest cellulase titers (1.5 FPU ml⁻¹) found with addition of 50 % w/w Avicel and with the highest xylanase production (350 IU ml⁻¹) reached in the presence of 10 % w/w Avicel. Comparison with enzyme titers from other nonrefined feedstocks suggests that plasma pretreated wheat straw is a promising and suitable substrate for cellulase and hemicellulase production.     

Detection of proteases using an immunochemical method with haptenylated–gelatin as a solid-phase substrate

A simplified method for the measurement of proteases utilising solid-phase substrates incorporating an ELISA end-point detection step is described. Gelatin–hapten conjugates adsorbed onto polystyrene surfaces were found to be efficient substrates for proteases. Digestion of the solid-phase protein–hapten complexes resulted in proportional desorption of the attached conjugates and decrease in the detectable hapten species. Gelatin–cholic acid conjugates, affinity-purified sheep anti-cholic acid antibody–HRP and a chromogenic substrate were incorporated into a convenient and highly sensitive solid-phase immunochemical method. The detectable signal is inversely proportional to enzyme activity. Bacterial proteases (alpha-chymotrypsin Type II, Type IX from Bacillus polymyxa, Type XIV from Streptomyces griseus, Type XXIV from Bacillus licheniformens) were assayed. Dose–response curves for enzyme activities were measured within ranges of 0–550 μunits mL⁻¹ for chymotrypsin, 0–12 μunits mL⁻¹ for type IX, 0–35 μunits mL⁻¹ for type XIV and 0–100 μunits mL⁻¹ for type XXIV. The detection limits of the proteases studied were 89 μunits mL⁻¹ for chymotrypsin, 0.26 μunits mL⁻¹ for type IX, 5.8 μunits mL⁻¹ for type XIV and 6.5 μunits mL⁻¹ for type XXIV. It was demonstrated that the two-step immunochemical method combines the simplicity and sensitivity of solid-phase enzyme immunoassays, the broad specificity of gelatin as a protease substrate and the flexibility of the solid-phase format.     

Gene Cloning,Expression, and Characterization of a Family 51 α-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Arabinofuranosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces</Emphasis> sp. S9

An α-l-arabinofuranosidase gene, abf51S9, was cloned from Streptomyces sp. S9 and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The full-length gene consisted of 1,506 bp and encoded 501 amino acids with a calculated mass of 55.2 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly homologous with the α-l-arabinofuranosidases belonging to family 51 of the glycoside hydrolases. The recombinant protein was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and subsequently characterized. The optimal pH and temperature for the recombinant enzyme were 6.0 and 60∼65 °C, respectively. The enzyme showed a broad pH range of stability, retaining over 75% of the maximum activity at pH 5.0 to 11.0. The specific activity, K _m, and V _max with p-nitrophenyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside as substrate were 60.0 U mg⁻¹, 1.45 mM, and 221 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹, respectively. Abf51S9 showed a mild but significant synergistic effect in combination with xylanase on the degradation of oat-spelt xylan and soluble wheat arabinoxylan substrates with a 1.19- and 1.21-fold increase in the amount of reducing sugar released, respectively. These favorable properties make Abf51S9 a good candidate in various industrial applications.     

Targetry and specification of <Superscript>167</Superscript>Tm production parameters by different reactions

In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion in the use of radio nuclides for therapeutic purposes. Thulium–167 is an important radionuclide (T _1/2 = 9.25 d) due to it could be used for tumor and bone studies in nuclear medicine. ¹⁶⁷Tm complexed with hydroxy ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (HEDTA) could be used with the aim of bone imaging. ¹⁶⁷Tm emits a prominent γ ray of 208 keV energy and low energy electrons. This study describes calculations on the excitation functions of ¹⁶⁵Ho(α,2n)¹⁶⁷Tm, ¹⁶⁷Er(p,n)¹⁶⁷Tm, ^natEr(d,xn)¹⁶⁷Tm and ^natEr(p,xn)¹⁶⁷Tm reactions by ALICE/ASH (hybrid and GDH models) and TALYS-1.0 codes. In addition, calculated data by codes were compared to experimental data that earlier were published and TENDL-2010 database. Moreover, optimal thickness of the targets and physical yield were obtained by SRIM (stopping and range of ions in matter) code for each reaction. According to the results, the ¹⁶⁷Er(p,n)¹⁶⁷Tm and ¹⁶⁵Ho(α,2n)¹⁶⁷Tm reactions are suggested as the best method to produce ¹⁶⁷Tm owing to minimum impurities. The TALYS-1.0 code, predict the maximum cross-section of about 382 mb at 11 MeV and 849 mb at 26 MeV for ¹⁶⁷Er(p,n)¹⁶⁷Tm and ¹⁶⁵Ho(α,2n)¹⁶⁷Tm reactions, respectively. Finally, deposition of ^natEr₂O₃ on Cu substrate was carried out via the sedimentation method. The 516 mg of erbium(III)oxide with 103.2 mg of ethyl cellulose and 8 mL of acetone were used to prepare a ^natEr₂O₃ layer of 11.69 cm². ¹⁶⁷Tm was produced via the ^natEr(p,n)¹⁶⁷Tm nuclear process at 20 μA current and 15 → 7 MeV protons beam (1 h). Yield of about 3.2 MBq ¹⁶⁷Tm per μA h were experimentally obtained.