Conversion of endohedral <Superscript>133</Superscript>Xe-fullerene to endohedral <Superscript>133</Superscript>Xe-fullerenol to be used in nuclear medicine

Summary Hydrophilic endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerenols, [¹³³Xe@C₆₀(OH)_xand ¹³³Xe@C₇₀(OH)_x], were synthesized from hydrophobic endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerenes. The yield of endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerenols extracted in water was about 40% and 23% for C₆₀and C₇₀, respectively. The products stored in 0.9% NaCl solution at 20 °C were stable enough to be used in nuclear medicine.     

Determination of the change of nuclear charge radius of the119Sn Mössbauer transition by internal conversion

Radioactive¹¹⁹Sb was implanted into six host matrices (CaSnO₃, Pt, Y, Au,-Sn, Pb) and internal conversion electrons of the 23.87 keV transition in¹¹⁹Sn were measured with an iron-free magnetic spectrometer as well as Mössbauer spectra. In the analysis of the conversion spectra of outermost electrons, the overlapping K-LM Auger lines were subtracted using the Auger spectrum of tin measured with another source of^117mSn, and the shake-off effect accompanying the conversion process was considered. From the correlation between the Mössbauer isomer shifts and the intensity ratios of O-shell to N₁-shell conversion electrons, the change of the nuclear charge radius of the 23.87 keV transition of¹¹⁹Sn was deduced to be R/R=(0.87 ± 0.25) × 10^–4 for a uniform charge distribution ofR= 1.2 ×A ^1/3 fm or, equivalently, r²>—=(3.6 ± 1.0) ×10^–3 fm².     

Nuclear-related analytical techniques: Literature retrieval from the INIS database

The applicability of the INIS database for literature retrieval on nuclear-related analytical techniques [e.g. neutron activation analysis (NAA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE)] has been studied. There exist about 9700 documents on NAA and other forms of activation analysis, about 3500 documents on XRF and about 1200 documents on PIXE in the database collected from 1976 until July 1988. They cover a variety of elements and matrices in the fields of biology, geochemistry and the physical sciences. Some technical notes and comments on the practical use of this database are also included.     

Donor–acceptor–acceptor-type near-infrared fluorophores that contain dithienophosphole oxide and boryl groups: effect of the boryl group on the nonradiative decay

The use of donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) skeletons is an effective strategy for the design of fluorophores with red-shifted emission. In particular, the use of amino and boryl moieties as the electron-donating and -accepting groups, respectively, can produce dyes that exhibit high fluorescence and solvatochromism. Herein, we introduce a dithienophosphole P-oxide scaffold as an acceptor–spacer to produce a boryl- and amino-substituted donor–acceptor–acceptor (D–A–A) π-system. The thus obtained fluorophores exhibit emission in the near-infrared (NIR) region, while maintaining high fluorescence quantum yields even in polar solvents (e.g. λ_em = 704 nm and Φ_F = 0.69 in CH₃CN). A comparison of these compounds with their formyl- or cyano-substituted counterparts demonstrated the importance of the boryl group for generating intense emission. The differences among these electron-accepting substituents were examined in detail using theoretical calculations, which revealed the crucial role of the boryl group in lowering the nonradiative decay rate constant by decreasing the non-adiabatic coupling in the internal conversion process. The D–A–A framework was further fine-tuned to improve the photostability. One of these D–A–A dyes was successfully used in bioimaging to visualize the blood vessels of Japanese medaka larvae and mouse brain.

Combination of electron-accepting diarylboryl terminal groups and dithienophosphole oxide spacers with electron-donating triarylamine moieties produces donor–acceptor–acceptor type π-systems, which exhibit emissions in the near-infrared region.     

Preparation of immunoaffinity mini-columns for the analysis of platelet activating factor (PAF) in biological samples.

Using an antibody to BN 52719, an analogue of platelet activating factor (PAF), immunoaffinity mini-columns for the separation of PAF from biological samples were prepared. Rabbits were immunized with BN 52719 and immunoglobulin G (IgG) from the antiserum was coupled with Sepharose 4B. The resulting suspension of the IgG-coated Sepharose 4B in 25 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) was poured into a plastic mini-column (bed volume 2.0 x 0.8 cm). Stepwise elution of the column with methanol revealed that lyso-PAF is eluted with 20-30% methanol in water whereas PAF is eluted with 50-80% methanol. For the determination of PAF in biological samples, it is recommended that lipids are extracted from the samples and the extract, reconstituted in 20% methanol, is loaded on the column. The column is then washed with 50% methanol followed by elution of PAF with 80% methanol. A small amount of [3H]PAF is added to the samples for measurement of the recoveries of PAF during the procedures of extraction and elution. The PAF is then quantified by radioimmunoassay or bioassay. Employing the immunoaffinity mini-column and radioimmunoassay, the contents of PAF in macrophages and conditioned medium after stimulation with calcium ionophore A23187, or tumor promoters such as TPA and thapsigargin, were measured.     

High n-value phases in the complex bismuth oxides with layered structure,Bi2CaNan−2NbnO3n+3

Complex bismuth oxides with layered structure are prepared with a series of compositions in the system Bi₂CaNb₂O₉-NaNbO₃. It is found by X-ray powder diffraction that each compound is composed of more than two phases, which are described by a formula Bi₂CaNa_n?2Nb_nO_3n+3, e.g., in the sample with the nominal composition Bi₂CaNb₂O₉ · 8NaNbO₃, the phases with n = 6 to 8 appear predominantly. These phases are closely intergrown to each other. Moreover, high-resolution electron microscopy reveals that microsyntactic intergrowth frequently occurs in the phases with n > 5. The occurrence of the latter intergrowth is explained in terms of the bond length obtained.     

Production of endohedral 133Xe-fullerene by ion implantation

Ion implantation was applied to the production of endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerene. Using an isotope separator, ¹³³Xe ions were implanted into a fullerene target of C₆₀ and C₇₀ produced by vacuum evaporation on a Ni backing. An HPLC analysis following dissolution of the fullerene targets in o-dichlorobenzene corroborated the formation of ¹³³Xe@C₆₀ and ¹³³Xe@C₇₀, showing a strong correlation between C₆₀/C₇₀ and ¹³³Xe. The observed tailing following ¹³³Xe peaks in the elution curves suggests a possibility of the isolation of endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerene from empty fullerene.     

Development of a method for estimating an accurate equivalence point in nickel titration of cyanide ions

In a nickel titration of cyanide ions using murexide as indicator, an accurate equivalence point was determined by a non-linear least-squares curve-fitting for a titration curve. This method was developed to establish a standard solution for cyanide ions. In a curve-fitting procedure, a theoretical titration curve was calculated, assuming that nickel ion formed only a 1:4 Ni²⁺:CN⁻ complex with cyanide ions and formed only a 1:1 complex with murexide. Results of the curve-fitting were reasonable at any pH and any indicator concentration studied. The combined standard uncertainty for a concentration of a 1000 mg kg⁻¹ cyanide solution by this method was 0.079%.     

Syntheses and reactions of functional polymers. XLII. Preparation and use of polymers having N-hydroxy-succinimide unit in the chain

Styrene-maleic anhydride alternating copolymer was converted to N-hydroxymaleimide-styrene copolymer by reaction with hydroxylamine in pyridine at room temperature. The conversion was more than 90%. From this copolymer, N-acetoxy- or N-benzoyloxymaleimide-styrene copolymers were derived by action of acetic anhydride or benzoyl chloride in dimethylformamide at room temperature. Acylation of several primary amines was carried out effectively by use of these N-acyloxyimide-styrene copolymers. The reaction of the acetylated copolymer with diethylamine at room temperature afforded N-hydroxyimide copolymer.     

Levels of artificial radionuclides and uranium in rain water collected from Ibaraki (Japan) following the Tomsk-7 accident in Russia

Measurements of some selected radionuclides were carried out in rain waters collected from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, following the nuclear accident at Tomsk-7, Russian Federation, in April 1993. The concentrations obtained for artificial radionuclides were⁹⁰Sr1.8 mBq l^–1,¹³⁷Cs0.1 Bq l^–1,¹³¹I0.1 Bq l^–1 and¹²⁹I4 Bq l^–1. Uranium (²³⁸U) concentrations in rainfalls in April 1993 were 6.3–39 ng l^–1. These data were compared to control values obtained previously and there was no appreciable influence on the radioactivity levels in Japan after the Tomsk-7 accident. Since only limited data on the concentrations of¹²⁹I and uranium in rain water are available, these new analytical results contribute to understanding the background levels for these nuclides.