Radiation dose measurements for staff members involved in holmium-166 preclinical trial

AimNeutron-activated holmium-166 (¹⁶⁶Ho) is an excellent radionuclide for internal radiation therapy (Eβmax = 1.84 MeV) with an appropriate half-life (26.8 h), which emits photons (81 keV, 6.2%) suitable to be detected by gamma cameras. Preparing and injecting radiopharmaceuticals containing beta/gamma emitting holmium-166 implies a risk of exceeding the upper limit for skin and hand radiation equivalent doses (500 mSv/an). This study was aimed to estimate the whole body and finger exposure for staff responsible for dose preparation, dose dispensing, and dose injection of holmium-166 therapy.MethodsTo measure the finger dose from external exposure, all staff members wore TLD dosimeters. Personal dose equivalents Hp(10) were measured using electronic personal dosimeters (EPD MK2, Thermo Fischer Scientific) placed on the left side of the chest. During our study, staff members administered more than 40 ¹⁶⁶Ho-based therapies for preclinical trial. Appropriate radiation safety procedures and shielding were applied at each stage.ResultsIn this study, the whole body doses were 2.80 ± 1.56 nSv MBq⁻¹ for one ¹⁶⁶Ho-therapy preparation/formulation, and 2.68 ± 1.70 nSv MBq⁻¹ for one intravenous injection. Maximum finger doses were 2.9 ± 0.2 μSv MBq⁻¹ and 2.5 ± 0.3 μSv MBq⁻¹ for preparation and injection, respectively (activities injected: 72 ± 3 MBq).ConclusionExtrapolated annual doses from 300 ¹⁶⁶Ho radionuclide therapies were lower than the annual limit doses for skin and the whole body, 500 mSv and 20 mSv, respectively, reported in the European Directive EURATOM 96/29 when applying appropriate radiation protection standards. However, these doses have to be added to other diagnostic or therapeutic protocols, performed in preclinical facilities.     

~ 1.2 μm near-infrared emission and gain anticipation in Ho doped heavy-metal gallate glasses

Ho³⁺-doped low-phonon-energy heavy-metal gallate glasses (LKBPBG) have been prepared and efficient 1.199 μm emission originating from the ⁵I₆ → ⁵I₈ radiative transition has been observed under 900 nm excitation. The spontaneous emission probability and the maximum stimulated emission cross-section were derived to be 294.31 s^− 1 and 3.46 × 10^− 21 cm², respectively. The ratio of quantum yields between ~ 1.2 and ~ 2.0 μm emissions was identified to be 16%, demonstrating that the ⁵I₆ → ⁵I₈ transition is favorable for optical amplification. The maximum gain coefficient of 1.84 dB/cm at 1.199 μm wavelength was anticipated in the ideal status. These results indicate that the Ho³⁺-doped LKBPBG glasses have a promising potential for the development of ~ 1.2 μm signal amplifier devices.     

Regioselective synthesis of pentathiepines fused with pyrrole, thiophene, or indole rings

Pentathiepines fused with pyrrole, thiophene, or indole rings were obtained by reactions of the corresponding heterocycles or their tetrahydro derivatives with a prepared mixture of sulfur monochloride and DABCO. Dedicated to Academician O. M. Nefedov on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2002–2005, November, 2006.     

High resolution laser spectroscopy of the titanium monohalides, TiCl and TiBr

The electronic spectra of the titanium monohalides, TiCl and TiBr, have been investigated in the blue-violet region using a laser ablation molecular beam spectrometer. Five subbands assigned as ⁴Γ_5/2-X⁴Φ_3/2 (0, 0), ⁴Γ_5/2-X⁴Φ_3/2 (1, 1), ⁴Γ_5/2-X⁴Φ_5/2 (0, 0), ⁴Γ_7/2-X⁴Φ_5/2 (0, 0) and ⁴Γ_7/2-X⁴Φ_7/2 (0, 0) were observed and recorded at both low and high-resolution for titanium monochloride. A Hund’s case (a) rotational analysis has been carried out for the ⁴⁸Ti³⁷Cl and ⁴⁸Ti³⁵Cl isotopic species, and polynomial analyses for these, as well as the ⁴⁶Ti³⁵Cl, ⁴⁷Ti³⁵Cl, ⁴⁹Ti³⁵Cl, and ⁵⁰Ti³⁵Cl isotopologues have been completed. The same spectral region yielded several molecular transitions for titanium monobromide, 10 of which were recorded at high resolution. Six of these have been attributed to a ⁴Γ-X⁴Φ electronic transition at 23 484 cm⁻¹, while the remaining four have been assigned to a second ⁴Γ-X⁴Φ electronic transition at 23 613 cm⁻¹. A Hund’s case (a) global analysis has been carried out for the ⁴⁸Ti⁷⁹Br and ⁴⁸Ti⁸¹Br isotopologues.     

The permanent electric dipole moment of holmium monoxide, HoO

The high resolution molecular beam laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectrum of the (0, 0) band of the [17.6]7.5-X₁8.5 system of holmium monoxide, HoO, has been recorded field free and in the presence of a variable static electric field. The rotational constant, B₀, and magnetic hyperfine structure constant, h, for the v = 0 levels of the [17.6]7.5 and X₁8.5 states were obtained by assigning and fitting the field-free spectral features. The Stark shifts and splittings in the LIF spectra were analyzed to produce values for the magnitude of the permanent electric dipole moments, |μ|, of 3.96(6) and 4.80(5) D for [17.6]7.5, v = 0 and X₁8.5, v = 0, respectively.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the addition of iodine monochloride to some alkenes in nitrobenzene solvent. Effect of polarity of the solvent

The kinetics of the addition of iodine monochloride (ICl) to some vinyl compounds in nitrobenzene solvent was investigated. In all cases the reaction follows second order dependence on ICl and first order on the substrate, making the total order three. Rate constants were measured for each substrate at 20°, 30°, 40° and 50°C.Arrhenius plots were made from which activation energies were evaluated. Other kinetic and thermodynamic parameters are reported. A suitable mechanism is proposed for the reaction and based on this, the various parameters are discussed. Solvent effects are discussed and the data with nitrobenzene and acetic acid solvents are compared.

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Kinetik und Mechanismus der Addition vonICl zu einigen Alkenen in Nitrobenzol als Lösungsmittel. Effekt der Polarität des Lösungsmittels

Zusammenfassung Die Kinetik der Addition von ICl zu einigen Vinylverbindungen in Nitrobenzol als Lösungsmittel wurde untersucht. In allen Fällen ist die Reaktion von zweiter Ordnung hinsichtlich ICl und von erster Ordnung hinsichtlich des Substrats, d. h. mit einer Gesamtordnung von drei. Geschwindigkeitskonstanten wurden für jedes Substrat bei 20°, 30°, 40° und 50°C gemessen. AusArrhenius-Diagrammen wurden Aktivierungsenergien ermittelt und auch andere kinetische und thermodynamische Parameter wurden bestimmt. Ein Mechanismus wird vorgeschlagen, wobei die verschiedenen Parameter diskutiert werden. Lösungsmitteleffekte werden ebenfalls diskutiert und die Daten mit Nitrobenzol und Essigsäure als Lösungsmittel miteinander verglichen.