ABSTRACT
Positron Emission Tomography has become a powerful scientific and clinical tool probing biochemical processes in the human body. Their clinical applications have proven to be vital in the evaluation and diagnosis of diseases. This is due, in large part, to advances in instrumentation and synthetic chemistry. Carbon-11 is a valuable radionuclide in PET as it virtually permits the synthesis of radiolabelled versions of any compound of interest. The syntheses with carbon-11 present several features: limited number of labelled precursors, sub-micromolar amounts of the starting materials, and a need for the introduction of the radioisotope as late as possible in the synthesis. All of these reasons have restricted complex radiosyntheses. The short half-life of carbon-11 (20.4 min) requires the rapid preparation and purification of carbon-11 labelled molecules. Those have to be carried out immediately before use from cyclotron produced precursors ([11C]CO2, [11C]CO, [11C]CH4) or reagents rapidly prepared from them ([11C]CH3I, [11C]COCl2, [11C]HCN). As a consequence carbon-11 has been underused compared to fluorine-18. However, because of the increasing molecular complexity and diversity of biologically active compounds, there is a need for new methodologies giving access in short time and high yield to radioactive (11)C-probes. The aim of this review is to emphasize the methodologies used in this field and to give a comprehensive overview of the numerous advances, which occurred over the past decade. In addition, for each labelling technique or reaction reported, a special attention has been brought to classify the applications in function of the targeted medical domain.
Subject(s)
Carbon Radioisotopes/chemistry , Enzyme Inhibitors/metabolism , Isotope Labeling , Organometallic Compounds/metabolism , Radiopharmaceuticals/chemical synthesis , Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism , Ligands , Organometallic Compounds/chemistry , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Radiopharmaceuticals/chemistry , Radiopharmaceuticals/metabolismABSTRACT
In August 2004, a case of rabies was diagnosed in a puppy that had been illegally imported from Morocco to Bordeaux (France). Because a great number of people and animals were thought to have come into contact with the puppy, extensive tracing measures were implemented, and an international alert was launched to trace and treat the contacts at risk. One hundred and eighty seven people received post-exposure treatment, eight of whom also received serovaccination, and 57 animals known to have been exposed to the puppy were tested. Six months after the death of the rabid animal, none of the people treated showed any signs of rabies, nor was any secondary animal case reported. The management of this crisis highlights the importance of the role of a rapid alert system at European level. Strict application of sanitary control regulations is essential for animals introduced into EU countries, and all necessary information must be made available to EU residents travelling to rabies enzootic areas.
Subject(s)
Commerce/legislation & jurisprudence , Communicable Disease Control , Contact Tracing , Dog Diseases/transmission , Rabies/veterinary , Zoonoses , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Dogs , Female , France , Humans , Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use , Infant , Internationality , Male , Middle Aged , Rabies/prevention & control , VaccinationABSTRACT
A size-exclusion chromatographic method using an aqueous solvent as eluent was developed for the determination of the molecular mass of procyanidins has been developed. Size-exclusion chromatography is a chromatographic technique used to determine molecular weight distribution of polymers. During the development work, PL aquagel-OH columns and several different eluent compositions were investigated. The best separation of procyanidins was obtained with an eluent consisting of water-methanol (50:50, v/v), NaNO3: 0.18 M, pH < pKa + 2. The results from this aqueous SEC method were compared with results obtained using SEC with organic solvents.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, Gel/methods , Proanthocyanidins/isolation & purification , Calibration , Molecular Weight , Proanthocyanidins/chemistry , Vitis/chemistryABSTRACT
In August 2004, a case of rabies was diagnosed in a puppy that had been illegally imported from Morocco to Bordeaux (France). Because a great number of people and animals were thought to have come into contact with the puppy, extensive tracing measures were implemented, and an international alert was launched to trace and treat the contacts at risk. One hundred and eighty seven people received post-exposure treatment, eight of whom also received serovaccination, and 57 animals known to have been exposed to the puppy were tested. Six months after the death of the rabid animal, none of the people treated showed any signs of rabies, nor was any secondary animal case reported. The management of this crisis highlights the importance of the role of a rapid alert system at European level. Strict application of sanitary control regulations is essential for animals introduced into EU countries, and all necessary information must be made available to EU residents travelling to rabies enzootic areas.
ABSTRACT
The annual incidence of Q fever in French Guiana was found to have increased in 1996 and was 37/100,000 population over the last 4 years. Subsequent investigations in Cayenne and its suburbs indicated that a wild reservoir of the bacteria was responsible for the epidemiologic pattern. A case-control study showed that residence near a forest and occupations and activities that result in exposure to aerosols of dusts from the soil are risk factors for Q fever. By means of time-series analysis, a strong positive correlation between rainfall and the incidence of Q fever with a time lag of 1-3 months was found. The spatial distribution of the cases showed that transmission occurs widely throughout greater Cayenne, which is incompatible with a pinpoint source of contamination. Transmission from livestock and dissemination of the bacteria by the wind appeared to be unlikely, which strengthens the hypothesis that a wild reservoir is responsible for transmission.
Subject(s)
Community-Acquired Infections/transmission , Disease Reservoirs , Q Fever/transmission , Suburban Population , Adolescent , Adult , Air Microbiology , Animals , Animals, Wild , Anura , Birds , Case-Control Studies , Cats , Child , Child, Preschool , Chiroptera , Community-Acquired Infections/diagnosis , Community-Acquired Infections/epidemiology , Coxiella burnetii/isolation & purification , Dust , Female , French Guiana/epidemiology , Geography , Guinea Pigs , Humans , Infant , Male , Marsupialia , Occupational Exposure , Q Fever/diagnosis , Q Fever/epidemiology , Rodentia , Seasons , Soil Microbiology , Urban PopulationSubject(s)
Cross Infection/prevention & control , Food Service, Hospital , Personnel, Hospital , Humans , ParisSubject(s)
Malaria/transmission , Adult , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Plasmodium falciparumABSTRACT
The authors report a case of direct infection of a nurse who had taken blood sample from a young patient suffering from malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum. Six similar observations have been reported in the literature. In addition, accidental infection has been observed following the use of non sterile syringes. As a result, malaria could be an unexpected consequence of the drug habit.
