ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIM: We are developing a neutron dynamic therapy (NDT) with boron tracedrugs for a new mechanical-clearance treatment of pathotoxic misfolded, aggregated, and self-propagating prion-associated disease proteins. We present a compact neutron generator-based NDT using a boron tracedrug UTX-51. Our NDT is based on the weak thermal neutron-bombarded destructive action of UTX-51 on bovine serum albumin (BSA) using the neutron beams produced from a compact inertial electrostatic confinement fusion (IECF) neutron generator. RESULTS: BSA as an NDT molecular target was subjected to thermal neutron irradiation for eight hours using a compact neutron generator. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis pattern showed no protein band when 2 nmoles of BSA were irradiated with more than 100 nmoles of UTX-51, while BSA was not affected when irradiated without UTX-51. CONCLUSION: For the first time, we have succeeded in the molecular destruction of a prion-disease model protein, BSA, by NDT with a boron tracedrug, UTX-51, using a compact neutron generator.
Subject(s)
Boron Compounds/therapeutic use , Boron Neutron Capture Therapy/methods , Neutrons , Serum Albumin, Bovine/radiation effectsABSTRACT
For the detection of landmines, a new gamma-ray detector system, a neutron source, and control and measurement devices were developed. A prototype system has newly been developed by combining these devices. The usefulness of capture gamma-ray and backscattering neutron methods is examined with real explosives in several conditions and the performance of the prototype landmine detection system is demonstrated experimentally in this study. The combination of the methods is confirmed to be sufficiently effective for application to actual landmine detection.
