Terahertz diffractive structures for compact in-reflection inspection setup.

Two diffractive optical elements are used to create a compact raster THz scanning setup in reflective configuration. The first one focuses the radiation into the small focal spot on the sample, while the second one collects reflected radiation and focuses it on the detector. To assure small size of the setup and large apertures of optical elements, structures work in the off-axis geometry. Thus, the focal spot is formed 100 mm after and 60 mm below the optical axis of the element, which measures 75 mm in diameter. The designed iterative algorithm allows further minimization of these values.

Synthesis of standards of the most important markers of Leuckart p-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA). Examination of the influence of experimental conditions and a drug diluent on SPE/TLC profiling.

The synthesis of characteristic markers of PMMA obtained by Leuckart method was described. The effectiveness of a procedure of SPE/TLC screening profiling of impurities was studied on the basis of selected impurities. The influence of glucose (a drug diluent) on the profile quality was investigated. The intermediate product (characteristic for the Leuckart synthesis) N-formyl-p-methoxymethamphetamine (1) and by-products: N-formyl-p-methoxyamphetamine (2), p-methoxyamphetamine (3), N,N-dimethyl-p-methoxyamphetamine (4), (RS) and (RR/SS) diastereoisomers of bis(1-methyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)amine (meso-5 and rac-5), (RS) and (RR/SS) diastereoisomers of N-methyl-bis(1-methyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)amine (meso-6 and rac-6), N-methyl-1,3-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)propane-2-amine (7) were synthesized. The substrate p-methoxyphenylacetone and the impurities 1 and 4 were used in the study of influence of experimental conditions and glucose on the profiling process and results. The experiments were carried out according to a 2(4) factorial design. The proposed criterions of the profile quality are based on matrix presentation of TLC patterns. They take into account the number of spots revealed, differences between R(f) values and intensity of fluorescence, simultaneously.

Hepatic plasma clearance of 99mTc-HEPIDA as a diagnostic tool: theoretical basis for a simplified determination.

The determination of hepatic plasma clearance of( 99m)Tc-HEPI-DA is becoming a clinically attractive test. It is not necessary to perform always the determination using an extensive sampling of blood over the period of 0-90 min post injection of the radiopharmaceutical. For screening purposes a simplified method is adequate, even if less precise of the low values of the clearance. In this paper a theoretical basis has been presented for the development of such a simplified procedure, based on a single plasma sample for determination of the hepatic and urinary clearance of (99m)Tc-HEPIDA.

99mTc-HEPIDA plasma clearance as a diagnostic tool. Total plasma v. specific hepatic clearance.

BACKGROUND: (99m)Tc-HEPIDA total plasma clearance has been used for assessment of hepatic parenchyma damage. However, the radiopharmaceutical used is being partly cleared from plasma also by the urinary tract. As the share of the latter route in total elimination of the compound is not well known, the aim of the study was to investigate the percentage of (99m)Tc-HEPIDA eliminated by the kidneys and by the liver. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To this aim total plasma clearance of the compound and urinary part were determined by the methods employed here in 117 patients and in 16 healthy volunteers. The pure hepatic clearance was calculated as the difference between total plasma and the urinary clearance of (99m)Tc-HEPIDA. RESULTS: The urinary clearance in patients amounted from 2.6 to 78% of total clearance; in the healthy volunteers the corresponding range was from 8.6 to 28%. Pronounced spread of the urinary clearance (coefficient of variation = 35%) and lack of correlation between the urinary and total clearance make it necessary to take account of urinary elimination in each patient in whom reasonably accurate assessment of hepatic clearance is required. CONCLUSION: Further studies on the diagnostic efficacy of pure hepatic clearance and its change with age in healthy patients appear necessary.

Genetic diversity among cultivars of spring barley revealed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD).

RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) polymorphism was studied in 23 malting and non-malting spring barley cultivars included in the official list of Polish cultivated varieties. Twenty-four 10-mer primers were tested in each cultivar, giving altogether 149 amplification products, 45% of which were polymorphic. The number of polymorphic bands revealed by one primer ranged from 1 to 6, with an average of 2.8. Genetic distance for all pairs of compared varieties was estimated and a dendrogram was constructed using unweighted pair group method of arithmetic means. The genetic distance between cultivars ranged from 0.11 for cvs. Apex and Bryl to 0.62 for cvs. Orthega and Madonna. Of the seven malting cultivars only two (Brenda and Stratus) formed one group at D = 0.25. The genetic distance between cvs. Brenda and Scarlett, especially recommended for brewery, was equal to 0.34. The detected polymorphism appeared to be sufficient for assessing genetic distances between cultivars, but on the basis of this polymorphism groups of malting and non-malting cultivars were not clearly distinguished.

X-ray diffraction study of human serum.

Blood serum from people suffering from cancer and healthy subjects was subjected to a comparative study by X-ray diffraction. The diffraction patterns were referred to that of pure water. The patterns obtained for blood serum of healthy subjects were similar to that of pure water, while those of cancer patients (two kinds of cancer changes) were different. The former similarity is accounted for by the dominant interaction of water molecules in healthy blood serum with non-polar side chains of amino acids, stabilising the serum structure. In samples from cancer patients the structure of water in blood serum is destroyed because of enhanced interactions of water with polar molecules of conformationally changed proteins. This observation suggests X-ray examination of blood serum from cancer patients and healthy subjects, indicating X-ray diffraction as a diagnostic tool for the occurrence of cancer. The results of this work have shown that the presence of protein affected by cancer has a destructive effect on the structure of water in human serum. The results reported confirm the earlier finding relating cancer changes to optical circular birefringence effects.

Genetic determination of variability of barley doubled haploids inoculated with Fusarium culmorum (W.G.Sm.) Sacc. with regard to mycotoxin accumulation and reduction in yield traits.

The genetic determination of variability of barley doubled haploid (DH) lines in regard of their susceptibility to Fusarium head blight caused by Fusarium culmorum was studied. The susceptibility was evaluated in 3-year field experiment on the basis of reduction in yield traits and myotoxin accumulation in infected kernels. The following traits were analysed in inoculated and control plants: kernel number and weight per ear, 1000-kernel weight, percentage of plump kernels (>2.5 mm), deoxynivalenol (DON) content and nivalenol (NIV) content of kernels. On the basis of the obtained data, heritability coefficient (ratio of genotypic to phenotypic variance) was assessed, and genetic parameters as well as the number of effective factors were estimated. Heritability coefficients calculated from two-way analysis of variance, i.e.regarding the influence of years and year x genotype interaction, appeared to be exceptionally low and ranged from 5.2% for the reduction in plump kernels to 38.2% for the reduction in 1000-kernel weight. In the case of mycotoxin accumulation about 60% of the observed variability in NIV concentrations and 30% in DON concentration resulted form genetic differences among lines. Additive effects of genes were important for all the analysed traits. Significant effects of dominance and dominance x dominance were observed for 1000-kernel weight and percentage of plump kernels. Moreover, it was found that the observed variability in yield trait reduction resulted from segregation of 5-6 effective factors, DON contents from 4 factors, while NIV content from 5 factors.

Pharmacokinetic characteristics of 99mTc-Ethylene-l-dicysteine (99mTc-EC).

BACKGROUND: Ethylenedicysteine-99mTc (99mTc-EC) has been more and more commonly applied in dynamic studies as well as for clearance determinations. However, it was necessary to investigate in detail the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the radiopharmaceutical which may be important for its applicability in assessment of renal function. RESULTS: Kidney images obtained from renoscintigraphy are characterised by excellent quality without visualisation of the organs adjacent to kidneys (liver, spleen). Renoscintigraphic curves demonstrate typical shapes with TMAX and T1/2 values not differing from the corresponding values obtained for other radiopharmaceuticals (99mTc-MAG3, 131I-OIH). In plasma, 99mTc-EC binds with proteins to a considerably lesser degree (c. 1/3) than 131I-OIH (c. 2/3), or 99mTc-MAG3 (> 9/10). No binding of 99mTc-EC with erythrocytes has been demonstrated, whereas 131I-OIH attaches to or penetrates the red blood cells (10-12%). 99mTc-EC is quickly excreted from the organism: 40 min after i.v. injection up to 70% of the administered radiopharmaceutical is found in urine, and at 1 and 1.5 h after the administration 80% and 95%, respectively. The distribution of 99mTc-EC in the organism can be described in a fully satisfactory way by means of an open two-compartment model, which allows this model to be used for clearance determinations. Comparison of the values of renal plasma clearance without collection of urine with the values determined by means of measurement of activity excreted with urine and mean blood concentration over a finite time interval leads to the conclusion that extrarenal plasma clearance of this compound (via the liver?) is negligible and amounts to c. 17 ml/min (5-6% of the total). The obtained correlation between clearance values for 99mTc-EC and 131I-OIH supports the contention that extrarenal excretion rate of 99mTc-EC (through the liver and bile ducts) is lower than the corresponding rates of either 131I-OIH or 99mTc-MAG3. A very close correlation between clearance values for 99mTc-EC and ERPF (131I-OIH clearance) and between their extraction constants (r = 0.91 and 0.92, respectively), allows for the introduction of 99mTc-EC to the assessment of renal function instead of 131I-OIH. Effective dose to the patient from unit activity of 99mTc-EC is comparable with that resulting from administration of other radiopharmaceuticals labelled with 99mTc.

Verification of 99mTc-ethylenedicysteine (99mTc-EC) distribution model in the organism.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was an attempt to verify the systemic distribution of 99mTC-ethylenedicysteine by means of the open two-compartment model. METHODS: In order to accomplish this, 99mTc-EC clearance was determined in 21 patients as: two-compartmental model-based plasma clearance, and a urinary clearance, i.e. utilising the 99mTc-EC activity excreted with urine during a finite time interval. RESULTS: There is a close correlation (r = 0.97) between the clearance values determined according to these two methods, and the rectilinear orthogonal correlation equation assumes a C1ECu = 1.03656C1ECp - 18.064 form. The slope of the line does not differ significantly from unity. The shift of the correlation line along the X-axis indicates a minor excretion of the radiopharmaceutical also by routes different from the urinary tract, e.g. with the bile. CONCLUSIONS: The performed comparison of the clearance values has proved that distribution of 99mTc-EC in the organism is consistent with the open two-compartment model.

99m Tc-ethylenedicysteine (99mTc-EC) renal clearance determination error for the multiple- and single-sample methods.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work has been to assay determination error values for the clearance determined by single- and multi-sample method and to compare the error values obtained for both methods. METHODS: The assay has been conducted by two independent methods (Monte Carlo simulation, total differential). RESULTS: The results indicate that the relative root mean square error of the clearance determination by multisample method is practically constant above CI values 150 ml/min and amounts to ab +/-3-4%. For values below 150 ml/min the error increases and reaches +/-12% at CI=70 ml/min. The one sample method is less accurate and error increases from +/-(8-9)% 550 ml/min to +/- 25% at 70 ml/min. Moreover, for the multisample method the error estimated from total differential exceeds that obtained from Monte Carlo produced by factory of 3 to 4. For the one sample clearance determination both error estimates yield similar results. In both methods of clearance determination inaccurate pipetting makes a dominant contribution to the overall error. CONCLUSIONS: Form monitoring of patients' condition the multisample method should be employed. The use of one sample method should be limited to screening tests and for obtaining additional information, supplementing the dynamic scintigraphic studies

Usefulness of 99Tcm-N,N'-ethylene-1-dicysteine complex for dynamic kidney investigations.

To assess the usefulness of the 99Tcm-N,N'-ethylene-1-dicysteine (99Tcm-EC) complex for examination of kidney function, dynamic kidney scintigraphy with 99Tcm-EC and clearance determinations were performed. During renoscintigraphy the kidney images were of superb quality, with overlying organs (liver, spleen) not visualized. Renograms showed typical shapes, their Tmax and T1/2 values being unsignificantly different from the values obtained with other radiopharmaceuticals used in renoscintigraphy (mercaptoacetyl triglycine, hippuran). Very strict correlations were found between values of 99Tcm-EC and 131I-iodohippurate (OIH) clearances (r = 0.91) and excretion rate constants (r = 0.92) for both radiopharmaceuticals. The correlation enabled the formulation of an equation by which effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) could be established from 99Tcm-EC clearance: ERPFOIH = 1.245 x ClEC + 51.52. On the basis of this equation a lower boundary of the normal 99Tcm-EC clearance was established; it amounts to 300 ml min-1 1.73 m-2.

Effect of diabetes on in vivo metabolism of [35S]-labeled glomerular basement membrane.

Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was labeled in vivo by the injection of tracer amounts of [35S]-sulfate into normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats. The biosynthesis and turnover of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the GBM was determined from the specific activity of [35S] after pronase digestion of basement membranes purified from glomeruli isolated 1-7 days after injection. Peak radiolabeling of both normal and diabetic GBM occurred 24 h after injection and, when corrected for differences in serum sulfate specific activities, was less in diabetic than in normal samples. The specific activity of GBM sulfate, expressed as cpm/microgram uronic acid, progressively diminished over the ensuing period of study in both normal and diabetic samples. The rate of decrease in specific activity of [35S]-labeled GBM was not significantly different in diabetic preparations compared with that in normal controls. The findings are compatible with diminished sulfation and/or production but normal turnover of glycosaminoglycans in the renal GBM in experimental diabetes.

Comparative evaluation of renoscintigraphic properties and plasma clearance of 99MTc-DADS (99mTc-N,N'-bis/mercaptoacetamido ethylenediamine), 99mTc-DTPA and 131I-o-hippuran.

Plasma clearance of 99mTc-N,N'-bis (1,2-mercaptoacetamido) ethylenediamine (DADS), 99mTc-DTPA and 131I-o-hippuran (OIH) was determined in rabbits from blood-concentration decay curves after single i.v. injection of the compounds. Dynamic scintigraphy was performed using the same three compounds, and "activity" curves were compared as observed over kidney ROIs. Both clearance values and renoscintigraphic curves were similar for 99mTc-DADS and 99mTc-DTPA but evidently different from those of OIH. Biliary excretion of 99mTc-DADS was also observed. It appears that, in contrast to other authors, 99mTc-DADS cannot serve as a substitute for 131I-o-hippuran.

Lens capsule basement membrane synthesis. Stimulation by glucose in vitro.

To examine the question of whether hyperglycemia per se can affect basement membrane synthesis, intact rat lenses, which produce basement membrane in vitro, were incubated for 24 h with radioactive proline or lysine and varying concentrations of glucose. Lens capsule basement membrane (LCBM) was subsequently purified and analyzed for radiolabel incorporation and for specific activities of proline, hydroxyproline, lysine, and hydroxylysine. [14C]-proline and lysine incorporation into LCBM was increasingly stimulated in incubations performed with 10 and 20 mM compared with 5 mM glucose. High glucose concentration increased the specific activity of proline and lysine but not hydroxyproline or hydroxylysine, and decreased the ratio of radioactive hydroxyproline to proline. Gel electrophoresis of radiolabeled LCBM prepared after high glucose incubation revealed increased radioactivity in serveral high-molecular-weight components corresponding with the major Coomassie-blue peptide bands. The results indicate that glucose stimulates LCBM synthesis, and suggest that this effect derives from increased production of noncollagenous components.

In vivo biosynthesis and turnover of 35S-labeled glomerular basement membrane.

Renal glomerular basement membrane was labeled in vivo by the injection of tracer amounts of radioactive sulfate into normal adult rats. The biosynthesis and turnover of [35S]glycosaminoglycans in purified basement membrane was determined from the specific activity of 35S in pronase digests of basement membranes isolated 1-7 days after injection. Peak radioactive labeling occurred 24 h after injection following which the specific activity of basement membrane sulfate, expressed as cpm/microgram uronic acid, progressively declined over the ensuing period of study. The biologic half-life of radioactive sulfate in basement membrane was estimated at about 7 days, which is within the range previously reported for [35S]glycosaminoglycans in whole renal cortex. The findings indicate that 35S-labeled components of glomerular basement membrane have a relatively rapid turnover.