Ce‐141‐labeled DOTMP: A theranostic option in management of pain due to skeletal metastases

Owing to its favorable radioactive decay characteristics (T_1/2 = 32.51 d, E_β [max] = 434.6 keV [70.5%] and 580.0 keV [29.5%], E_γ = 145.4 keV [48.5%]), ¹⁴¹Ce could be envisaged as a theranostic radionuclide for use in nuclear medicine. The present article reports synthesis and evaluation of ¹⁴¹Ce complex of 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetramethylenephosphonic acid (DOTMP) as a potent theranostic agent targeting metastatic skeletal lesions. Ce‐141 was produced with 314 ± 29 MBq/mg (n = 6) specific activity and >99.9% radionuclidic purity (n = 6). Around 185 MBq dose of [¹⁴¹Ce]Ce‐DOTMP was synthesized with 98.6 ± 0.5% (n = 4) radiochemical yield under optimized conditions of reaction, and the preparation showed adequately high in vitro stability. Biodistribution studies in normal Wistar rats demonstrated significant skeletal localization and retention of injected activity (2.73 ± 0.28% and 2.63 ± 0.22% of injected activity per gram in femur at 3 hours and 14 days post‐injection, respectively) with rapid clearance from non‐target organs. The results of biodistribution studies were corroborated by serial scintigraphic imaging studies. These results demonstrate the potential utility of ¹⁴¹Ce‐DOTMP as a theranostic molecule for personalized patient care of cancer patients suffering from painful metastatic skeletal lesions.     

The Effect of Leisure‐Time Physical Activity on Obesity,Diabetes, High BP and Heart Disease Among Canadians: Evidence from 2000/2001 to 2005/2006

Although studies have looked at the effect of physical activity on obesity and other health outcomes, the causal nature of this relationship remains unclear. We fill this gap by investigating the impact of leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) and work‐related physical activity (WRPA) on obesity and chronic conditions in Canadians aged 18–75 using instrumental variable and recursive bivariate probit approaches. Average local temperatures surrounding the respondents' interview month are used as a novel instrument to help identify the causal relationship between LTPA and health outcomes. We find that an active level of LTPA (i.e. walking ≥1 h/day) reduces the probability of obesity by five percentage points, which increases to 11 percentage points if also combined with some WRPA. WRPA exhibits a negative effect on the probability of obesity and chronic conditions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Where needs and demands diverge: health promotion in primary care

This study reviews Forth Valley Health Board's ‘Be Better Hearted’ coronary heart disease health promotionprogramme by analysis of data routinely collected between 1988 and 1993. Associations between socioeconomic deprivation, prevalence of risk factors, and attendance at health promotion clinics are of particular interest in relation to future health promotion strategy.

Method

A study was made of computerised records of 20,053 baseline risk factor assessments in the primarycare setting and 1,058 follow-up attendances. A method of classification by socioeconomic status was applied.

Results

Baseline data provided a profile of new attenders over time with regard to age, gender, risk factors and socioeconomic status but lack of follow-up information prevented evaluation of the outcome of the programme. There was a statistically significant association between prevalence of risk factors (such as smoking, obesity and lack of exercise) and deprivation. In the most affluent areas 19.0% of the target population participated in the programme; in deprived areas this fell to 10.7%. There was thus a failure to involve those most in need of health promotion.

Conclusion

If equity in provision of health promotion is to be achieved, measures must be taken locally andnationally to reach deprived sections of the population. In this type of health promotion programme, baseline and follow-up information should be entered on computer at the clinical locus to enable monitoring of outcome. These conclusions are particularly relevant to the national arrangements for health promotion in primary care which were introduced in July 1993.     

Environmental Contamination by Lead From a Mine and Smelter

The contamination of a large area in Yugoslavia by lead from a mine and smelter (which have operated for centuries) is illustrated in a preliminary report by fragmentary data obtained by the determination of lead in the surrounding air, in the water of a river draining the area, in the soil, and in local vegetation. A screening test (determination of the urinary excretion of δ-aminolevulinic acid) applied to groups in the population suggests that the absorption of lead by members of the groups may be hazardous.     

Implementing HIV/AIDS Education: Impact of Teachers' Training on HIV/AIDS Education in Bangladesh

School-based HIV/AIDS education is a common and well-proven intervention strategy for providing information on HIV/AIDS to young people. However, lack of skills among teachers for imparting sensitive information to students can lead to programme failure in terms of achieving goals. A cross-sectional study was conducted among teachers to identify the factors that support or hinder their role in HIV/AIDS education. A self-administered questionnaire was used for interviewing teachers from randomly-selected schools in two adjacent districts in Bangladesh. Based on exposure to teachers’ training, the districts were divided into control and intervention areas and the teachers’ ability, skill, and their participation in HIV/AIDS education were compared between the districts. Trained teachers in the intervention schools were more likely to participate, less likely to face difficulties, and more likely to use interactive teaching methods in HIV/AIDS classes compared to the controls who did not receive any training. Inadequate allocation of time for conducting the HIV/AIDS class was found to be barriers to HIV/AIDS education that suggest the need to provide teachers with more support in terms of training and logistics.Key words: Course curriculum, Health education, HIV and AIDS, Teachers training, Youth, Bangladesh     

Biodegradation of Oil Spill by Petroleum Refineries Using Consortia of Novel Bacterial Strains

Feasibility study carried out at the site prior to the full scale study showed that the introduced bacterial consortium effectively adapted to the local environment of the soil at bioremediation site. The soil samples were collected from the contaminated fields after treatment with bacterial consortium at different time intervals and analyzed by gas chromatography after extraction with hexane and toluene. At time zero (just before initiation of bioremediation), the concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil (25-cm horizon) of plot A, B, C and D was 30.90 %, 18.80 %, 25.90 % and 29.90 % respectively, after 360 days of treatment with microbial consortia was reduced to 0.97 %, 1.0 %, 1.0 %, and 1.1 % respectively. Whereas, only 5 % degradation was observed in the control plot after 365 days (microbial consortium not applied).     

Staging of intraosseous extent of osteosarcoma: correlation of preoperative CT and MR imaging with pathologic macroslides

The accuracy of preoperative computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the measurement of intraosseous tumor extent in 17 cases of osteosarcoma of an extremity was compared with macroslides of surgical specimens. Longitudinal intraosseous extension of tumor from the adjacent articular surface was measured on imaging studies and macroslides to the nearest millimeter. The average difference between macroslide and CT measurements (15 cases) was 16.5 mm +/- 10.7, and the average difference between macroslide and MR imaging measurements (17 cases) was 4.9 mm +/- 4.3. However, much of the latter difference appears to be caused by use of a different plane of section in MR imaging compared with that in macroslides, since in a subgroup of five specimens with an identical plane of section, the average difference was 1.8 mm +/- 1.6. The authors conclude that MR imaging is extremely accurate in the assessment of intraosseous extent of osteosarcoma.     

Experimental infections of the musculoskeletal system: evaluation with MR imaging and Tc-99m MDP and Ga-67 scintigraphy

Acute osteomyelitis, soft-tissue infection, or both were experimentally produced in 38 New Zealand white rabbits, and three-phase technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate, gallium-67, and magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained 7 or 14 days after infection. There was no significant difference between radionuclide studies and MR images in the detection of osteomyelitis, but MR imaging was significantly more sensitive (100% vs. 69%; P less than .01) in the detection of soft-tissue infection. In addition, cellulitis could not be distinguished from soft-tissue abscess on radionuclide studies, whereas MR imaging was 92% accurate in depicting soft-tissue abscesses. Further research is necessary to determine how to relate these findings to true human clinical situations.     

A study on the effect of disinfectant chemicals on physical properties of die stone

The effects of eight disinfectants commonly used in dental practice on the vital physical properties of a fully set die stone were examined. Distilled water was used as a control. The properties used to evaluate the effects of the disinfectants were detail reproduction, surface hardness, bulk strength, dimensional accuracy, and chemical interaction. Some of the disinfectant solutions were found to be reactive and to alter the properties of the stone to various degrees. However, two of the agents were less reactive and caused little or no observable change in the physical properties of the stone.