[en] Introduction - We preconized the use of ¹⁵³Sm-Hydroxyapatite (HYP) in the synoviorthesis of haemophilic patients (pts) by physical, chemical and biological characteristics. The real efficacy is being confirmed by the actual experience over the previous results. These are the first results with ¹⁵³Sm-HYP in our literature review. Material and Methods - Fifteen pts. were treated, all males, with ages between 15 and 31 years (average = 22,8 years old), with an intraarticular injection of ¹⁸⁵MBq (5mCi) of ¹⁵³Sm-HYP, totalizing 29 joints: 12 knees, 11 elbows, 4 ankles and 2 shoulders. The ¹⁵³Sm, produced by IPEN/CNEN - Sao Paulo, targeted hydroxyapatite particles with a diameter between 1-10μm, radiochemical purity superior to 95% and stability of 96,6% 1440min after the labeling process. The intraarticular punction was made after local antiseptic, aspirating synovial fluid, injecting 0,5 ml of radioactive solution and flushing the tract with a saline with a total volume no greater than 1,5 ml. The images were obtained 2 and 24h after injection in all pts in a large field of view gamma-camera. The clinical evaluation was made before and one year after it, using objective (range of motion, joint tenderness, degree of joint effusion) and subjective criteria (joint pain by visual scale and joint aspect). The response were graded: 1 - Excellent (E); 2 - Good (G); 3 - Mild (M); 4 - Bad (B); 5 - Worse (W). The reduction in clotting factor use and heamarthroses were others aspects evaluated. Results - The scintigrafies showed homogeneous distribution of the material in joints (2h) and no articular scape (24h). The was a reduction of 34% in the clotting factor use and of 51,4% in haemarthroses including the poor responses in knees. The results by patients were: 53,3% E, 20% G, 13,3% M, 13,3% B, 0% W and by joints were 47,75 with excellent and good responses and 84,75% when included the mild group. There was no patient without response. Few patients (4) had local pain in the early days after treatment, resolved with conservative maesures. The cost by articulation was aproximately U$ 100,00. Conclusions - The results of synovectomy by patients (73,3%) and joints (47,7 to 84,7%) are equivalent to those obtained by others radiopharmaceuticals. The knees showed poor responses; probably the use of larger activities will be better. The ¹⁵³Sm-HYP showed less articular scape and local reactions than other radiopharmaceuticals utilized: it seems more safe. The availability of ¹⁵³Sm-HYP in Brasil makes the cost more acessible and its application wider, extending its use to other arthropaties (au)

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[en] Full text: The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute has established and is currently operating a centralized facility for low level radioactive wastes. This facility which is briefly described in the paper has largely been established through a technical assistance project from the International Atomic Energy Agency and has conducted twice a regional demonstration course on predisposal methodology of radioactive wastes for the East Asia Pacific region. The paper will describe the efforts taken by the illegality body in the formulation of a national radium policy and the subsequent steps towards its effective implementation. following its participation in the IAEA Inter Regional Radium Conditioning Project. The paper will describe in detail the procedures that have been followed by a national team under the guidance of an IAEA Expert in the actual operations wherein more than 500 mg. of radium have been conditioned in accordance with Agency recommended procedures. The radiation protection control program to ensure that exposures of personnel directly involved in the process is likewise described as the results of workplace monitoring as well as personnel exposures to radiation in every aspect of the overall process are outlined. Future plans involving the reconditioning of old radium sources previously conditioned in cemented 200 liter drums will be presented as well as an update on the current effort to site a final repository for low to intermediate level radioactive wastes in the country. (author)

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[en] The aim of this work was to use the binding assay of tritiated-dihydropyridine and radioiodinated Tx1, isolated from the Phoneutria nigriventer venom, in order to show the presence of Ca_v1 calcium channels on pituitary tumour cell (GH3). We showed that GH3 cells have specific sites for ¹²⁵I-Tx1, which are sensitive to nifedipine (∼20%). Reverse competition assay with ³H-PN200-110 (40% inhibition) and electrophysiological data (50% inhibition) suggest that Ca_v1 calcium channels are target sites for this toxin. To summarize, Tx1 binds to specific sites on GH3 cells and this interaction results in Ca_v1 calcium channel blockade. ³H-PN200-110 and ¹²⁵I-Tx1 binding assays proved to be useful tools to show the presence of calcium channels on GH3 cells. (author)

[en] In cardiomyocytes, calcium (Ca"2"+) release units comprise clusters of intracellular Ca"2"+ release channels located on the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and hypertension is well established as a cause of defects in calcium release unit function. Our objective was to determine whether endurance exercise training could attenuate the deleterious effects of hypertension on calcium release unit components and Ca"2"+ sparks in left ventricular myocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Male Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rats (4 months of age) were divided into 4 groups: normotensive (NC) and hypertensive control (HC), and normotensive (NT) and hypertensive trained (HT) animals (7 rats per group). NC and HC rats were submitted to a low-intensity treadmill running protocol (5 days/week, 1 h/day, 0% grade, and 50-60% of maximal running speed) for 8 weeks. Gene expression of the ryanodine receptor type 2 (RyR2) and FK506 binding protein (FKBP12.6) increased (270%) and decreased (88%), respectively, in HC compared to NC rats. Endurance exercise training reversed these changes by reducing RyR2 (230%) and normalizing FKBP12.6 gene expression (112%). Hypertension also increased the frequency of Ca"2"+ sparks (HC=7.61±0.26 vs NC=4.79±0.19 per 100 µm/s) and decreased its amplitude (HC=0.260±0.08 vs NC=0.324±0.10 ΔF/F_0), full width at half-maximum amplitude (HC=1.05±0.08 vs NC=1.26±0.01 µm), total duration (HC=11.51±0.12 vs NC=14.97±0.24 ms), time to peak (HC=4.84±0.06 vs NC=6.31±0.14 ms), and time constant of decay (HC=8.68±0.12 vs NC=10.21±0.22 ms). These changes were partially reversed in HT rats (frequency of Ca"2"+ sparks=6.26±0.19 µm/s, amplitude=0.282±0.10 ΔF/F_0, full width at half-maximum amplitude=1.14±0.01 µm, total duration=13.34±0.17 ms, time to peak=5.43±0.08 ms, and time constant of decay=9.43±0.15 ms). Endurance exercise training attenuated the deleterious effects of hypertension on calcium release units of left ventricular myocytes