[en] Neogalactosyl albumin (NGA) is a synthetic ligand to the asialoglycoprotein receptor (hepatic binding protein), which has been proposed as a useful receptor binding radiopharmaceutical for the noninvasive assessment of liver function. We have compared the uptake and intracellular processing of iodine-125- (125I) and technetium-99m- (^99mTc) NGA following its administration as a 1-min pulse (147 pmol) to the isolated perfused rat liver. Approximately 40% of a pulse of either ¹²⁵I- or ^99mTc-NGA were taken up first pass by the liver. Of the ¹²⁵I taken up by the liver, 82% was released after 15-20 min at the sinusoidal pole of the hepatocyte, predominantly as small molecular weight metabolites. A further 8% of the ¹²⁵I-associated radioactivity was secreted as intact NGA into bile by the non-lysosomal (direct) pathway while 6% remained in the liver 1 hr after the pulse. In contrast, of the ^99mTc taken up by the liver, only 4% reappeared in the perfusate while 40% was secreted into bile by the lysosomal (indirect) pathway and 55% remained in the liver 1 hr after the pulse. Since labeled metabolites of ^99mTc-NGA do not appear in plasma, this permits kinetic modeling with ^99mTc-NGA without correction for labeled metabolites. Thus, ^99mTc-NGA is an excellent candidate as a receptor-binding radiopharmaceutical

[en] Mixed oxides are prepared from Bi(III)-Th(IV) salts in two different ratios. Better among them is chemically treated with oxidising and reducing media. The change in properties are elucidated. (author). 10 refs., 6 tabs., 2 figs

[en] This study investigated whether long-term exposure to PM10 pollution is associated with biomarkers of glycaemic control. we estimated the ambient concentration of PM10 at the home address of diabetic patients. Glycaemic biomarkers were obtained from WellGen study. We used multiple linear regression analysis to investigate the possible associations between these two data sets. Long-term exposures were linked to adverse effects on the markers of glycaemic control in diabetic and smoking and WHR were modifiers of this association. Better assessment of exposure may lead to progress for preventive and control strategies in air pollution health effect.

[en] Brief item

[en] Galactosyl neoglycoalbumin (NGA) is a synthetic ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor (hepatic binding protein) which resides exclusively on hepatocytes. Uptake of ^99mTc allows assessment of liver function based on receptor concentration as well as dynamic liver imaging. However, most biochemical studies on the uptake and hepatic mechanism of asiaglycoproteins have used ¹²⁵I labelled ligands. The authors have undertaken, therefore, a comparative study of NGA uptake and hepatic metabolism in the isolated perfused rat liver using both ^99mTc and ¹²⁵I radiolabelled NGA

[en] Galactosyl-neoglycoalbumin (NGA) is a synthetic ligand for the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor (hepatic binding protein) and has been proposed as a useful agent for assessing liver function. We have assessed its uptake and intracellular processing in the isolated perfused rat liver. Approximately 35% of a 1 min pulse of ¹²⁵I-NGA (10.6 μg) was taken up first pass by the isolated perfused rat liver. Of the radioactivity taken up, 80% was released 10-20 min after the pulse at the sinusoidal pole of the hepatocyte and reappeared in the perfusate, 8% was secreted into bile and 7% remained in the liver 1 h after the pulse. Biliary radioactivity was > 90% trichloroacetic acid precipitable suggesting it to be the intact protein. Radioactivity released into the perfusate was only 20-40% trichloroacetic acid precipitable suggesting most of this is composed of small molecular weight metabolites of NGA whilst some (20-40%) NGA is returned intact to the sinusoidal membrane by diacytosis. Continuous infusion for 40 min of ¹²⁵I-NGA at various rates showed that rat liver was capable of taking up NGA at rates in excess of 12 pmol/min/g of liver. Steady state was reached after 25 min when hepatic uptake of NGA approximately equalled sinusoidal output. During continuous infusion, approximately 1% of the infused NGA was recovered in bile. These results show that NGA is avidly taken up by the isolated perfused rat liver and is processed in an essentially similar manner to endogenous ligands for the asialoglycoprotein receptor. (Authors)

[en] The cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) nanoparticle sensors, synthesized using cost-effective sol-gel auto-combustion method, are irradiated with 2 and 5 kGy γ-doses. Effect of γ-irradiation on the structure, morphology and porosity is studied initially and in the later stage, methanol, acetone, ammonia, ethanol and toluene volatile organic gases are exposed for monitoring their selectivity and sensitivity with pristine and γ-irradiated CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticle-pellet sensors. The 5 kGy γ-irradiated CoFe₂O₄ sensor reveals 70% response for ammonia (100 ppm) gas, with high selectivity and room-temperature chemical and environmental stabilities. For knowing the changes in the structure, morphology, porosity and gas sensing performance of CoFe₂O₄ sensors on γ-irradiation theoretical model has also been proposed and explored. Proposed γ-irradiation approach can be used for enhancing the sensitivity of other gas sensors at room-temperature. (paper)

[en] Zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles (NPs), synthesized using a facile and cost-effective sol-gel auto-combustion method, were irradiated with 2 and 5 kGy γ-doses using ⁶⁰Co as a radioactive source. Effect of γ-irradiation on the structure, morphology, pore-size and pore-volume and room-temperature (300 K) gas sensor performance has been measured and reported. Both as-synthesized and γ-irradiated ZnFe₂O₄ NPs reveal remarkable gas sensor activity to ammonia in contrast to methanol, ethanol, acetone and toluene volatile organic gases. The responses of pristine, 2 and 5 kGy γ-irradiated ZnFe₂O₄ NPs are respectively 55%, 66% and 81% @100 ppm concentration of ammonia, signifying an importance of γ-irradiation for enhancing the sensitivity, selectivity and stability of ZnFe₂O₄ NPs as ammonia gas sensors. Thereby, due to increase in surface area and crystallinity on γ-doses, the γ-irradiation improves the room-temperature ammonia gas sensing performance of ZnFe₂O₄. (paper)