2 research outputs found

    Development of Yb2O3-based ceramics for indirect production of 177Lu used in targeted radionuclide therapies

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    The demand for targeted radionuclide therapies (TRT) increases worldwide with surging numbers of cancerogenic cases. There is a growing concern that the availability of such medical isotopes may not be sufficient in the long term. In particular, the 177Lu is identified as an important example of a medical isotope to be at risk for future shortages. The challenges of its production routes, as well as the limited accessibility to nuclear research facilities need to be therefore addressed and debated. In this work we discuss the distinctive aspects of forming ceramic targets based on Yb2O3, as this material possesses sufficient chemical and thermal stability under reactor irradiation to obtain the 177Lu radionuclide. The study comprises the Yb2O3 powder to be initially doped with aluminum isopropoxide prior to formation of cylinders with diameter below 1.7 mm. Consequently, the grain-growth and creation of a new phase Yb4Al2O9/ Yb3Al5O12 between formed Al2O3 and Yb2O3 during sintering at 1750 °C in air atmosphere improves the densification and leads to increase of Vicker’s hardness and mechanical stability of such manufactured targets. The stability of Al2O3-doped Yb2O3 targets is tested via impact test through 12 meters long steel tube having two arc points, while the system is pressurized with N2 gas up to 10 bar. Twenty-five specimens are shot through the pipe to simulate the activation route as in the nuclear reactor with 100 % success rate of such an impact test. The post processing of the solid material takes place in autoclaved system at 260 °C, 40 bar and acidic mixture of H2O/HCl/HNO3 until the complete dissolution is achieved, usually no longer than 26 minutes. Thus, allowing the newly created radionuclide to be extracted and further used for medical purposes

    Towards monitoring transport of single cargos across individual nuclear pore complexes by time-lapse atomic force microscopy

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    A new preparation procedure was developed for the stable adsorption of either the cytoplasmic or the nuclear face of native (i.e. in physiological buffer without detergent extraction and in the absence of chemical fixatives) Xenopus oocyte nuclear envelopes (NEs) onto silicon (Si) surfaces. This yields optimal structural preservation of the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) without compromising their functional properties. The functional viability of thus prepared NPCs was documented by time-lapse atomic force microscopy (AFM) of the reversible calcium-mediated opening (i.e. +Ca2+) and closing (i.e. –Ca2+) of the iris diaphragm-like distal ring topping the NPCs’ nuclear baskets. Moreover, site-specific single colloidal gold particle detection was documented by AFM imaging one and the same NPC before and after immuno-gold labeling the sample with a nucleoporin-specific antibody. With this new preparation protocol at hand, we should eventually be able to follow by time-lapse AFM transport of single gold-conjugated cargos across individual NPCs
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