Boiling Water Bath Research Articles

Phaseolin in vitro pepsin digestibility: role of acids and phenolic compounds.

Great Northern bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) phaseolin proteolysis at 37 degrees C, varying HCl concentrations (10 mM to 1 M), phaseolin:pepsin ratios ranging from 5:1 to 100:1 (w/w), and incubation times up to 24 h was investigated. The results suggest that phaseolin is not resistant to in vitro pepsin hydrolysis. At a phaseolin-to-pepsin ratio of 100:1 (w/w), native phaseolin was completely digested in 24 h when incubated in 50 mM HCl, while heat-denatured phaseolin (30 min at 100 degrees C, boiling water bath) was digested in 1 h under similar conditions. When incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h, acid alone, even at as low a concentration as 10 mM, caused a partial breakdown of native phaseolin. The degree of phaseolin hydrolysis by HCl was dependent on the acid concentration used. The rate of native phaseolin hydrolysis increased with increasing HCl concentration rather than pepsin concentration. Common food acids were able to partially hydrolyze phaseolin. Among the food acids tested, oxalic acid was the most effective in hydrolyzing phaseolin. Spectroscopic studies revealed a significant change in secondary and tertiary structures when native phaseolin was incubated in dilute HCl. None of the tested phenolic compounds adversely affected phaseolin hydrolysis by pepsin.

Determination of free fatty acids in milk using the BDI method–some practical and theoretical aspects

Practical aspects of the Bureau of Dairy Industries (BDI) method for the determination of free fatty acids (FFAs) in raw milk were investigated. Poor separation or no separation of the fat upon heat treatment in the boiling water bath was observed with some raw milk samples with >6% fat content. Thymol blue sodium salt was preferred over thymol blue acid form for practical reasons. The concentration of the thymol blue indicator affected the determination of the molarity of the titrant and had to be standardised. A small positive bias (P<0.001) in apparent FFA values was observed when multiple titrations were performed in the same volume of titration medium, but this bias was considered to be of no practical significance. To minimise the titration error, the titration medium should be replaced when two titrations have been carried out for each 1 mL of titration medium. Raw milk samples can be successfully preserved with hydrogen peroxide for up to 4 days of storage at 5°C. Finally, theoretical calculations suggested that differences between the apparent FFA levels of different milks may be confounded by differences in the fatty acid composition of the milkfats of the respective samples.

Study on the determination of polyphenols in tobacco by HPLC coupled with ESI-MS after solid-phase extraction.

A high-performance liquid chromatography method coupled with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry for the determination of polyphenols in tobacco is studied. The polyphenols are extracted from a tobacco sample by being refluxed in a boiling water bath with 80% methanol and purified by solid-phase extraction with a C18 cartridge. The chlorogenic acid, rutin, scopoletin, caffeic acid, scopolin, and other polyphenols are satisfactorily separated on a Nova-Pak C18 chromatographic column (3.9 x 150 mm) with methanol and 0.05 mol/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer solution gradient elution as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Each of the polyphenols is monitored by photodiode array detector at its maximum wavelength: chlorogenic acid, 326.1 nm; rutin, 354.8 nm; scopoletin, 344.0 nm; caffeic acid, 323.7 nm; and scopolin, 365.2 nm. The limits of detection are: 100 ng/mL for chlorogenic acid, 125 ng/mL for rutin, 60 ng/mL for scopoletin, 50 ng/mL for caffeic acid, and 100 ng/mL for scopolin. The key polyphenols in tobacco are identified by comparing the retention time, the UV-spectrum, and the mass spectra with those of the standards. The recovery of tobacco polyphenols is 94-105%, and the relative standard deviations are 1.28-1.49%. This method is successfully applied to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the polyphenols in tobacco with good results.

Endotoxin Contamination in Recombinant Human Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70) Preparation Is Responsible for the Induction of Tumor Necrosis Factor α Release by Murine Macrophages

Using commercially available recombinant human heat shock protein 70 (rhHsp70), recent studies have shown that rhHsp70 could induce the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) by macrophages and monocytes in a manner similar to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) e.g. via CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4-mediated signal transduction pathway. In the current study, we demonstrated that a highly purified rhHsp70 preparation (designated as rhHsp70-1) with a LPS content of 1.4 pg/microg was unable to induce TNFalpha release by RAW264.7 murine macrophages at concentrations up to 5 microg/ml. In contrast, a less purified rhHsp70 preparation (designated as rhHsp70-2) at 1 microg/ml with a LPS content of 0.2 ng/microg was able to induce TNFalpha release to the same extent as that induced by 0.2 ng/ml LPS. Failure of rhHsp70-1 to induce TNFalpha release was not because of defective physical properties since rhHsp70-1 and rhHsp70-2 contained identical hsp70 content as determined by SDS gels stained with Coomassie Blue and Western blots probed with an anti-rhHsp70 antibody. Both rhHsp70 preparations also had similar enzymatic activities as judged by their ability to remove clathrin from clathrin-coated vesicles. Removal of LPS from rhHsp70-2 by polymyxin B-agarose column or direct addition of polymyxin B to the incubation medium essentially eliminated the TNFalpha-inducing activity of rhHsp70-2. The addition of LPS at the concentration found in rhHsp70-2 to rhHsp70-1 resulted in the same TNFalpha-inducing activity as observed with rhHsp70-2. The TNFalpha-inducing activities of rhHsp-2, LPS alone, and LPS plus rhHsp70-1 were all equally sensitive to heat inactivation. These results suggest that rhHsp-70 does not induce TNFalpha release from murine macrophages and that the observed TNFalpha-inducing activity in the rhHsp70-2 preparation is entirely due to the contaminating LPS.

Protease Inhibitors in Porcine Colostrum: Potency Assessment and Initial Characterization

Porcine colostrum and milk were separated into the acid-soluble and casein fractions by acidification followed by centrifuge. The acid-soluble fraction of porcine colostrum was further separated by liquid chromatography and anisotropic membrane filtration. Trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory capacity in porcine colostrum, milk and their components was determined by incubating bovine trypsin or chymotrypsin in a medium containing their corresponding substrates with or without addition of various amounts of porcine colostrum, porcine milk or their components. The inhibition of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) degradation in pig small intestinal contents by porcine colostrum was measured by incubating iodinated IGF-I or EGF with the intestinal contents with or without addition of porcine colostrum. Degradation of labeled IGF-I or EGF was determined by monitoring the generation of radioactivity soluble in 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA). The results showed that porcine colostrum had high levels of trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity and increased the stability of IGF-I and EGF in pig intestinal contents. The inhibitory activity declined rapidly during lactation. It was also found that trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity and the inhibition on IGF-I and EGF degradation in the acid-soluble fraction were higher than that in the casein fraction. Heat-resistance study indicated that trypsin inhibitors in porcine colostrum survived heat treatments of 100°C water bath for up to 10 min, but exposure to boiling water bath for 30 min significantly decreased the inhibitory activity. Compared with the trypsin inhibitors, the chymotrypsin inhibitors were more heat- sensitive. Separation of the acid-soluble fraction of porcine colostrum by liquid chromatography and anisotropic membrane filtration revealed that the trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory capacity was mainly due to a group of small proteins with molecular weight of 10,000-50,000. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the existence of high levels of protease inhibitors in porcine colostrum, and the inhibition of porcine colostrum on degradation of milk-borne growth factors in the pig small intestinal tract was demonstrated for the first time. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 12 : 1822-1829)

A novel strategy for the purification of recombinantly expressed unstructured protein domains

We recently found that the larger parts of the endocytic proteins epsin 1 and AP180 consist of an unstructured polypeptide chain. As a result these segments are completely heat-stable without loss of their functional properties. We have taken advantage of this fact and developed a combined heat lysis and pre-purification procedure after expressing the disordered domains in E. coli. This results in the irreversible denaturation and precipitation of the majority of bacterial proteins. The bacteria are resuspended in a non-denaturing buffer, heated in a boiling water bath and shock-cooled. We demonstrate that this procedure compared to conventional lysis improves both yield and quality of the purified protein.

Simultaneous Laser Thermal Lens Spectrometric Determination of Trace Platinum and Palladium in an Aqueous Solution

AbstractA selective and sensitive method for determination of platinum and palladium (II) in an aqueous solution simultaneously by laser thermal lens spectrometry, based on the complex reaction of 2‐(3,5‐dichlopyridylazo)‐5‐dimethylaminoamiline (3,5‐di‐O‐PADMA) with platinum and palladium, has been developed. It is shown that the palladium complex can be formed at room temperature, while the platinum complex can be only formed after being heated in a boiling water bath. By using this difference of reaction temperature and the characteristic of the complexes mentioned above, the method for simultaneous determination of platinum and palladium was established in an aqueous solution without a pre‐separation. The results show that the dynamic linear ranges of determination for platinum and palladium are 0.005–0.04 μg/mL and 0.005–0.25 μg/mL respectively, and that the detection limits are both 0.002 μg/mL. The method has been applied to the determination of platinum and palladium simultaneously in alloy and catalyst samples with satisfactory results.

Improving the labeling of S-acetyl NHS-MAG(3)-conjugated morpholino oligomers.

S-Acetyl MAG(3) (S-acetylmercaptoacetyltriglycine) has been used as a chelator for the (99m)Tc labeling of a variety of biomolecules. The objective of this study was to improve upon the labeling of morpholino (MORF), a DNA analogue, as a model biomolecule. A 15mer MORF with a primary amine was conjugated with NHS-MAG(3) in the usual manner, and the MORF-MAG(3) was purified over a P4 column as before. The conjugate was radiolabeled using stannous ion as usual, and the impurities were identified using size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (SE HPLC). Various methods were then investigated to remove the impurities. With tartrate as the transchelator, two impurities were identified as labeled MAG(3) and labeled tartrate. The labeled MAG(3) could not be removed by simply repurifying the conjugate using the usual pH 5.2 NH(4)OAc buffer before labeling. However, this impurity could be completely removed if the conjugate was adjusted to pH 7.6 and heated before repurification. The labeled tartrate impurity was removed by heating during labeling. On the basis of these observations, the following procedure for purification of the conjugation mixture and subsequent labeling was adopted. After MORF was conjugated with NHS-MAG(3) and purified over P4 with pH 5.2 NH(4)OAc eluant, the oligomer fractions were combined, adjusted to pH 7.6, and heated in a boiling water bath for 20 min. The conjugated oligomer was then repurified over P4 for storage at refrigerator temperatures. Labeling is achieved simply by adding fresh stannous ion to a solution of the MORF-MAG(3) in pH 7.6 containing tartrate followed by (99m)Tc-pertechnetate. After the mixture is heated for 20 min in boiling water, the labeling efficiency is always over 90% as determined by size exclusion HPLC and paper chromatography and the specific activities can exceed 7 mCi/microg. By making several relatively simple changes to the routine procedure used to conjugate and radiolabel biomolecules with (99m)Tc via MAG(3), a modified procedure was developed that results in labeling efficiency high enough to avoid postlabeling purification.

A rapid and efficient assay for extracting DNA from fungi.

A method for the rapid extraction of fungal DNA from small quantities of tissue in a batch-processing format was investigated. Tissue (< 3.0 mg) was scraped from freshly-grown fungal isolates. The tissue was suspended in buffer AP1 and subjected to seven rounds of freeze/thaw using a crushed dry ice/ethanol bath and a boiling water bath. After a 30 min boiling step, the tissue was quickly ground against the wall of the microfuge tube using a sterile pipette tip. The Qiagen DNeasy Plant Tissue Kit protocol was then used to purify the DNA for PCR/sequencing applications. The method allowed batch DNA extraction from multiple fungal isolates using a simple yet rapid and reliable assay. Use of this assay will allow researchers to obtain DNA from fungi quickly for use in molecular assays that previously required specialized instrumentation, was time-consuming or was not conducive to batch processing.

Evidence for the biosynthesis of DHEA from cholesterol by first-trimester human placental tissue: source of androgens.

With a view to establishing whether first-trimester human placentas possess the ability to synthesize DHEA from cholesterol, homogenates of this tissue obtained from two groups of women undergoing elective termination of normally progressing pregnancy between 10 - 12 weeks gestation (n = 5, age 23 - 29 years and n = 5, age 21 - 27 years) were incubated separately with [26-(14)C]cholesterol for the generation of [14C]isocaproic acid + pregnenolone and [7n-3H]pregnenolone for the biosynthesis of [3H]DHEA. Controls consisted of homogenates heated in a boiling water bath for 10 min. Using the reverse-isotope dilution analysis, desmolase efficiency expressed as mean specific activity of [14C]isocaproic acid varied from 282 to 725 dpm/mmol, while that of 17 alpha-hydroxylase and steroid C-17,20-lyase, catalyzed conversion of [7n-3H]pregnenolone to [3H]DHEA varied from 3498 to 26 258 dpm/mmol. The corresponding efficiencies of enzymicconversion varied between 5.8 x 10( -2) and 1.5 x 10( -1) % for [14C]isocaproic acid, but between 5.5 x 10( -2) and 4.1 x 10( -1) % for [3H]DHEA. No such metabolite was evident in the controls of heat-denatured homogenates. These are the first study results to demonstrate that early placentas are capable of converting cholesterol to pregnenolone to DHEA, contrary to the widely held concept of DHEA production by fetal and maternal adrenal glands. This finding has important physiological implications and could provide a new dimension to the concept of fetoplacental steroidogenesis.

A new approach to the isolation of genomic DNA samples from yeast and fungi: preparation of DNA-containing cell envelopes and their use in PCR

A simple and rapid procedure for the preparation of yeast and fungal DNA samples useful in PCR amplification was developed. The DNA was purified from proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, and other impurities by their high-temperature extraction (in a boiling water bath) with buffer solutions containing chaotropic salts. Under these conditions, yeast and fungal cell envelopes remain unbroken and retain the original DNA and RNA that could be used for direct PCR amplification. We called the proposed PCR technique as the PCR using DNA-containing cell envelopes.

Effect of germination time on alpha-amylase production and viscosity of maize porridge

Maize grain was steeped, germinated (0 to 7 days), dried and milled. Porridge (15% dry matter) was made by adding 1:5, 1:2 or 1:1 germinated flour to ungerminated flour. A smooth batter was made prior to heating in a boiling water bath for 1 h. A second batch was left for a respite period of 1 h at 40 °C, before boiling. The viscosity was measured after cooling. Correlation was found between germination time, alpha-amylase content and porridge viscosity. Increasing germination time led to increased production of alpha-amylase, and corresponded to reduced viscosity. Germination longer than 2 days caused a significant reduction in the viscosity ( P<0.05). It was not possible to state any significant differences in viscosity between porridge produced with or without a respite period. However, porridge produced by including a respite period contained a significant higher amount of glucose and maltose, compared with porridge made without this processing step ( P<0.05).

A rapid method for iron determination in fortified foods

The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a rapid method for iron determination in fortified and unfortified foods. Method: samples were mixed with an iron-extracting solution (1.2 M HCl, 0.6 M trichloroacetic acid, and 0.7 M hydroxylamine hydrochloride) and heated in a boiling water bath for 15 min. The mixtures were cooled and filtered. The filtrate was mixed with a chromogen reagent (0.03% bathophenanthroline disulfonic acid in 3 M sodium acetate). Iron concentration was determined by measuring absorbance at 535 nm. The accuracy of the rapid method was validated by comparing results to a standard laboratory method for iron determination. Results: the rapid method produced accurate results for the majority of the food samples tested, including wheat flour fortified with FeSO4, electrolytic iron, NaFeEDTA, Ferrochel® or ferrous fumarate; powdered drink mixes, and enriched rice. However, results obtained using the rapid method were significantly lower than results obtained using the standard method for the enriched cornmeal (30.04 vs. 33.16 μg Fe/g; P=0.0118) and the enriched flour (41.90 vs. 47.28 μg Fe/g; P<0.0001). Conclusion: The rapid method is simple, inexpensive, and suitable for monitoring iron concentrations in fortified foods.

Nickel and strontium nitrates as modifiers for the determination of selenium in wine by Zeeman electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

A mixed matrix modifier of nickel and strontium nitrates was used as a chemical modifier for the determination of selenium in wines by Zeeman electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Wine samples were heated on a boiling water bath with small amounts of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. For complete elimination of interference, especially from sulfates and phosphates, selenium is complexed with ammonium pyrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDTC), extracted into methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and measured by ETAAS. The graphite furnace temperature program was optimized for both aqueous and organic solutions. Pyrolysis temperatures of 1300 degrees C and 800 degrees C were chosen for aqueous and organic solutions, respectively; 2700 degrees C and 2100 degrees C were used as optimum atomization temperatures for aqueous and organic solutions, respectively. The optimum modifier mass established is markedly lower than those presented in the literature. The platform atomization ensures pretreatment stabilization up to 1100 degrees C and 1600 degrees C, respectively, for organic and aqueous selenium solutions. The procedure was verified by the method of standard addition. The investigated wine samples originated from the different regions of the Republic of Macedonia. The selenium concentration varied from not detectable to 0.93 microg L(-1).

Studies on method for aqueous extraction of soybean oil

Water extraction of soybean oil was studied to find the optimal conditions for recovery of oil preenriched protein and for aqueous extraction of soybean oil. Orthogonal tests were employed in the procedures of oil pre-enrichment and aqueous extraction. Soybeans were crushed to pass a 40 mesh sieve, soaked under the optimum conditions (solid/water=1/5(w/v), 40°C, pH 10, 3 h) and water-ground to 100 mesh, stirred in 65 °C water for 20 min, and centrifuged at 1400 g to separate oil pre-enriched protein. The protein yield was 17.8 g from 100 g soybeans, which contained 62.8% oil. The oil yield was 69.0%. Optimum conditions for the aqueous extraction procedure were: solid-to-water ratio 1∶2, pH 9.0, time 30 min, stirring in boiling water bath, stationary time 10 min, centrifuge at 3600 g for 10 min. Experimental values showed that the oil yield after aqueous extraction from oil pre-enriched protein reached 88.3%, so the total oil extraction rate was 60.8%.

Validation of an HPLC method for the determination of urinary and plasma levels of N1-methylnicotinamide, an endogenous marker of renal cationic transport and plasma flow.

N1-Methylnicotinamide (NMN) is an endogenous cationic metabolite of nicotinamide (niacine, vitamine PP) whose renal clearance reflects both the capacity of the renal tubular transport system to secrete organic cations and renal plasma flow. NMN is present in human plasma and urine at the 1-117-ng ml(-1) and 0.5-25-microg ml(-1) concentration range, respectively, and its level depends notably on pathophysiological (age, renal or hepatic diseases) conditions. We report the optimization and validation of an HPLC method for the measurement of endogenous NMN in biological fluids after derivatization into a fluorescent compound. Plasma is first deproteinized with TCA 20% and the urine diluted 1:10 with HCI 10(-4) M prior to the derivatization procedure, which includes a condensation reaction of NMN with acetophenone in NaOH at 0 degrees C, followed by dehydration in formic acid and subsequent formation of the fluorescent 1,6-naphthyridine derivatives after heating samples in a boiling water bath. The synthetic homologous derivative N1-ethylnicotinamide (NEN) reacts similarly and is added as internal standard into the biological fluid. The reaction mixture is subjected to reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography on a Nucleosil 100-C18 column using a mobile phase (acetonitrile 22%, triethylamine 0.5%, 0.01 M sodium heptanesulfonate adjusted to pH 3.2), delivered isocratically at a flow rate of 1 ml min(-1), NMN and NEN are detected at 7.8 and 10 min by spectrofluorimetry with excitation and emission wavelengths set at 366 and 418 nm, respectively. The addition-calibration method is used with plasma and urine pools. Calibration curves (using the internal standard method) are linear (r2 > 0.997) at concentrations up to 109 ng ml(-1) and 15.7 microg ml(-1) in plasma and urine, respectively. Both intra- and inter-assay precision of plasma control samples at 10, 50 and 90 ng ml(-1) were lower than 3.3% and concentrations not deviating more than 2.7% from their nominal values. In urine intra- and inter-assay CVs of control samples at 1, 5 and 9 microg ml(-1) are lower than 8.3%, with concentrations not deviating more than -9.0 to +11.8% from their nominal values. This analytical method has therefore the required sensitivity and selectivity to measure NMN in plasma and urine, enabling the non-invasive determination of the tubular secretory capacity of the kidney and the renal plasma flow.

Epidermal Growth Factor Activates Hyaluronan Synthase 2 in Epidermal Keratinocytes and Increases Pericellular and Intracellular Hyaluronan

Hyaluronan is an abundant and rapidly turned over matrix molecule between the vital cell layers of the epidermis. In this study, epidermal growth factor (EGF) induced a coat of hyaluronan and a 3-5-fold increase in its rate of synthesis in a rat epidermal keratinocyte cell line that has retained its ability for differentiation. EGF also increased hyaluronan in perinuclear vesicles, suggesting concurrent enhancement in its endocytosis. Cell-associated hyaluronan was most abundant in elongated cells that were stimulated to migrate by EGF, as determined in vitro in a wound healing assay. Large fluctuations in the pool size of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, the metabolic precursor of hyaluronan, correlated with medium glucose concentrations but not with EGF. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed no increase in hyaluronan synthases 1 and 3 (Has1 and Has3), whereas Has2 mRNA increased 2-3-fold in less than 2 h following the introduction of EGF, as estimated by quantitative RT-PCR with a truncated Has2 mRNA internal standard. The average level of Has2 mRNA increased from approximately 6 copies/cell in cultures before change of fresh medium, up to approximately 54 copies/cell after 6 h in EGF-containing medium. A control medium with 10% serum caused a maximum level of approximately 21 copies/cell at 6 h. The change in the Has2 mRNA levels and the stimulation of hyaluronan synthesis followed a similar temporal pattern, reaching a maximum level at 6 h and declining toward 24 h, a finding in line with a predominantly Has2-dependent hyaluronan synthesis and its transcriptional regulation.

Capillary electrophoresis as a method to study DNA reassociation.

To develop analytical methodology to assess the genetic complexity of a DNA sample, capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection is used to monitor the annealing process of DNA samples. Coated columns are filled with an entangled polymer solution shown to optimally separate DNA through size-selective capillary electrophoresis. DNA samples are denatured by heating in a boiling water bath for approximately 10 min and then cooled to approximately 25 degrees C below the melting point of the DNA sample to initiate the reassociation process. The DNA is detected by means of the laser-induced fluorescence of intercalated ethidium bromide, which produces a substantially greater signal for double- versus single-stranded DNA. The rate of reassociation is dependent upon the rate at which complimentary strands of DNA encounter each other and the degree of repeating base sequences in the sample (hence, the diversity of the DNA). Experimental parameters also influence the reassociation rate. The effects of salt concentration and incubation temperature are presented. Traditional plots of C(o)t (C(o) = DNA concentration and t = reassociation time) versus % recovery of double-stranded DNA signal are generated for PhiX 174 Hae III digest and 50 bp stepladder DNA, individually and combined, to calculate the reassociation rate constants for these samples. Because reassociation of individual fragments is observed by the CE-LIF method, more information about the samples is available than with less specific and time-consuming traditional methods of investigating DNA reassociation.

Unusual Method for Bromination of 2,3'-Biquinolyl

It is interesting that the reaction does not proceed in the absence of Silochrome. This bromination method has not been known previously. Compound 1 (3.9 mmol) was dissolved in dioxane (20 ml), and Silochrome was added until a pasty consistency was obtained. Then Br2 (20 mmol) was added and the mixture was heated with stirring in a boiling water bath for 1 h. Then the reaction mixture was treated with a 15% ammonia solution and a 20% sodium thiosulfate solution (20 ml). This was filtered and dried. The reaction product was extracted with ethanol in a Soxhlet apparatus. 6',8'-Dibromo-2,3'-biquinolyl (2a). Yield 76%; mp 220-222°C (alcohol). According to data in [1], mp 220-222°C. H NMR spectrum (200 MHz; CDCl3), δ, ppm, J, Hz: 7.61 (1H, dt, J56 = 8.25, J67 = 7.15, J68 = 1.1, 6-H); 7.81 (1H, dt, J67 = 7.15, J78 = 8.35, J57 = 1.65, 7-H); 7.91 (1H, dd, J56 = 8.25, J57 = 1.65, 5-H); 8.02 (1H, d, J34 = 8.50, 3-H); 8.14 (1H, d, J5'7' = 1.65, 7'-H); 8.20 (1H, d, J5'7' = 1.65, 5'-H); 8.22 (1H, d, J78 = 8.35, J68 = 1.1, 8-H); 8.35 (1H, d, J34 = 8.50, 4-H); 8.89 (1H, d, J2'4' = 2.20, 4'-H); 9.83 (1H, d, J2'4' = 2.20, 2'-H). Mass spectrum, m/z (70 eV): 414 [M] (82.7), 335 [M-Br] (6.9), 253 (17.2). Found, %: C 52.38; H 2.37; N 6.71. C18H10Br2N2. Calculated, %: C 52.21; H 2.43; N 6.76.

Preparation of 99mTc-ethylene dicysteine (99mTc-EC) by transchelation using 99mTc-glucoheptonate (99mTc-GHA) and its evaluation for renal function studies.

The complexation of ethylene dicysteine (EC) with 99mTc needs to be carried out at pH 12 to achieve a high radiochemical yield. However, the preparation of the kit at high pH poses difficulties and requires very stringent preparation conditions, as stannous tin, one of the main ingredients in the kit, is unstable at high pH. Hence, an alternative method, involving the transchelation preparation of 99mTc-EC using 99mTc-glucoheptonate (99mTc-GHA) prepared at pH 6.5, was attempted, prompted by the reported success of the preparation of 99mTc-sestamibi (99mTc-MIBI) by this method. The preparation of 99mTc-EC by this method first involved the formation of 99mTc-GHA by the addition of sodium pertechnetate-99mTc to the Sn-GHA kit vial at pH 6.5. 99mTc-EC was formed by the addition of reconstituted EC solution at pH approximately 12 to the preformed 99mTc-GHA. The reaction was allowed to proceed both at room temperature and on a boiling water bath. The pH of the final product was adjusted to pH approximately 7 with 0.5 M phosphate buffer at pH 4-5, without affecting the quality of the product. The urinary excretion of 99mTc-EC prepared by transchelation, tested in mice, was similar to that of directly prepared 99mTc-EC, indicating that the final product prepared by the two methods was the same. The clinical evaluation of the product formulated by the new procedure showed satisfactory findings, comparable with the reports in the literature.