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Researchers report fastest purification of astatine-211 needed for targeted cancer therapy
Astatine-211 recovery from bismuth metal using a chromatography system. Unlike bismuth, astatine-211 forms chemical bonds with ketones.
In a recent study, Texas A&M University researchers have described a new process to purify astatine-211, a promising radioactive isotope for targeted cancer treatment. Unlike other elaborate purification methods, their technique can extract astatine-211 from bismuth in minutes rather than hours, which can greatly reduce the time between production and delivery to the patient.
“Astatine-211 is currently under evaluation as a cancer therapeutic in clinical trials. But the problem is that the supply chain for this element is very limited because only a few places worldwide can make it,” said Jonathan Burns, research scientist in the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s Nuclear Engineering and Science Center. “Texas A&M University is one of a handful of places in the world that can make astatine-211, and we have delineated a rapid astatine-211 separation process that increases the usable quantity of this isotope for research and therapeutic purposes.”
The researchers added that this separation method will bring Texas A&M one step closer to being able to provide astatine-211 for distribution through the Department of Energy’s Isotope Program’s National Isotope Development Center as part of the University Isotope Network.
Details on the chemical reaction to purify astatine-211 are in the journal Separation and Purification Technology.
E. J. Strait, E. D. Fredrickson, J.-M. Moret, M. Takechi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 53 | Number 2 | February 2008 | Pages 304-334
Technical Paper | Plasma Diagnostics for Magnetic Fusion Research | dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST08-A1674
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Magnetic diagnostics are essential for the operation and understanding of a magnetic fusion device. Magnetic data are used in real time to measure and control the current, shape, and position of the discharge; the thermal energy of the plasma; the confining magnetic field; and the currents in the magnet coils. Equilibrium reconstructions based on magnetic data yield the magnetic geometry of the plasma, providing the coordinates for interpretation of all other diagnostic measurements. Magnetic measurements also provide input for the analysis and feedback control of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities. This review focuses on the inductive loops and Hall effect probes that are used in nearly all present devices. We describe the principles of magnetic diagnostics and discuss issues related to their practical implementation. The interpretation of magnetic measurements for equilibrium reconstruction and for identification of MHD instabilities are summarized. Magnetic diagnostics based on inductive measurements are well understood in both implementation and interpretation and are expected to meet the needs of ITER. However, the challenges presented by future steady-state burning plasma experiments may require the development of other techniques. The prospects for addressing these challenges are reviewed, in particular, the status of possible approaches to long-pulse magnetic measurements.