BACKGROUND The distribution of radionuclides occurring naturally in the earth depends on bedrock characteristics. Therefore, the spatial distribution of radionuclides is not uniform. Consequently, radionuclide information is vitally important in determining and monitoring the spatial variation of the radionuclide concentrations that are over the limits for the sustainable environment and human ...

Noninvasive molecular targeting in living subjects is highly demanded for efficient delivery of drugs, genes, or radionuclides in the course of diagnosing or treating diseases. Nuclear medicine has been used for decades to evaluate in vivo biochemistry using organor cell-specific radiopharmaceuticals such as iodine for thyroid follicular cells. Recent progress in molecular biology provides tool...

Nanomedicine has become an emerging field in imaging and therapy of malignancies. Nanodimensional drug delivery systems have already been used in the clinic, as carriers for sensitive chemotherapeutics or highly toxic substances. In addition, those nanodimensional structures are further able to carry and deliver radionuclides. In the development process, non-invasive imaging by means of positro...

Numerous sites worldwide have been identified as having significant radioactive contamination, either as a result of routine or accidental releases. The radiological impact of this contamination depends on the extent to which the radionuclides are taken up by organisms, including humans. The mobility, and thus availability, of the radionuclides is greatly determined by the physico-chemical form...

Stem cell therapy has emerged as a potential therapeutic option for cell death-related heart diseases. Preclinical and a number of early phase human studies suggested that cell therapy may augment perfusion and increase myocardial contractility. The rapid translation into clinical trials has left many issues unresolved, and emphasizes the need for specific techniques to visualize the mechanisms...

Silicon-[F]fluorine (Si-F) radiochemistry has recently emerged alongside other unconventional approaches such as aluminum-F and boron-F based labeling strategies, reshaping the landscape of modern F-radiochemistry. All these novel methodologies are driven by the demand for more convenient F-labeling procedures to further disseminate one of the most sophisticated imaging technologies, Positron E...

For those of us interested in neurochemical pathology of the major neuropsychiat-ric disorders—including schizophrenia, affective disorders, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and the addictions—the last several years have witnessed a marked paradigm shift. From reliance on animal models of psychopathology with all of their shortcomings (1) to the neuroendocrine window strategy with its p...

Molecular imaging has evolved over the past several years into an important tool for diagnosing, understanding, and monitoring disease. Molecular imaging has distinguished itself as an interdisciplinary field, with contributions from chemistry, biology, physics, and medicine. The cross-disciplinary impetus has led to significant achievements, such as the development of more sensitive imaging in...

The Fukushima Dai-ichi release of radionuclides into ocean waters caused significant local and global concern regarding the spread of radioactive material. We report unequivocal evidence that Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis, transported Fukushima-derived radionuclides across the entire North Pacific Ocean. We measured γ-emitting radionuclides in California-caught tunas and found (134)C...