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PIXE measurements were performed on thin samples prepared from different rabbit liver, kidney, muscle and bone tissues. The trace element concentrations obtained were compared to those measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The PIXE detection limit for Cd was found to be 0.7 ppm.

Alterations of heavy metal concentration in inoculated Sarcoma -180 after irradiation by 6MeV electron beam at the doses of 5Gy were evaluated in vivo in BALB/c mice, by Particle Induced X -ray Emission (PIXE).

Analysis was performed for K, Cl, S, Fe, Zn and Cu. In the irradiation of 5Gy, the concentration of K and Cl have revealed the fast incremment at 1 hour after irradiattion and the fast decremment after that time. As for the S, Fe, Cu and Zn, their concentrations have revealed the fast incremment at 1 hour after irradiattion and the slow decremment from 1 hour after irradiation (except for slow increment from 1 hour to 1 day after).

The alteration of concentration levels for two minor elements (K and Ca) and 7 trace elements (Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb and Pb) in serum and packed blood cells was investigated. The samples originated from 35 patients that had a myocardial infarction and from 29 healthy individuals. The Mn and Pb concentrations were only determined in packed blood cells. Particle-induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) was used to determine the elemental concentrations in the various samples. In blood serum the Fe, Cu and Zn concentrations were found to be altered from normal, while in packed blood cells significant differences were encountered for Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Se and Pb. Factor analysis performed on the serum and packed blood cells data matrices revealed one factor for each sample type which allowed distinguishing between healthy and pathological individuals. Furthermore, the elements that permit this discrimination are different for the two data sets. The elements related to this discrimination factor were Fe and Cu for serum and Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn for packed blood cells.

It has been previously shown that activated alveolar macrophage in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) played an important role in the process of fibrosing, but the initial agent which activates alveolar macrophages has not been proved. The present study was designed to make quantitative analyses of trace elements in the lung tissue speciments of IIP patients and normal controls. Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) was used. The IIP group consisted of 11 patients and the Control group, which had no apparent history for dust inhalation and lung diseases, consisted of 9 subjects. More silicon and magnesium were found in the IIP group than in the normal controls. These data suggested that inhalation of silicon and magnesium might be one of the etiologic factors of IIP.

The contents of multi-elements in whole blood from 115 patients with 7 different types of acute leukemia and 38 well matched healthy controls have been determined by means of proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The number of available analyzed elements was as many as 11, mainly due to the use of a 100 um thick Cr funny foi1 as an absorber. The contents of elements Cu, Ca, S, P, Si and the ratio of Cu to Zn (Cu/Zn) were higher and those of elements Zn, K, Fe, Al and Rb were lower with high significant differences (P<0. 01) in acute leukemia patients than in norma1 controls. The results indicate that the contents of Cu, Zn, and the ratio Cu/Zn are useful indices of disease activity. The elements of Al and Rb may play important roles in acute leukemia etiology,

The recent methodological developments and particularly the recent applications of nuclear analytical techniques (mainly PIXE and INAA) for measuring minor and trace elements in various types of environmental samples are reviewed. The sample types covered range from atmospheric aerosols over miscellaneous air topics (e.g., emissions, wet and dry deposition) to various solid environmental materials and samples from the aqueous environment. A fairly comprehensive overview is given of the research on atmospheric aerosols. For the other sample types, the trends in the research are indicated and selected examples of applications are presented. It is shown that the nuclear analytical techniques are very valuable for the multielement analysis of solid environmental samples. Furthermore, PIXE is particularly suitable for analyzing atmospheric aerosol samples.

Using PIXE we determined concentrations of iron, nickel, copper, zinc, selenium, and rubidium in sera of 24 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 12 healthy controls. Rubidium*, selenium*, zinc**, nickel** and iron** concentrations are significantly (P<0.001*, P<0.01**) lower for patients than for control subjects. No significant difference is observed in the copper content. However, there is a slight increase in copper content in the patients so that the ratios Cu/Rb, Cu/Se, Cu/Zn, Cu/Ni, Cu/Fe are significantly higher for the patients than for the control subjects (P<0.01).

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is transiently expressed on vascular endothelial cells in response to cytokines. It plays a major role in the adhesion of leucocytes to the endothelium by interaction with its ligand VLA-4, a member of the β1 integrin family. We measured the serum concentration of the soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) in 114 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 37 normal controls by enzyme-linked immunoassay in comparison with trace element concentration. sVCAM-1 levels were markedly higher (mean± SD=833.2±328.9 ng/ml) in the sera of patients with AMI than in normal controls (mean±SD= 549.5±188.8 ng/ml, p<0.001). Using PIXE we also determined concentration of magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, and calcium in sera of 43 patients with AMI. There were no clear correlation between the sVCAM-1 concentration and the magnesium, manganese, copper, selenium. But there were significant correlation between the sVCAM-1 concentration and the zinc, calcium (p<0.05).

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is transiently expressed on vascular endothelial cells in response to cytokines. It plays a major role in the adhesion of leucocytes to the endothelium by interaction with its ligand VLA-4, a member of the β1 integrin family.

We measured the serum concentration of the soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) in 114 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 37 normal controls by enzyme-linked immunoassay in comparison with trace element concentration. sVCAM-1 levels were markedly higher (mean ± SD=833.2 ± 328.9 ng/ml) in the sera of patients with AMI than in normal controls (mean ± SD= 549.5 ± 188.8 ng/ml, p<0.001). Using PIXE we also determined concentration of magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, and calcium in sera of 43 patients with AMI. There were no clear correlation between the sVCAM-1 concentration and the magnesium, manganese, copper, selenium, iron. But there were significant correlation between the sVCAM-1 concentration and the zinc, calcium (p<0.05).

Synchrotron radiation microprobe XRF analysis has been used in the multielements analysis of human gastric cancer tissues. Elements of P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Br and Rb were detected. The relative concentrations of P and K in cancer are higher than in normal tissue, but it is contrary for Cl, Ca, Se and Br.

Trace elements in shells of short necked clams were analyzed with PIXE. Two groups of the shells ware sampled from high salinity and low salinity. Strontium (Sr) and Iron (Fe) concentration ware significantly different between the two groups. Although water temperature and salinity may affect Sr concentration in the shells, the Sr concentration was higher in better growth clams.

Strontium (Sr) concentration in the shells of short-necked clams collected at different locations (Shirahama, warm area and Maizuru, cold area, Japan) was analyzed by two methods, PIXE and EPMA. The Sr concentration of external surface of shell umbo, which was made during short term at early benthic phase, was analyzed by PIXE, and was ranged from 1000 to 3500 ppm for individuals. The Sr concentration of clams collected at Shirahama showed positive correlation with shell length (SL) in individuals with SL <31mm, whereas clams collected at Maizuru did not show significant correlation. This result may be caused from the difference of the spawning seasons between two areas. The Sr concentration of cross section of shell umbo, which develops thicker continuously during their life to form faint stratum structure, was analyzed by EPMA along the line across the stratum structure. Some surges and long term waving patterns of the Sr concentration were observed. These results suggest that the life histories of individual clams could be recorded in the shell umbo cross sections as variations of trace elements and analyses of trace elements could clarify the histories of individual clams.

The Oxford Scanning Proton Microprobe continues to be used in the field of trace element measurement in biological systems, exploiting the unique advantages of sensitive, quantitative trace element analysis using PIXE, high spatial resolution and the long penetrating power of MeV protons. This paper outlines a number of recent applications which highlight these advantages. These include: (a) Analysing the distribution of metals in the pupae of leaf-cutting ants to determine the storage sites and transport mechanism of metals used to harden the edges of the mandibles. (b) A study of the distribution of zinc in the retina of rats to determine the role of zinc in light and dark adaptation of the eye. (c) The analysis of crystals of proteins and other large organic molecules prepared for structure determination using x-ray diffraction. These often contain metal atoms, and the identity and concentration of the metal is an important diagnostic for determining the nature of the protein and the quality of the crystallisation. The crystals are normally small (~100μm) and so microPIXE is being used to characterise them. This technique has wide ranging applications, including qualitative and quantitative identification of metals in reaction centres, in active sites and in metal binding proteins, and of DNA or RNA bound to proteins.

The fate of different trace elements and radio nuclides in the new ZWILAG nuclear waste treatment plant (Switzerland) has been modelled, in order to predict and check the transport behaviour of the volatile species and their distribution in the plant. Calculations show that for active waste from medicine, industry, research (MIR waste) only Zn and Cs have stable gaseous species at 1200°C. The investigations confirm the efficiency of the examined flue gas cleaning system.

A review of the literature on trace element levels in normal and diseased human brain is undertaken in an attempt to recognize possible distribution patterns of aluminum, iron, copper, and zinc. Trace element concentration changes are known to occur in brain areas of subjects affected with neurodegenerative diseases. We have considered the levels of the four metals in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Western Pacific Parkinsonism-dementia along with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For each disease, we selected articles that consider well-defined brain sites for which the element values observed in controls were found to be significantly different from those determined in patients. For a more complete picture statistically not significant differences of the same element concentrations in the same regions, whenever available, were also taken into consideration.