Improved method for preparing Ni(II) complex of (S)-tyrosine Schiff base and its use in the automated synthesis of O-(2'-[18F]fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine using solid-phase extraction purification.

O-(2'-[18F]fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine is reportedly suitable for PET-imaging of brain tumours. We report here the synthesis of Ni(II)-complex of Schiff's base (S)-[N-2-(N'-benzylprolyl)amino]-benzophenone,((S)BPB) and alkylated l-tyrosine precursor, Ni(II)-(S)-BPB-l-Tyr-O-CH2-CH2-OTs by an improved method. A fully-automated radio-synthesis including non-HPLC purification was developed with a radio-chemical yield of 24.6 ± 2% in 70 ± 2min (n = 5). Radiochemical and enantiomeric purity was > 98% and 94% respectively. Bio-distribution and micro-PET studies in C57BL/6 mice bearing B16F10 melanoma showed tumor to brain ratio of 3.36 and 3.62 respectively at 60min post-injection.

Who are the "committed"?

A record review of patients who were committed by the court during the course of a hospitalization at an acute urban facility was carried out. Court-committed patients represented 4% of total patients admitted during a 2-year period. Black patients and patients over the age of 70 were more likely to reach the stage of a court hearing and be committed. Schizophrenia was the most frequent diagnosis, being present in well over one half of court-committed patients. Approximately one third of the patients had a hospital stay exceeding 3 months, and transfer to a long term inpatient program occurred significantly more often among court-committed patients as compared to the rest of the hospitalized population. The majority of court-committed patients were eventually returned to the community; about one fifth were placed in intermediate facilities such as boarding or nursing homes. When legal status of previous and subsequent hospitalizations of this sample of court-committed patients was examined, a clear predominance of uncomplicated voluntary hospitalization became apparent.