Optimal production and purification of n.c.a.143Pr as a promising palliative agent for the treatment of metastatic bone pain.

This study proposes the beta-emitting radioisotope 143Pr as a promising candidate for palliative treatment of metastatic bone pain due to its desirable physical decay characteristics. An optimized process was developed for the production and purification of non-carrier-added 143Pr using a medium flux research reactor. Calculations were performed to determine the optimal irradiation time and cooling period for irradiating 1 mg of natural cerium oxide to indirectly produce 143Pr through the decay of 143Ce. Following irradiation and cooling, extraction chromatography was employed to efficiently isolate 143Pr from the irradiated target material. A column containing Ln-resin was used along with nitric acid as the mobile phase and an optional oxidation step with NaBrO3/ascorbic acid to separate 143Pr from impurities such as 143Ce and 141Ce. Radionuclidic purity of over 99.995% was achieved as confirmed through gamma spectroscopy, demonstrating effective separation of 143Pr. Additional quality control analyses established the chemical and radiochemical purity of the purified 143Pr nitrate product. With a half-life of 13.6 days and maximum beta energy of 0.937 MeV, 143Pr exhibits favorable properties for palliative bone pain therapy. This study therefore provides a viable method for producing high-purity 143Pr through the optimized irradiation and purification processes described. Further investigation is warranted to explore potential clinical applications of 143Pr for palliation of metastatic bone cancer pain.

Application of the thermoelectric cooling system in making a cooling belt: A case of heat stress control measure device.

BACKGROUND: Climate change and global warming are emerging as new challenges worldwide. The World Meteorological Organization has reported that the temperature is expected to rise by an average of 1.2°C between 2021-2025. This increase in temperature will expose more and more workers to extreme heat. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the possibility of using thermoelectric coolers for cooling the water circulation circuit of a cooling belt, which can be used for extended periods in high-temperature environments. METHODS: A cooling belt was designed using thermoelectric coolers (TEC) and two blowers. The TECs were equipped with heat sinks and heat exchange block made of aluminum at hot and cold sides to exchange heat effectively. RESULTS: The experiment was conducted under actual environmental temperature conditions during three different time periods, with mean temperatures of 31, 48, and 41°C. The mean temperature of the belt section was recorded as 20.73, 24.52, and 21.38°C, respectively. The maximum average difference between the inlet air temperature and the inside cooling belt temperature was 40.45°C. CONCLUSION: The experiment revealed that the cooling performance of the designed prototype remained within an acceptable range (18°C) despite the increase in ambient temperature. Moreover, the cooling system can be utilized in high-heat environments to reduce thermal stress.

The Effectiveness of a New Climbing Device on Working Postures, Musculoskeletal Symptoms, and Fatigue in Date Palm Farmers.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the main health problems found in date palm farmers. This study aimed to assess a new climbing device on working postures, musculoskeletal symptoms, and fatigue in date palm farmers. METHODS: Data were collected using questionnaires (Standardised Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, and System Usability Scale) and direct observations of the postures (using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment method [REBA]) from 70 date palm farmers during operating the traditional and new climbing devices. RESULTS: The new climbing device showed significant improvement in working postures (in the knee, legs/ankles, and shoulders). In all tasks, the REBA grand score significantly decreased after using the new climbing device (P ≤ 0.05). Significant differences were found in the severity of complaints ratings, particularly in the knee, legs/ankles, and low back areas, during performance tasks using the traditional and new climbing devices. Also, significant differences were found between the scores of physical and mental fatigue during use of the traditional and new climbing devices(P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate the effectiveness of the new climbing device as a low-cost, simple, and easy-to-use device that improves working postures and reduces musculoskeletal discomfort in date palm farmers.

Metabolic syndrome and its relationship with shift work in petrochemical workers.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome is a complex of interdependent risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Shift work might have an impact on metabolic variables, and be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. To date, only few studies have been done on the prevalence of MetS in industrial work environments in Iran, and most of them have been conducted on a small sample size. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of shift work on prevalence of metabolic syndrome in one of the petrochemical companies in Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 692 male workers of a petrochemical company in south-west Iran. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to criteria recommended by Adult Treatment Panel III. In order to determine correlation between MetS and its factors with shift work odds ratio (ORs) for the MetS, 95% confidence level (95% CL), chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: Overall 15.1% of workers were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and 80% of them were shift workers. A significant difference for prevalence of metabolic syndrome and mean values for body mass index, blood pressure, fast blood sugar, waist circumference among shift workers and non-shift workers were identified (p < 0.001). Compared with the day workers, shift workers had a significantly higher risk of MetS (odds ratio = 4.852; 95% CI 2.34-9.974). CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between metabolic syndrome and shift work in petrochemical workers. Promising intervention strategies are needed for prevention of metabolic disorders for shift workers.

Investigation of Radiolabeling Efficacy by Enhancement of the Chemical form of no Carrier Added 177Lu Isolated by Electro Amalgamation Process.

BACKGROUND: Due to the suitable nuclear decay characteristics, 177Lu is an attractive radionuclide for various therapeutic applications. The non-carrier added form of177Lu has drawn much attention because of its high specific activity needed in radiolabeling studies. There have been several separation methods for NCA177Lu production. OBJECTIVES: Among the various separation methods, the electro-amalgamation separation method has got a large potential for large scale production. Li presence is a significant problem in this separation method, which seriously affects the radiolabeling efficiency. METHODS: In this study, Li was separated from the final product of electro-amalgamation separation by adding an ion-exchange chromatography column to the separation process. RESULTS: NCA 177Lu was obtained by 84.09% ELM separation yield, 99.9% radionuclide purity and, 65 Ci/g specific activity. Then, 177Lu (177LuCl3 chemical form) was separated from Li using the ion exchange chromatography method by a separation yield of 94%. The obtained results of the radiolabeling efficacy studies showed that the radiochemical purity and radio-complex stability were significantly increased by separating NCA 177Lu from Li. CONCLUSION: This new separation setup consisting of two steps allows using 177Lu of such a favorable quality for labeling studies.

Development of 186/188Re-Chitosan as an Effective Therapeutic Agent for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory chronic disease characterized by inflammation, pain, swelling and disability, and radiosynovectomy is one of the disease treatment lines. In this study, the possibility of providing rhenium-186/rhenium-188 chitosan radiopharmaceuticals, optimization of conditions for their production and bio-distribution are reported. OBJECTIVE: In order to build perrhenic acid for labeling, natural rhenium was exposed to radiation. Radionuclidic and radiochemical purities of (186/188Re)-NaReO4 were examined by gamma spectroscopy and paper chromatography methods, respectively. METHODS: Labeling of chitosan with rhenium was done in different acidic situations. The radiochemical purity 186/188Re-chitosan was applied by radio thin layer chromatography (RTLC). Lastly, the bio-distribution of the radiolabeled chitosan was studied in various organs after intra articular injection of the complex to lab rats. Gamma spectrometry confirmed the high rhenium radionuclidic purity. Chromatography results showed that perrhenic acid was produced with purity greater than 97% and rhenium chitosan labeling was done over 98% in pH = 3. Dissection results showed a high bio-distribution of 186/188Re-chitosan after injection into the joint with no leakage to surrounding organs. CONCLUSION: According to the results, there is a possibility of labeling rhenium with chitosan in very high radiochemical purity. Regarding the high retention of these radiopharmaceuticals in joints with no leakage to surrounding organs, 186/188Re-chitosan can be applied as new radiosynovectomy drugs for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.

ESTIMATION OF HUMAN DOSE OF 188/186RE-HEDP COCKTAIL BASED ON OLINDA/EXM AND DISTRIBUTION DATA IN RATS.

188Re and 186Re are two applicable rhenium medical radioisotopes with complementary features that make them beneficial for different sizes of tumours. The aim of this study is to investigate 188/186Re-HEDP efficacy as a cocktail by calculating absorbed radiation dose in human organs based on biodistribution data obtained by injecting it to normal rats. Three rats were sacrificed at different time intervals and the percentage of injected dose per gram of each organ was measured by direct counting from rat data. By calculating accumulated activities in each organ and extrapolating rat data to human data by the radiation dose assessment resource method and by using OLINDA/EXM software, the injected dose in various human organs was obtained. The calculated absorbed dose showed that the 188/186Re-HEDP has noticeable properties that can be more helpful in comparison with using each of the rhenium radioisotopes separately.

177Lu/153Sm-Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene Phosphonic Acid Cocktail: A Novel Palliative Treatment for Patients with Bone Metastases.

Background: Production of effective, low-cost, and efficient radiopharmaceuticals is an important task and requires further research and clinical studies. In this clinical trial, safety and efficacy of 177Lu/153Sm-ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid (EDTMP) cocktail has been evaluated for pain relief of bone metastases. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients with the mean age of 55.5 ± 15.8 years participated in this study. Patients received a total dose of 37 MBq/kg. Pain and performance assessments were followed using a Brief Pain Inventory form. Complete blood count and renal and liver function tests were also performed up to 12 weeks postadministration. Results: Eighteen patients (72%) demonstrated complete pain relief (relief = 100%) and approximately all patients (96%) experienced significant improvement in their quality of life. No grade IV hematological toxicity was observed during the 12-week follow-up period, and grade III toxicity was seen in 1 patient only. In addition, no abnormalities were seen in renal and liver function during the follow-up period. Conclusions: There were no considerable complications after administration of 177Lu/153Sm EDTMP; this cocktail seems to be a safe and effective treatment for bone pain palliation in patients with skeletal metastases and improves the quality of life.

Highly Stable 177Lu-Organic Framework as a Potential Agent for Treatment of Metastatic Bone.

In this paper, the metal organic framework (MOF) concept is contributed to rearrange the bone-seeking agent composed of carrier-free lutetium-177 (Lu-177), 1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraaminomethylenephosphonate (DOTMP) and cupper (II) (Cu (II)) for preparation of a potential agent for treatment of bone metastases. The product was characterized (infra-red spectroscopy, IR, and X-ray diffraction analysis) and quality-controlled (radio-thin layer chromatography, (RTLC)). The stability and in vitro hydroxyapatite binding was checked up to 1.5 month at 37 °C in human serum. Radio-MOF crystals and radio-MOF particles that were obtained by varying the synthesizing conditions (including pH and temperature) showed similar IR patterns and similar elemental analysis results. The final product was synthesized at pH = 8, stirring at room temperature (yield >99%, RTLC, particle size: 90 ± 20 nm). Biodistribution study experiments showed interesting bone-seeking (%ID/g: 8.5%) affinity of the prepared formula with no significant liver or lung uptake. Also high accumulation of radio-complex in bone tissue was estimated by the modeling of the radiation dose delivery using radiation dose assessment resource software. This novel radio-MOF with promising therapeutic results is the first study of the usage of the MOF concept to provide a high payload of Lu-177 for treatment of bone metastases. As it was expected, the most important outcome of the paper was higher bone-uptake rates rather than conventional 177Lu-DOTMP.

Preparation and Dosimetry Evaluation of a Carrier- Free 90Y Labeled DOTMP as a Promising Agent for Bone Marrow Ablation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Skeletal uptake of 90Y-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10- tetramethylene-phosphonate (DOTMP) is used to deliver high doses of this radiopharmaceutical to the bone marrow. METHODS: In this research, carrier-free (c.f.) 90Y was obtained from an electrochemical 90Sr/90Y generator. The c.f. 90Y was mixed with 300 µL of DOTMP (20 mg/mL) and incubated under stirring conditions at room temperature for 45 min. RESULTS: The [90Y]Y-DOTMP that was obtained under optimized reaction conditions had high radiochemical purities (>98%). Moreover, the radiolabeled complex exhibited excellent stability at room temperature, as well as in human serum. The biodistribution studies in rats showed the favorable selective skeletal uptake with rapid clearance from the blood, albeit with insignificant accumulation of activity in other non-target organs for the radiolabeled complex. Also, the present work has utilized the Monte Carlo codes MCNP-4C to simulate the depth dose profile for 90Y in a mice femur bone and compared with that produced by 153Sm and 177Lu. CONCLUSION: The results show that the absorbed dose produced by 90Y in the bone marrow is higher than 153Sm and 177Lu per 1MBq of the injected activity.

Mechanical properties of bio self-healing concrete containing immobilized bacteria with iron oxide nanoparticles.

Concrete is arguably one of the most important and widely used materials in the world, responsible for the majority of the industrial revolution due to its unique properties. However, it is susceptible to cracking under internal and external stresses. The generated cracks result in a significant reduction in the concrete lifespan and an increase in maintenance and repair costs. In recent years, the implementation of bacterial-based healing agent in the concrete matrix has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to address the concrete cracking issue. However, the bacterial cells need to be protected from the high pH content of concrete as well as the exerted shear forces during preparation and hardening stages. To address these issues, we propose the magnetic immobilization of bacteria with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs). In the present study, the effect of the designed bio-agent on mechanical properties of concrete (compressive strength and drying shrinkage) is investigated. The results indicate that the addition of immobilized Bacillus species with IONs in concrete matrix contributes to increasing the compressive strength. Moreover, the precipitates in the bio-concrete specimen were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The characterization studies confirm that the precipitated crystals in bio-concrete specimen were CaCO3, while no precipitation was observed in the control sample.

The role of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in the bacterially induced calcium carbonate precipitation.

Recently, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) have been used to control and modify the characteristics of concrete and mortar. Concrete is one of the most used materials in the world; however, it is susceptible to cracking. Over recent years, a sustainable biotechnological approach has emerged as an alternative approach to conventional techniques to heal the concrete cracks by the incorporation of bacterial cells and nutrients into the concrete matrix. Once cracking occurs, CaCO3 is induced and the crack is healed. Considering the positive effects of IONs on the concrete properties, the effect of these nanoparticles on bacterial growth and CaCO3 biosynthesis needs to be evaluated for their possible application in bio self-healing concrete. In the present work, IONs were successfully synthesized and characterized using various techniques. The presence of IONs showed a significant effect on both bacterial growth and CaCO3 precipitation. The highest bacterial growth was observed in the presence of 150 µg/mL IONs. The highest concentration of induced CaCO3 (34.54 g/L) was achieved when the bacterial cells were immobilized with 300 µg/mL of IONs. This study provides new data and supports the possibility of using IONs as a new tool in designing the next generation of bio self-healing concrete.

Bio-reinforced self-healing concrete using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

Immobilization has been reported as an efficient technique to address the bacterial vulnerability for application in bio self-healing concrete. In this study, for the first time, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) are being practically employed as the protective vehicle for bacteria to evaluate the self-healing performance in concrete environment. Magnetic IONs were successfully synthesized and characterized using different techniques. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show the efficient adsorption of nanoparticles to the Bacillus cells. Microscopic observation illustrates that the incorporation of the immobilized bacteria in the concrete matrix resulted in a significant crack healing behavior, while the control specimen had no healing characteristics. Analysis of bio-precipitates revealed that the induced minerals in the cracks were calcium carbonate. The effect of magnetic immobilized cells on the concrete water absorption showed that the concrete specimens supplemented with decorated bacteria with IONs had a higher resistance to water penetration. The initial and secondary water absorption rates in bio-concrete specimens were 26% and 22% lower than the control specimens. Due to the compatible behavior of IONs with the concrete compositions, the results of this study proved the potential application of IONs for developing a new generation of bio self-healing concrete.

Absorbed doses in humans from 188Re-Rituximab in the free form and bound to superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: Biodistribution study in mice.

Absorbed doses to human organs from 188Re-Rituximab in the free form and bound to superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were predicted from results of the radiopharmaceutical biodistribution studies in mice by the RADAR method. Overall, equivalent and effective doses to human organs from the radiopharmaceutical on the nanoparticles were higher because of the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Liver, spleen and kidneys received higher equivalent doses than other organs (5.29, 3.70 and 3.06mSv/MBq, respectively, for the free radiopharmaceutical and 6.12, 3.96 and 3.93mSv/MBq for the drug on the nanoparticles).

Amine-modified magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle as a promising carrier for application in bio self-healing concrete.

Self-healing mechanisms are a promising solution to address the concrete cracking issue. Among the investigated self-healing strategies, the biotechnological approach is distinguished itself by inducing the most compatible material with concrete composition. In this method, the potent bacteria and nutrients are incorporated into the concrete matrix. Once cracking occurs, the bacteria will be activated, and the induced CaCO3 crystals will seal the concrete cracks. However, the effectiveness of a bio self-healing concrete strictly depends on the viability of bacteria. Therefore, it is required to protect the bacteria from the resulted shear forces caused by mixing and drying shrinkage of concrete. Due to the positive effects on mechanical properties and the high compatibility of metallic nanoparticles with concrete composition, for the first time, we propose 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (APTES-coated IONs) as a biocompatible carrier for Bacillus species. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of APTES-coated IONs on the bacterial viability and CaCO3 yield for future application in the concrete structures. The APTES-coated IONs were successfully synthesized and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the presence of 100 µg/mL APTES-coated IONs could increase the bacterial viability. It was also found that the CaCO3-specific yield was significantly affected in the presence of APTES-coated IONs. The highest CaCO3-specific yield was achieved when the cells were decorated with 50 µg/mL of APTES-coated IONs. This study provides new insights for the application of APTES-coated IONs in designing bio self-healing strategies.

Feasibility study for production and quality control of Yb-175 as a byproduct of no carrier added Lu-177 preparation for radiolabeling of DOTMP.

Skeletal uptake of ß- emitters of DOTMP complexes is used for the bone pain palliation. In this study, two moderate energy ß- emitters, 177Lu (T1/2 = 6.7 days, Eßmax = 497 keV) and 175Yb (T1/2 = 4.2 days, Eßmax = 480 keV), are considered as potential agents for the development of the bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals. Since the specific activity of the radiolabelled carrier molecules should be high, the non-carrier-added (NCA) radionuclides have an effective role in nuclear medicine. Many researchers have presented the synthesis of NCA 177Lu. Among these separation techniques, extraction chromatography has been considered more capable than other methods. In this study, a new approach, in addition to production of NCA 177Lu by EXC procedure is using pure 175Yb that was usually considered as a waste material in this method but because of high radionuclidic purity of 175Yb produced by this method we used it for radiolabeling as well as NCA 177Lu. To obtain optimum conditions, some effective factors on separation of Lu/Yb by EXC were investigated. The NCA 177Lu and pure 175Yb were produced with radionuclidic purity of 99.99 and 99.97% respectively by irradiation of enriched 176Yb target in thermal neutron flux of 5 × 1013 n/cm2 s for 14 days. 177Lu-DOTMP and 175Yb-DOTMP were obtained with high radiochemical purities (> 95%) under optimized reaction conditions. Two radiolabeled complexes exhibited excellent stability at room temperature. Biodistribution studies in rats showed favorable selective skeletal uptake with rapid clearance from blood along with insignificant accumulation of activity in other non-target organs for two radiolabelled complexes.

Preparation and evaluation of APTES-PEG coated iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated to rhenium-188 labeled rituximab.

Radioimmuno-conjugated (Rhenium-188 labeled Rituximab), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized and then characterized. Therapeutic effect and targeting efficacy of complex were evaluated in CD20 express B cell lines and tumor bearing Balb/c mice respectively. To reach these purposes, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were synthesized using coprecipitation method and then their surface was treated with APTES for increasing retention time of SPIONs in blood circulation and amine group creation. In the next step, N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester of polyethylene glycol maleimide (NHS-PEG-Mal) was conjugated to the APTES-treated SPIONs. After radiolabeling of Rituximab antibody with Rhenium-188 (T1/2=16.9h) using synthesized N2S4 chelator, it was attached to the APTES-PEG-MAL-SPIONs surface through thiol-maleimide coupling reaction. In vitro evaluation of the 188ReN2S4-Rituximab-SPION-complex thus obtained revealed that at 24 and 48h post-treatment effective cancer cell killing had been achieved. Bio-distribution study in tumor bearing mice showed capability of this complex for targeted cancer therapy. Active and passive tumor targeting strategies were applied through incorporated anti-CD20 (Rituximab) antibody and also enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect of solid tumors for nanoparticles respectively.

New insights into the role of pH and aeration in the bacterial production of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

Over recent years, the implementation of microbially produced calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in different industrial and environmental applications has become an alternative for conventional approaches to induce CaCO3 precipitation. However, there are many factors affecting the biomineralization of CaCO3, which may restrict its application. In this study, we investigated the effects of pH and aeration as the main two influential parameters on bacterial precipitation of CaCO3. The results showed that the aeration had a significant effect on bacterial growth and its rise from 0.5 to 4.5 SLPM could produce 4.2 times higher CaCO3 precipitation. The increase of pH to 12 resulted in 6.3-fold increase in CaCO3 precipitation as compared to uncontrolled-pH fermentation. Morphological characterization showed that the pH is an effective parameter on CaCO3 morphology. Calcite was found to be the predominant precipitate during aeration-controlled fermentations, while vaterite was mainly produced at lower pH (up to 10) over controlled-pH fermentations. Further increase in pH resulted in a morphological transition, and vaterite transformed to calcite at the pH ranges between 10 and 12.

Production, quality control, and determination of human absorbed dose of no carrier added 177 Lu-risedronate for bone pain palliation therapy.

In this study, the radiocomplexation of risedronic acid, a potent bisphosphonate with a no carrier added (NCA) 177 Lu, was investigated and followed by quality control studies, biodistribution evaluation, and dosimetry study for human based on biodistribution data in Wistar rats. The moderate energy ß- emitter, 177 Lu (T½  = 6.7 days, Eßmax  = 497 keV), has been considered as a potential agent for development of bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals. Because the specific activity of the radiolabeled carrier molecules should be high, the NCA radionuclides have an effective role in nuclear medicine. Many researchers illustrated an NCA 177 Lu production; among these separation techniques, extraction chromatography has been considered more capable than other methods. The NCA 177 Lu was produced with specific activity of 48 Ci/mg and radionuclidic purity of 99.99% by the irradiation of enriched 176 Yb target in thermal neutron flux of 4 × 1013  n·cm-2 ·s-1 for 14 days. The NCA 177 Lu was mixed to a desired amount of sodium risedronate (15 mg/mL, 200 µL) and incubated with stirring at 95°C for 30 minutes. The radiochemical purity of 177 Lu-risedronate was determined by radio thin-layer chromatography, and high radiochemical purities (>97%) were obtained under optimized reaction conditions. The complex was injected to Wistar rats, and complex biodistribution was performed 4 hours to 7 days postinjections showing high bone uptake (9.8% ± 0.24% ID/g at 48 hours postinjection). Also, modeling the radiation dose delivery by RADAR software for the absorbed dose evaluation of each human organ showed a major accumulation of the radiocomplex in bone tissue.

Validity of the Microsoft Kinect for measurement of neck angle: comparison with electrogoniometry.

INTRODUCTION: Considering the importance of evaluating working postures, many techniques and tools have been developed to identify and eliminate awkward postures and prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The introduction of the Microsoft Kinect sensor, which is a low-cost, easy to set up and markerless motion capture system, offers promising possibilities for postural studies. OBJECTIVES: Considering the Kinect's special ability in head-pose and facial-expression tracking and complexity of cervical spine movements, this study aimed to assess concurrent validity of the Microsoft Kinect against an electrogoniometer for neck angle measurements. METHODS: A special software program was developed to calculate the neck angle based on Kinect skeleton tracking data. Neck angles were measured simultaneously by electrogoniometer and the developed software program in 10 volunteers. The results were recorded in degrees and the time required for each method was also measured. RESULTS: The Kinect's ability to identify body joints was reliable and precise. There was moderate to excellent agreement between the Kinect-based method and the electrogoniometer (paired-sample t test, p ≥ 0.25; intraclass correlation for test-retest reliability, ≥0.75). CONCLUSION: Kinect-based measurement was much faster and required less equipment, but accurate measurement with Microsoft Kinect was only possible if the participant was in its field of view.