phosphonates EDTMP (an analog of EDTA with carboxylic groups replaced by phosphate groups) and DTPMP (an analog of DTPA) showed preferential skeletal localization in ex perimental animals. Excellent images of the rabbit skeleton were obtained with both @mIn and 1111n complexes using the scintillation camera. In tissue radioassay using 85Sr as a simultaneous biologic standard, hlsmIn@EDTMP compound showed higher concentration in the skeleton than the DTPMP complex and its bone uptake was comparable to that of 85Sr. Renal excretion was greater for the DTPMP complex (70% vs. 50% for EDTMP at 4 hr) and its blood clearance was faster than EDTMP. EDTMP was found to be the superior agent also to two other polyfunctional phosphonates, NTMP and HMDTMP. Because of the excellent skeletal localization with minimal soft-tissue levels, llSmln..EDTMp may find use in bone scan ning in hunurns wherever ssmTc bone-imaging agents are not available. These compounds may prove useful also in demoiutrating acute myo cardial infarcts, particularly for repeat studies after eDmTc bone agents have already been ad ministered.

L'analyse pollinique de la partie interne de la grotte de Madonna dell'Arma (Ligurie, Italie) a permis de reconstituer, à l'échelle locale, la végétation du littoral ligure entre la fin du dernier interglaciaire et le début du pléniglaciaire ancien. Cette période de transition montre une importante représentation du couvert arboré et le maintien de taxons thermophiles permettant de considérer la Ligurie occidentale comme un refuge périglaciaire. Durant la fin du dernier interglaciaire, la zone littorale est constituée par un couvert herbacé xérophile-halophile et par des brousses, relayés sur les premières pentes par un groupement préforestier méditerranéen. La proximité du torrent Argentina et de l'Armea engendre l'existence, en retrait du littoral, de zones marécageuses colonisées par des arbres hygrophiles. Dans l'arrière-pays ligure se développent, selon l'altitude, des forêts sclérophylles et mésophiles. Le début du pléniglaciaire est indiqué dans la séquence par une augmentation de Pinus, des Cupressaceae et d'Artemisia en contexte de régression des éléments thermophiles. La végétation déduite de l'analyse pollinique s'intègre dans l'étude pluridisciplinaire du site et contribue à l'apport d'hypothèses climatiques similaires à celles révélées par la faune.Pollen analysis of Madonna dell’Arma cave inside part (Liguria, Italy) allowed us to reconstitute, at local scale, the Ligurian coastal vegetation between the end of the last interglacial period and the beginning of the pleniglacial. This transition period shows an important representation of arboreal cover and a persistence of thermophilous elements that allowed us to considerate the western Liguria as a periglacial refuge. During the end of the last interglacial, xerophytic, halophytic herbs and shrubs taken over from a Mediterranean pre-forest unit in the first slopes constituted the coastal zone. The nearness of Argentina torrent and the Armea influenced, in the coast, the existence of marshy zones colonized by hygrophilous trees. In the Ligurian lowlands spread out sclerophyllous and mesophilous forests according to altitude. The beginning of the pleniglacial is indicated in the sequence by increases of Pinus, Cupressaceae and Artemisia in the context of a decline in the thermophilous components. This picture of vegetation has become integrated into the multidisciplinary studies of the site and contributed to the elaboration of palaeoclimatic hypothesis similar as those revealed by the fauna.

Imidodiphosphate (IDP) is an analog of pyrophosphate and diphosphonate, with a P-N-P bond instead of P-O-P or P-C-P. We have labeled IDP with 99mTc quantitatively (98%) using stannous ions as the reducing/complexing agent in a freeze-dried kit form. Radiobioassay of this compound was carried out in rabbits and the results were compared with those of eight other Tc-labeled bone-imaging agents, using the performance of simultaneously administered 85Sr as a reference standard. The 99mTc-IDP concentrated 20% higher in the bone, and its soft-tissue and blood levels were lower than with 85Sr. By comparison, the concentrations in the bone of the other 99mTc agents were 20% less than that of 85Sr. Regarding blood levels, Tc-IDP performed worse than the Tc-diphosphonate but better than the pyrophosphate and the other technetium complexes. Scintillation camera images of 99mTc-IDP in both rabbits and dogs showed excellent details of the skeleton. In a preliminary human study, images with 99mTc-IDP were somewhat inferior to those comparably procured with 99Tc-methylene diphosphonate, but count rates with the IDP complex were about twice those with the MDP compound. Because of its better bone uptake, however, it is suggested that 99mTc-IDP may be clinically useful in spite of its relatively slow blood clearance.

Indium-113m complexed with polyfunctional phosphonates EDTMP (an analog of EDTA with carboxylic groups replaced by phosphate groups) and DTPMP (an analog of DTPA) showed preferential skeletal localization in experimental animals. Excellent images of the rabbit skeleton were obtained with both 113mIn and 111In complexes using the scintillation camera. In tissue radioassay using 85Sr as a simultaneous biologic standard, 113mIn-EDTMP compound showed higher concentration in the skeleton than the DTPMP complex and its bone uptake was comparable to that of 85Sr. Renal excretion was greater for the DTPMP complex (70% vs. 50% for EDTMP at 4 hr) and its blood clearance was faster than EDTMP. EDTMP was found to be the superior agent also to two other polyfunctional phosphonates, NTMP and HMDTMP. Because of the excellent skeletal localization with minimal soft-tissue levels, 113mIn-EDTMP may find use in bone scanning in humans wherever 99mTc bone-imaging agents are not available. These compounds may prove useful also in demonstrating acute myocardial infarcts, particularly for repeat studies after 99mTc bone agents have already been administered.