Abstract: The present invention generally relies on a process for the preparation of chelated compounds, comprising the selective interaction between a solid matrix and a chelating agent. In more details, the present invention enables the preparation of chelated compounds useful as diagnostic agents, in high yields and in a reliable way.

Abstract: Radiolabeled tracers for sodium/glucose cotransporters (SGLTs), their synthesis, and their use are provided. The tracers are methyl or ethyl pyranosides having an equatorial hydroxyl group at carbon-2 and a C 1 preferred conformation, radiolabeled with 18F, 123I, or 124I, or free hexoses radiolabeled with 18F, 123I, or 124. Also provided are in vivo and in vitro techniques for using these and other tracers as analytical and diagnostic tools to study glucose transport, in health and disease, and to evaluate therapeutic interventions.

Abstract: A microbubble preparation formed of a plurality of microbubbles comprising a first gas and second gas surrounded by a membrane such as a surfactant, wherein the first gas and the second gas are present in a molar ration of from about 1:100 to abut 1000:1, and wherein the first gas has a vapor pressure of at least about (760?X) mm Hg at 37° C., where x is the vapor pressure of the second gas at 37° C., and wherein the vapor pressure of each of the first and second gases is greater than about 75 mm Hg at 37° C.; also disclosed are methods for preparing microbubble compositions, including compositions that rapidly shrink from a first average diameter to a second average diameter less than about 75% of the first average diameter and are stabilized at the second average diameter; methods and kits for preparing microbubbles; and methods for using such microbubbles as contrast agents.

Abstract: A method for delivering a therapeutic dose of a bioactive agent to the pulmonary system, in a single, breath-activated step, comprises administering from a receptacle enclosing a mass of particles, to a subject's respiratory tract, particles which have a tap density of less than 0.4 g/cm3 and deliver at least about 50% of the mass of particles. Another method of delivering a therapeutic dose of a bioactive agent to the pulmonary system, in a single breath, includes administering from a receptacle enclosing a mass of particles, to a subject's respiratory tract, particles which have a tap density of at least 0.4 g/cm3 and deliver at least about 10 milligrams of the bioactive agent. The receptacle can have a volume of at least 0.37 cm3.

Abstract: Entry of .sup.13 C-enriched acetyl-CoA into the citric acid cycle results in scrambling of .sup.13 C into the various carbon positions of all intermediate pools. The eventual result is that the .sup.13 C resonances of all detectable intermediates or molecules exchanging with those intermediates appear as multiplets due to nearest neighbor spin-spin couplings. Isotopomer analysis of the glutamate .sup.13 C multiplets provides a history of .sup.13 C flow through the cycle pools. Relative substrate utilization and relative anaplerotic flux can be quantitated. A major limitation of the method for in vivo applications is spectral resolution of multi-line resonances required for a complete isotopomer analysis. It is now shown that (.sup.13 C)homonuclear decoupling of the glutamate C3 resonance collapses nine-line C4 and C2 resonances into three line multiplets. These three-line .sup.