Medical Radioisotopes Produced with Cyclotron Beams in Warsaw

The various production routes of the prospective medical radioisotopes 43Sc, 44gSc, 44mSc, 47Sc, 44Ti/44gSc, 99mTc, 72Se/72As and 211At were investigated by a team from the Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw (HIL-UW), the University of Silesia (US) and the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCNR). Three cyclotrons were employed: the K=160 heavy-ion cyclotron with an internal 32 MeV alpha particle beam and the p/d PETtrace medical cyclotron at HIL and the C30 proton cyclotron at NCNR in Świerk, near Warsaw. The Thick Target Yields, activity at the End of Bombardment (EOB) and the impurities produced in addition to the main isotope are reported. The possible medical applications of these radioisotopes are briefly discussed

Metale ciężkie w osadach dennych zbiornika Korytów

The aim of this study was to determine and to evaluate heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) concentrations in sediments of “Korytow” reservoir, located on Pisia-Gagolina river. In analyzed sediments concentrations of heavy metals was diversified due to their natural concentrations. Concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cd in upper layers were lower than concentrations in lower layers which means, that mean concentration of this metals in sediments is reducing. Concentration of Pb was balanced (117.1 mg/kg) in each sample core. Mean Pb concentration is much higher than natural geochemical background. Results of this work shows that concentration of toxic metals (Cd and Pb) in sediments was high. It confirms that water environment is polluted by heavy metals.Celem badań było oznaczenie zawartości Zn, Cu, Pb i Cd w osadach dennych zbiornika Korytów, zlokalizowanego na rzece Pisi-Gągolinie. W prowadzonych badaniach obserwowano duże zróżnicowanie stężeń czterech metali w odniesieniu do ich naturalnej zawartości. Stężenia Zn, Cu i Cd w warstwie powierzchniowej osadów były niższe niż w głębszych warstwach, co świadczy o redukcji średniej zawartości metali w osadach. Zawartość ołowiu była wyrównana w głąb osadów (117,1 mg/kg), przekraczając znacznie poziom tła geochemicznego środowiska. Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników można stwierdzić, że osady charakteryzowały się wysoką zawartością toksycznych metali (Cd i Pb). Potwierdza to znaczne zanieczyszczenie środowiska wodnego metalami

The proton beam energy measurement by a time-of-flight method

A simple TOF equipment for cyclotron protons beam energy measurement was constructed. For short distance of 165 cm between capacitive pick-up probes, the accuracy of proton beam energy is below 1% for mean beam currents above 200 nA and within the energy range 20 30 MeV

Use of speciation analysis for monitoring heavy metals in the bottom sediments of the Utrata River

Określono ruchliwość wybranych metali ciężkich w osadach dennych pobranych z rzeki Utraty. Do procesu ekstrakcji sekwencyjnej wg Tessiera wykorzystano powietrznie suchy osad o średnicy ziaren >90 žm. W poszczególnych ekstraktach oznaczano zawartość Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd wykorzystując technikę FAAS. Spośród badanych metali w osadach dennych największą biodostępnością charakteryzował się metal o największej toksyczności - kadm. Również cynk i ołów głównie wiązane były z frakcjami ruchliwymi, co wskazuje na możliwość ich uruchamiania do toni wodnej. Najmniejszą ruchliwością charakteryzowała się miedź, występująca w znacznych ilościach w połączeniach z frakcją organiczną. Na podstawie analizy udziału w ogólnej zawartości dwóch najbardziej ruchliwych form, biodostępność badanych metali uszeregowano w kolejności Cd>Zn>Pb>Cu. Uzyskane dane zostaną wykorzystane w dalszych badaniach dotyczących migracji zdeponowanych metali w układzie toń wodna-osady denne.Some heavy metals found in the bottom sediments of the Utrata River were analyzed for mobility. Tessier's sequential extraction procedure was carried out using air-dried sediments with grain diameters greater than 90 žm. Concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd in particular extracts were measured by means of the FAAS technique. Among the heavy metals examined, the most toxic one, namely cadmium, was characterized by the highest mobility. Zinc and lead tended to form complexes with mobile fractions, which is an indication of their potential for desorption to water. Copper, which occurred in great amounts in complexes with the organic fraction, exhibited the lowest mobility. Taking into account the percentage of two metals with the highest mobility in the total heavy metal content, the bio-availability of the heavy metals examined was arranged in the following order: Cd>Zn>Pb>Cu. The data obtained will be used in further research on the migration of the deposited heavy metals within the water depths-bottom sediments system

New method of pure 111In production by proton-induced nuclear reactions with enriched 112 Sn

We aimed at finding out a simple and reliable way of 111In production with the highest radionuclide purity from its grand parent 111Sb and parent 111Sn nuclei, produced by the 112Sn(p,2n)111Sb and 112Sn(p,pn)111Sn reactions, respectively. The target was a metallic 112Sn sample enriched to 84%. We have measured activation cross sections for seven reactions on an enriched 112Sn sample induced by 23.6 š 0.8 MeV energy protons. Gamma-ray spectroscopy with high-purity germanium detectors has been used. We also identified the activities of 55Co (T1/2 = 17.5 h) and 60Cu (T1/2 = 23.7 min) in proton beam monitoring Ni foils, induced in the natNi(p,X)55Co and natNi(p,X)60Cu reactions at 22.8 MeV proton energy. The cross sections determined for these reactions are: s[natNi(p,X)55Co] = 36.6 š 4 mb and s[natNi(p,X)60Cu] = 64.4 š 7 mb. The measured cross sections of reactions on tin isotopes are: sigma[112Sn(p,n)112Sb] = 4 š 0.8 mb; sigma[112Sn(p,2n)111Sb] = 182 š 26 mb; sigma[112Sn(p,pn)111Sn] = 307 š 35 mb; sigma[114Sn(p,2n)113Sb] = 442 š 52 mb; s[117Sn(p,n)117Sb] = 15 š 3 mb; sigma[117Sn(p,p’gamma)117mSn] = 0.37 š 0.06 mb; s[115Sn(p,2p)114m2In] = 0.01 š 0.002 mb. Our measurements indicated the expected yield of the 111In production to be 46 MBq/mAh (1.2 mCi/mi Ah). The contamination of 111In by the undesired nuclide 114m2In was determined and belongs to the smallest ones found in the literature. The measured cross sections were compared with theoretical calculations by two top-level nuclear reaction codes EMPIRE and TALYS

Original articlePersistent atrial fibrillation as a prognostic factor of outcome in patients with advanced heart failure

Wstęp: Niewydolność serca jest chorobą o wysokiej chorobowości i śmiertelności, rozpoznawaną coraz częściej. U 15–30% chorych ze skurczową niewydolnością serca (HF) współistnieje migotanie przedsionków (AF). Cel: Ustalenie, czy utrwalone AF jest niezależnym czynnikiem ryzyka zgonu oraz czy ma wpływ na stan kliniczny i rokowanie u chorych ze skurczową HF. Metoda: Analizą objęto 120 mężczyzn ze skurczową HF. U 35 (58%) chorych jej podłożem była choroba niedokrwienna serca, a u 25 (42%) kardiomiopatia rozstrzeniowa. Obecność względnie brak AF stanowiły kryterium podziału chorych na 2 grupy. Do grupy AF zaliczono 60 chorych z HF i AF. Do grupy kontrolnej 60 osób z HF i rytmem zatokowym (SR). Średni czas obserwacji wynosił 36 mies. Wyniki: Po 3 latach zmarło ogółem 59 (49%) pacjentów, z tego 33 (56%) w grupie z AF. Zgony występowały częściej u pacjentów, u których podłożem była choroba niedokrwienna serca (66% vs 34%). W grupie AF różnica ta osiągnęła istotność statystyczną (72% vs 28%, pIntroduction: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is associated with high morbidity and mortality and is diagnosed more and more frequently. Fifteen to 30% of patients with systolic CHF develop atrial fibrillation (AF). Aim: To establish whether persistent AF was an independent predictor of mortality, and had a predictive value with respect to late clinical outcomes in patients with systolic CHF. Methods: Analysis comprised 120 men with systolic CHF. In 35 (58%) patients CHF was the result of ischaemic heart disease and in 25 (42%) - idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Presence or absence of AF was a criterion of patients’ subsequent division into two subgroups. Sixty patients with AF were assigned to the AF group. The control group involved 60 individuals with CHF and sinus rhythm (SR) on enrolment. Mean follow-up time was 36 months. Results: Overall 59 (49%) patients died during 3-year follow-up, including 33 (56%) in the AF group. Deaths were noted more often in CHF patients with underlying ischaemic heart disease than DCM (66% vs 34%). This difference reached statistical significance in the AF group (72% vs 28%,

Production of 18F by proton irradiation of C6H6NF and C6H5NF2

Fluorin--18 can be produced directly by the (p,pn) reaction and also indirectly by the (p,2n) reaction on the 19F target. The overall cross section for both routes is 108 plus or minus 20 mb at 22.5 plus or minus 2.5 MeV. In this work, we obtained 18F, using 25 MeV protons on 2\--fluoroaniline and 2,4-difluoroaniline targets. The chemical separation yield was 46 š 7% and 47 plus or minus 12% for 2-fluoroaniline and 2,4-difluoroaniline, respectively. Low-current 1 h irradiations led to 90 mi Ci of 18F produced from 2-fluoroaniline bombarded with a 70 nA beam (in good agreement with the theoretical value, 96 mi Ci) and to 76 mi Ci of 18F in case of 2,4-difluoroaniline and a 33 nA beam (prediction 85 mi Ci). Both values are close to the thick target result reported by Dmitriev and Molin [4] for 22 MeV protons