Covariant density functional theory (CDFT) is one of the modern theoretical tools for the description of finite nuclei and neutron stars. Its performance is defined by underlying covariant energy density functionals (CEDFs) which depend on a number of parameters. Several investigations within the CDFT framework using the relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (RHB) approach are discussed in this dissertation. Statistical errors in ground state observables and single-particle properties of spherical even-even nuclei and their propagation to the limits of nuclear landscape have been investigated in the covariant energy density functionals with nonlinear density dependency. The parametric correlations are studied in different classes of CEDFs; the elimination of these correlations reduces the number of independent parameters to five or six without affecting the performance of CEDFs on a global scale. Moreover, this study reveals the need to include information on deformed nuclei for the improvement of fitting protocols. A new technique for incorporating deformed nuclei data into the fitting protocol is described. Different CEDFs are optimized using this approach, resulting in a significant improvement in the nuclear mass description. A systematic investigation of the ground state and fission properties of even-even actinides and superheavy nuclei with proton numbers Z = 90 - 120 located between the two-proton and two-neutron drip lines has been performed. These results provide a necessary theoretical input for the modeling of the nuclear astrophysical rapid neutron capture process (r-process) taking place in the mergers of neutron stars. The state-of-the-art CEDFs, namely, DD-PC1, DD-ME2, NL3*, and PC-PK1, are employed in this study. Theoretical systematic uncertainties in the physical observables and their evolution as a function of proton and neutron numbers have been quantified and their major sources have been identified. The extension of the nuclear landscape to hyperheavy nuclei is investigated. The transition from ellipsoidal-like nuclear shapes to toroidal shapes is crucial for the potential expansion of the nuclear landscape to hyperheavy nuclei. The physical reasons for the stability of toroidal nuclei in the Z ~ 134 region are discussed.

Covariant density functional theory (CDFT) is one of the modern theoretical tools for describing the nuclear structure physics of finite nuclei. Its performance is defined by underlying covariant energy density functionals (CEDFs). In this dissertation and within the framework of the CDFT, different physical properties of the ground and the excited states of rotating and non-rotating nuclei have been investigated. A systematic global investigation of pairing properties based on all available experimental data on pairing indicators has been performed for the first time in the framework of covariant density functional theory. It is based on separable pairing interaction of Ref.\ \cite{TMR.09}. The optimization of the scaling factors of this interaction to experimental data clearly reveals its isospin dependence in the neutron subsystem. However, the situation is less certain in the proton subsystem since similar accuracy of the description of pairing indicators can be achieved both with isospin-dependent and mass-dependent scaling factors. The differences in the functional dependencies of scaling factors lead to the uncertainties in the prediction of proton and neutron pairing properties which are especially pronounced at high isospin and could have a significant impact on some physical observables. Although the present investigation is based on the NL5(E) covariant energy density functional (CEDF), its general conclusions are expected to be valid also for other CEDFs built at the Hartree level. It is shown for the first time that rotational bands which are proton unbound at zero or low spins can be transformed into proton bound ones at high spin by collective rotation of nuclear systems. This is due to strong Coriolis interaction, which acts on high-$N$ or strongly mixed M orbitals and drives the highest in energy occupied single-particle states of nucleonic configurations into the negative energy domain. Proton emission from such proton bound rotational states is suppressed by the disappearance of static pairing correlations at high spins of interest. These physical mechanisms lead to a substantial extension of the nuclear landscape beyond the spin zero proton drip line. In addition, a new phenomenon of the formation of giant proton halos in rotating nuclei emerges: it is triggered by the occupation of strongly mixed M intruder orbitals. Possible experimental fingerprints of the transition from particle bound to particle unbound part of rotational bands are discussed and compared for proton and neutron rich nuclei near and beyond respective drip lines.

Immunohistological (IHC) stained images occupy a fundamental role in the pathologist's diagnosis and monitoring of cancer development. The manual process of monitoring such images is a subjective, time consuming process that typically relies on the visual ability and experience level of the pathologist. A novel and comprehensive system for the automated quantification of antibody inside stained cell nuclei in immunohistochemistry images is proposed and demonstrated in this research. The system is based on a cellular level approach, where each nucleus is individually analyzed to observe the effects of protein antibodies inside the nuclei. The system provides three main quantitative descriptions of stained nuclei. The first quantitative measurement automatically generates the total number of cell nuclei in an image. The second measure classifies the positive and negative stained nuclei based on the nuclei colour, morphological and textural features. Such features are extracted directly from each nucleus to provide discriminative characteristics of different stained nuclei. The output generated from the first and second quantitative measures are used collectively to calculate the percentage of positive nuclei (PS). The third measure proposes a novel automated method for determining the staining intensity level of positive nuclei or what is known as the intensity score (IS). The minor intensity features are observed and used to classify low, intermediate and high stained positive nuclei. Statistical methods were applied throughout the research to validate the system results against the ground truth pathology data. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach and provide high accuracy when compared to the ground truth pathology data.

Foram realizadas medidas de espalhamento para o sistema 7Be + 9Be em ECM = 13 MeV (Elab = 23,1 MeV). A experiência foi realizada utilizando o acelerador Pelletron do Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo em conjunto com o sistema RIBRAS (Radioactive Ion Beams in Brasil). As seções de choque 9Be(7Be,7Be)9Be e de transferência elástica 9Be(7Be,9Be)7Be foram obtidas e utilizadas na construção da distribuição angular completa, na região angular entre 15° até 160°. Cálculos com modelo óptico foram realizados utilizando diversos potenciais encontrados na literatura. Devido à energia do primeiro estado excitado do 7Be (Ex = 0,429 MeV) ser menor que a resolução energética do experimento, a seção de choque elástica não pode ser separada experimentalmente da inelástica, porém, através de cálculos de canais acoplados foi comprovado que o espalhamento inelástico não tem influência considerável na distribuição angular elástica. Por fim, através de cálculos de DWBA para a transferência elástica, foram obtidos fatores espectroscópicos de dois nêutrons no 9Be . Os resultados indicam que os potenciais de espalhamento e do estado ligado têm grande influência no canal de transferência elástica. / 7Be + 9Be scattering measurements were performed at ECM = 13 MeV (Elab = 23.1 MeV). The experiment was carried out in the 8UD Pelletron accelerator of the Institute of Physics of the University of São Paulo with the RIBRAS (Radioactive Ion Beams in Brasil) system. The elastic 9Be(7Be,7Be)9Be and elastic transfer 9Be(7Be,9Be)7Be cross sections were obtained and used to construct the complete angular distribution, in the angular range from 15°$ to 160°. Optical model calculations were performed using several optical potentials from the literature. Due to the first low lying excited state of 7Be (Ex = 0.429 MeV) the elastic cross section cannot be experimentally separated of the inelastic part. However, coupled channel calculations show that the contribution of the inelastic scattering has no major influence on the elastic angular distribution. Finally, the DWBA calculations for elastic transfer provide the two neutrons spectroscopic factors in 9Be. The results indicate that the transfer channel is sensitive to the bound state and optical potentials used in the analysis.

Foram realizadas medidas de espalhamento para o sistema 7Be + 9Be em ECM = 13 MeV (Elab = 23,1 MeV). A experiência foi realizada utilizando o acelerador Pelletron do Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo em conjunto com o sistema RIBRAS (Radioactive Ion Beams in Brasil). As seções de choque 9Be(7Be,7Be)9Be e de transferência elástica 9Be(7Be,9Be)7Be foram obtidas e utilizadas na construção da distribuição angular completa, na região angular entre 15° até 160°. Cálculos com modelo óptico foram realizados utilizando diversos potenciais encontrados na literatura. Devido à energia do primeiro estado excitado do 7Be (Ex = 0,429 MeV) ser menor que a resolução energética do experimento, a seção de choque elástica não pode ser separada experimentalmente da inelástica, porém, através de cálculos de canais acoplados foi comprovado que o espalhamento inelástico não tem influência considerável na distribuição angular elástica. Por fim, através de cálculos de DWBA para a transferência elástica, foram obtidos fatores espectroscópicos de dois nêutrons no 9Be . Os resultados indicam que os potenciais de espalhamento e do estado ligado têm grande influência no canal de transferência elástica. / 7Be + 9Be scattering measurements were performed at ECM = 13 MeV (Elab = 23.1 MeV). The experiment was carried out in the 8UD Pelletron accelerator of the Institute of Physics of the University of São Paulo with the RIBRAS (Radioactive Ion Beams in Brasil) system. The elastic 9Be(7Be,7Be)9Be and elastic transfer 9Be(7Be,9Be)7Be cross sections were obtained and used to construct the complete angular distribution, in the angular range from 15°$ to 160°. Optical model calculations were performed using several optical potentials from the literature. Due to the first low lying excited state of 7Be (Ex = 0.429 MeV) the elastic cross section cannot be experimentally separated of the inelastic part. However, coupled channel calculations show that the contribution of the inelastic scattering has no major influence on the elastic angular distribution. Finally, the DWBA calculations for elastic transfer provide the two neutrons spectroscopic factors in 9Be. The results indicate that the transfer channel is sensitive to the bound state and optical potentials used in the analysis.

De nombreux patients parkinsoniens souffrent de troubles du sommeil, et à un stade avancé de troubles de la marche dopa-résistants. Des résultats expérimentaux et cliniques orientent vers un dysfonctionnement de la région locomotrice mésencéphalique (MLR) formée des noyaux pédonculopontin (PPN) et cunéiforme (CuN). La stimulation cérébrale profonde du PPN chez les patients parkinsoniens ayant des troubles de la marche modifiant aussi l'architecture du sommeil, un dysfonctionnement de ce noyau pourrait expliquer en partie ces symptômes. Afin d'étudier l'anatomie et le rôle du PPN et du CuN à l'état normal et à l'état parkinsonien, ce projet a associé une étude comportementale et anatomique de la MLR. Axe comportemental. Nous avons analysé les troubles du sommeil dans un modèle primate de maladie de Parkinson avancée, puis l'effet du traitement dopaminergique et de la mélatonine, et d'une lésion cholinergique du PPN surajoutée. Les troubles du sommeil sont similaires à ceux observés chez les patients, et améliorés par la L-dopa et la mélatonine. La lésion du PPN aggrave les troubles du sommeil en aigu, puis améliore la qualité du sommeil à distance. Axe anatomique. Nous avons défini l'hodologie du PPN et du CuN chez le singe et l'homme en fonction des trois territoires anatomo-fonctionnels des ganglions de la base. Le PPN intègre des informations très diverses (sensori-motrices, associatives et limbiques), le CuN est impliqué dans un réseau limbique. L'innervation cholinergique du PPN sur le NST a été caractérisée en microscopie optique et électronique chez le singe et l'homme, afin de préciser leur implication dans les effets cliniques de la stimulation du NST. / Parkinsonian patients suffer from disabling sleep disorders, and at an advanced stage gait disorders become resistant to dopaminergic treatment. Evidence from experimental and clinical studies consider the implication of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR), associating the pedunculopontine (PPN) and the cuneiform nuclei (CuN). Deep brain stimulation in this regionto treat doparesistant gait disorders in parkinsonian patients, was shown to improve sleep parameters. Dysfunction of this network could explain part of the pathophysiology of these symptoms. In order to have an anatomo-functional study of the PPN and the CuN at normal and parkinsonian state, this project has associated a behavioral axis in monkeys and an anatomic axis in monkeys and humans. Behavioral study. Sleep disorders have been analyzed in an advanced Parkinson disease primate model. These symptoms were improved with dopaminergic treatment and melatonin.After a cholinergic PPN lesion, there was an acute worsening of the symptoms, which improved three weeks after. Anatomic study. We analyzed the connections between the PPN and the CuN relating to the three anatomo-functional territories of the basal ganglia in monkeys and humans. The PPN integrated information from the three territories (sensori-motor, associative and limbic), compared to the CuN which connected to limbic territories. We then studied the subthalamic cholinergic innervation from the PPN at optic and ultra-structural level in monkeys and humans, comparing it with the dopaminergic innervation. Our results showed a homogeneous cholinergic innervation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) compared to the heterogeneous dopaminergic innervation.

Supermassive black holes, black holes with masses <106 Msun, are found at the centers of all massive galaxies. These massive black holes grew from smaller seed black holes through accretion events. Accreting black holes are very bright in the radio through very hard X-ray spectral regimes. Due to the location of these accreting black holes at the centers of galaxies, they are referred to as active galactic nuclei (AGN). It is understood that AGN are an important phase of galaxy evolution; however, the role of AGN in massive galaxy formation is very poorly constrained. Here, the unique tool of multi-wavelength population synthesis modeling is used to study the average properties of AGN and their host galaxies with a focus on host galaxy star formation and the role of black hole growth in galaxy evolution. Knowledge of the AGN population from deep X-ray surveys is combined with theoretical AGN spectral energy distributions to predict various observables of the AGN population in wavelength regions from the far infrared to very hard X-rays. Comparison of the model predictions to observations constrains the model input parameters and allows for the determination of average properties of the AGN population. Particular attention is paid to a special class of AGN known as Compton thick AGN. These AGN are deeply embedded in gas and dust such that the column density obscuring the line of sight to the central engine of the AGN exceeds 1/σT ~ 10²⁴ cm⁻², where σT is the Thomson cross-section of the electron---a column density comparable to that of the human chest. Theoretical and simulational evidence suggest that these Compton thick AGN may be recently triggered, rapidly accreting AGN, making them of special interest to researchers. I found that Compton thick AGN are likely to contribute ~20% of the peak of the cosmic X-ray background (XRB) at ~30 keV and demonstrated that a significant portion of Compton thick AGN may be accreting very rapidly. Moreover, Compton thick AGN do not appear to follow the orientation based unified model of AGN. According to the unified model, AGN exhibit a range of obscuration levels due to a dusty 'torus' which, depending on the orientation of the torus to the observer's line of sight, may obscure the central engine of the AGN. Upon further investigation into the stellar populations of AGN host galaxies, it appears that the unified model holds in general at z < 1, but not at z > 1. I found that this is likely due to the dominant triggering mechanism of AGN switching from major mergers at z > 1.5 to secular processes by z ~ 1.

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Durant le milieu des années quatre-vingt, le développement des faisceaux radioactifs a permis l’étude de noyaux exotiques situés à la limite de la stabilité nucléaire. Parmi ceux-ci, l’6He possède une structure particulière constituée d’un cœur α et de deux neutrons de valence faiblement liés. Il fait partie des noyaux à halo. Il s’agit également d’un système possédant au moins un état lié à trois amas (α+n+n) alors qu’aucun des sous-systèmes à deux amas (α+n ou n+n) n’est lié. Un tel système est dit borroméen. Deux autres exemples de systèmes borroméens sont le 9Be=n+α+α et le 12C=α+α+α. Les noyaux borroméens possèdent un ou deux états liés dont les propriétés sont maintenant bien connues. En revanche, les propriétés des états du continu le sont moins. Il existe aussi des systèmes à trois amas non liés mais caractérisés par une ou plusieurs résonances étroites à basse énergie. Par exemple, nous pouvons citer le 6Be=α+p+p et le 9B=p+α+α qui sont les noyaux miroirs de l’6He et du 9Be. L’étude des états du continu à trois corps est un sujet important de la recherche en physique nucléaire actuelle.<p><p>D’un point de vue théorique, les modèles en amas permettent de décrire les noyaux possédant une structure à plusieurs corps. En particulier, les modèles en amas microscopiques tiennent compte de tous les nucléons et le principe de Pauli est traité de manière exacte à l’aide de l’opérateur d’antisymmétrisation. Les modèles microscopiques, plus réalistes, requièrent de longs temps de calculs et sont difficiles à implémenter.<p><p>Dans le présent travail, nous avons développé une méthode de calcul semi-analytique plus rapide et plus précise qu’une méthode purement numérique. Notre modèle est basé sur la méthode des coordonnées génératrices dans le formalisme hypersphérique. Les états du continu sont étudiés à l’aide de la méthode des déphasages. Ces derniers sont obtenus à partir de la méthode de la matrice R microscopique.<p><p>Avec ce modèle, nous avons étudié les effets d’antisymmétrisation dans les noyaux d’6He, 6Be, 9Be, 9B et 12C. Nous avons montré que ces effets restent non négligeables mêmes à grandes distances dans le cas des noyaux 9Be, 9B et du 12C. <p><p>Nous avons ensuite étudié les états du continu du 6He et du 6Be. Nous avons déterminé des valeurs théoriques pour les propriétés des résonances connues expérimentalement. Nos résultats sont en bon accord avec l’expérience. Nous avons également observé des structures larges dans les déphases associés aux états 0+ et 1- de l’6He et 1- du 6Be.<p><p>Finalement, nous avons étudié les états du 12C à travers la collision 8Be+α. Dans notre calcul, le 8Be est considéré comme un système comportant deux amas α. Nous avons montré que les états 2+ et 4+ du 8Be devaient être pris en compte pour une étude appropriée des états 0+, 2+ et 4+ du 12C. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished