The research in this project was directed, firstly towards gaining an understanding of the effect excited-state absorption (ESA) has on gain and lasing in broadly tunable Ce:LiLuF lasers and secondly towards the development of Ce:LiLuF lasers suitable for spectroscopic applications. Detailed measurements of the single-pass, small-signal gain in Ce:LiLuF were undertaken, with a gain coefficient as high as 30±1 cm^-1 at 309 nm, with an absorbed pump fluence of 0.46 Jcm^-2. Further, the ESA in Ce:LiLuF at 261 nm and 349 nm was measured. Using both the gain and ESA results in a computer model, the effective gain cross-sections at 309 nm and 327 nm and the ESA cross-sections at 261 nm, 309 nm, 327 nm and 349 nm were determined. The ESA cross-sections were found to be of the order of 10^-18 cm². The effective gain cross-section in Ce:LiLuF was found to increase with decreasing temperature. This was proposed to arise from a decrease in the ESA cross-section with decreasing temperature in the Ce:LiLuF. An in-depth parametric study of Ce:LiLuF laser operation and tunability was undertaken. The results of these studies, together with computer modelling, enabled the importance of ESA and other effects on lasing to be established. In particular, the gain competition effects and ESA were found to lead to inefficient laser operation unless σ-polarised lasing was suppressed. With polarisation selection, efficient operation was obtained, with continuous tunability between 305 nm - 335 nm. Narrow bandwidth operation of Ce:LiLuF for use in OH radical detection in the atmosphere was investigated. Narrow bandwidth operation was achieved for the first time in Ce:LiLuF using a Eittrow grating with a telescopic and prism beam expansion system. Tunable lasing between 306.5 nm and 311.5 nm was obtained, with a spectral bandwidth of 0.7 cm^-1. Finally, highly efficient Ce:LiLuF lasing was achieved with a new all-solid-state, 289 nm frequency-quadrupled Raman-shifted Nd:YAG laser. Slope efficiencies as high as 62±3% were achieved. This slope is believed to be the highest obtained in any cerium laser to date. The IR-to-UV conversion efficiency was 0.41% and the UV-to-UV conversion efficiency was 41%. These high efficiencies were attributed to high pump beam quality and good mode matching.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2008. / "December 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-87). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 1962. / "UC-34 Physics" -t.p. "TID-4500 (18th Ed.)" -t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-153).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / Lutetium oxide doped with europium oxide (Lu20 3:Eu3+) has been established to be a bright, dense scintillator materi al with vast potential in both medical and high resolution X-ray imaging applications. Unfortunately its commercial viability has been restricted due to the manufacturing and post treatment costs associated with device fabrication. This research was aimed at the development of two vapor deposition techniques; chemical and physical vapor deposition (CVD and PVD), to produce coatings of Lu203:Eu3+ for various X-ray imaging applications. A customized CVD process to codeposit Lu20 3 and Eu20 3 was developed using lutetium and europium chloride (LuCb and EuCI3) precursors and reacting with carbon dioxide (C02) and hydrogen (H2) . An in depth study was performed by systematically varying the process parameters to explore the deposition kinetics and identify the rate limiting steps and their effects on the growth morphology using both cold and hot wall CVD reactors. The activation energy for the kinetically limited deposition of Lu20 3 from the LuCI3 - Ar - C02 - H2 system was identified to be approximately 170 kJ/mol , which is significantly lower than expected. The predominant growth orientations were identified to be { 111} and { 100} , depending on the deposition conditions. As the temperature is increased, the growth orientation preference decreases to produce a randomly oriented growth at 1150°C. The scintillation and X-ray imaging characteristics of a co-deposited Lu203:Eu3+ thin film with a {100} orientation were measured, confirming the feasibility and applicability of the CVD system to produce thick scintillator x-ray imaging devices. A fundamental study of the PVD process was performed by sputtering of Lu203:Eu3+ using a single target magnetron sputtering gun. Systematic vatiations of the deposition parameters were used to understand the effect of the ejected flux kinetic energies and deposition rate on the deposit density, stress, optical and scintillation properties. The deposition system was subsequently optimized for rapid, dense growth of a 10 um thick Lu203:Eu3+ coating at elevated temperatures. The X-ray imaging properties were measured and the results yielded an X-ray imaging resolution slightly better than 1 um with the potential for 0.5 um with further optimization, a level never before attained.

Lutetium 177 ions were implanted in iron and nickel foils using a mass separator. The rotations of the angular correlation pattern caused by the hyperfine fields acting on the implanted nuclei were measured for the 71-250 keV and the 208-113 keV cascades in the beta-decay product Hafnium 177. Using measured data, the g-factor for the 250 keV spin 11/2, second excited state in Hf177 was determined, as were the internal fields acting on the Hf177 impurity in iron and nickel. The results are as follows: g11/2 = 0.277 ± 0.080 HFe(int) = -133 ± 7 k0e HNi(int) = -58.6 ± 8 k0e / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

No description available.

Gliomas malignos são tumores cerebrais primários, resistentes a vários tratamentos, como quimioterapia, radioterapia, indução de apoptose e cirurgia. Uma alternativa para o tratamento dos gliomas malignos é a terapia radionuclídea. Essa técnica utiliza moléculas radiomarcadas que se ligam seletivamente às células tumorais e nelas depositam dose citotóxica de radiação, provocando a morte das células doentes. A maioria dos protocolos de terapia radionuclídea para tumores cerebrais malignos envolve a administração de peptídeos marcados com radioisótopos emissores -. A substância P (SP) é um neuropeptídeo de 11 aminoácidos, da família das taquicininas, caracterizada pela sequência C-terminal Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2. A SP radiomarcada com diferentes radioisótopos, inclusive Lutécio-177, tem sido descrita e proposta para tratamento in vivo de tumores. A SP é o ligante mais importante dos receptores de neuroquinina tipo 1, superexpressos em gliomas malignos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as condições de marcação de SP-DOTA com 177Lu, a estabilidade do composto marcado e suas propriedades in vitro e in vivo, a fim de desenvolver um protocolo de produção e avaliar o potencial do radiofármaco para terapia de gliomas. As condições de marcação foram otimizadas variando-se temperatura, tempo de reação, atividade de cloreto de lutécio-177 e massa de SP-DOTA e analisou-se a pureza radioquímica das preparações por meio de técnicas cromatográficas. A estabilidade da SP-DOTA-177Lu radiomarcada com baixa atividade de 177Lu foi avaliada por diferentes tempos a 2 - 8 ºC ou incubadas em soro humano a 37 ºC. A estabilidade das marcações com alta atividade de 177Lu também foi analisada na presença de ácido gentísico (6 mg/mL) adicionado após a reação de marcação. As condições de marcação em baixa e alta atividade foram submetidas à avaliação quanto à possibilidade de oxidação do resíduo de metionina, adicionando o aminoácido D-Lmetionina (6 mg/mL) ao meio de reação e posterior avaliação cromatográfica. Estudo in vitro com SP-DOTA-177Lu, radiomarcada na ausência e presença de metionina, utilizando células de glioma humano M059J e U-87 MG, verificou o efeito da oxidação da metionina sobre a ligação às células. Estudos de biodistribuição foram realizados em camundongos Nude com modelo tumoral e em camundongos Balb-c sadios. Obteve-se a maior pureza radioquímica (> 95 %) associada à maior atividade específica de SP-DOTA-177Lu quando o tempo de reação foi de 30 minutos, temperatura de 90 ºC, massa de SP-DOTA de 10 g e a atividade do 177Lu de 185 MBq. A SP radiomarcada em condições otimizadas manteve-se estável a 2 - 8 ºC e em soro humano por 4 horas. Os estudos in vitro demonstraram ligação aos receptores celulares e essa ligação mostrou-se reduzida quando o peptídeo apresenta-se em sua forma oxidada. A adição de metionina combinada com ácido gentísico preveniu a oxidação peptídica e assegurou-se a estabilidade do composto marcado, principalmente com alta atividade de 177Lu, quando se utilizou maior massa de SP-DOTA. Nos estudos in vivo, os resultados mostraram uma cinética de biodistribuição favorável do composto e capacidade de ligação às células tumorais. SP-DOTA-177Lu pode ser uma ferramenta útil para estudos in vivo devido à facilidade de preparação, alta estabilidade e afinidade pelas células tumorais. / Malignant gliomas are primary brain tumors, resistant to various treatments, as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, induction of apoptosis and surgery. An alternative for the treatment of malignant gliomas is the radionuclide therapy. This technique apply radiolabeled molecules that selectively bind to tumor cells producing cytotoxic effect by dose irradiation, and resulting in death of tumor cells. Most protocols for radionuclide therapy of malignant brain tumors involve the administration of peptides labeled with - emitting radioisotopes. The Substance P (SP) is an 11- amino acid neuropeptide, characterized by the C-terminal sequence Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2. The use of SP labeled with different radionuclides including 177Lu, have been proposed for in vivo treatment of tumors. SP is the most important target of neurokinin 1 receptors, overexpressed in malignant gliomas. The objective of this work was to study conditions of radiolabeling DOTA-SP with 177Lu, the stability of labeled compound and in vivo and in vitro, to develop a protocol production and evaluate the potential of the radiopharmaceutical in the therapy of gliomas. The labeling conditions were optimized varying the temperature, reaction time, activity of lutetium-177 chloride and mass of DOTA-SP. The radiochemical purity of preparations were analyzed by chromatographic techniques. The stability of 177Lu -DOTA- SP radiolabeled with low activity of 177Lu was evaluated for different time at 2-8 °C or incubated in human serum. The stability of the labeled with high activity of 177Lu was also analyzed in the presence of gentisic acid (6 mg / mL) added after the labeling reaction. The labeled conditions in low and high activity were subjected to evaluation for the ability to cause oxidation of methionine residue, adding the D-L- methionine amino acid to the reaction medium (6 mg / mL) and subsequent chromatographic evaluation. In vitro study with 177Lu-DOTA-SP, radiolabeled in the absence and presence of methionine, using human M059J U-87 MG glioma cells and, showed the effect of oxidation of methionine on the cells binding. Biodistribution studies were performed in Nude mice with tumor model and Balb-c mice. Highest radiochemical purity (> 95%) associated with the highest specific activity of 177Lu-DOTA-SP when the reaction time was 30 minutes, temperature of 90 °C, 10 g of DOTA-SP, and the activity of 177Lu of 185 MBq. The radiolabeled SP in optimized conditions remained stable at 2-8 °C and in human serum for 4 hours. In vitro studies showed the binding to cell receptors and this binding was reduced when the peptide was presented in its oxidized form. The addition of methionine combined with gentisic acid prevented the oxidation of peptide and increased the stability of the labeled compound, particularly with high activity of 177Lu, when using larger mass of DOTA-SP. In vivo studies results showed a favorable biodistribution kinetics of the compound and ability to bind to tumor cells. 177Lu-DOTA-SP can be a useful tool for in vivo studies due to ease preparation, high stability and affinity for tumor cells.

Gliomas malignos são tumores cerebrais primários, resistentes a vários tratamentos, como quimioterapia, radioterapia, indução de apoptose e cirurgia. Uma alternativa para o tratamento dos gliomas malignos é a terapia radionuclídea. Essa técnica utiliza moléculas radiomarcadas que se ligam seletivamente às células tumorais e nelas depositam dose citotóxica de radiação, provocando a morte das células doentes. A maioria dos protocolos de terapia radionuclídea para tumores cerebrais malignos envolve a administração de peptídeos marcados com radioisótopos emissores -. A substância P (SP) é um neuropeptídeo de 11 aminoácidos, da família das taquicininas, caracterizada pela sequência C-terminal Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2. A SP radiomarcada com diferentes radioisótopos, inclusive Lutécio-177, tem sido descrita e proposta para tratamento in vivo de tumores. A SP é o ligante mais importante dos receptores de neuroquinina tipo 1, superexpressos em gliomas malignos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as condições de marcação de SP-DOTA com 177Lu, a estabilidade do composto marcado e suas propriedades in vitro e in vivo, a fim de desenvolver um protocolo de produção e avaliar o potencial do radiofármaco para terapia de gliomas. As condições de marcação foram otimizadas variando-se temperatura, tempo de reação, atividade de cloreto de lutécio-177 e massa de SP-DOTA e analisou-se a pureza radioquímica das preparações por meio de técnicas cromatográficas. A estabilidade da SP-DOTA-177Lu radiomarcada com baixa atividade de 177Lu foi avaliada por diferentes tempos a 2 - 8 ºC ou incubadas em soro humano a 37 ºC. A estabilidade das marcações com alta atividade de 177Lu também foi analisada na presença de ácido gentísico (6 mg/mL) adicionado após a reação de marcação. As condições de marcação em baixa e alta atividade foram submetidas à avaliação quanto à possibilidade de oxidação do resíduo de metionina, adicionando o aminoácido D-Lmetionina (6 mg/mL) ao meio de reação e posterior avaliação cromatográfica. Estudo in vitro com SP-DOTA-177Lu, radiomarcada na ausência e presença de metionina, utilizando células de glioma humano M059J e U-87 MG, verificou o efeito da oxidação da metionina sobre a ligação às células. Estudos de biodistribuição foram realizados em camundongos Nude com modelo tumoral e em camundongos Balb-c sadios. Obteve-se a maior pureza radioquímica (> 95 %) associada à maior atividade específica de SP-DOTA-177Lu quando o tempo de reação foi de 30 minutos, temperatura de 90 ºC, massa de SP-DOTA de 10 g e a atividade do 177Lu de 185 MBq. A SP radiomarcada em condições otimizadas manteve-se estável a 2 - 8 ºC e em soro humano por 4 horas. Os estudos in vitro demonstraram ligação aos receptores celulares e essa ligação mostrou-se reduzida quando o peptídeo apresenta-se em sua forma oxidada. A adição de metionina combinada com ácido gentísico preveniu a oxidação peptídica e assegurou-se a estabilidade do composto marcado, principalmente com alta atividade de 177Lu, quando se utilizou maior massa de SP-DOTA. Nos estudos in vivo, os resultados mostraram uma cinética de biodistribuição favorável do composto e capacidade de ligação às células tumorais. SP-DOTA-177Lu pode ser uma ferramenta útil para estudos in vivo devido à facilidade de preparação, alta estabilidade e afinidade pelas células tumorais. / Malignant gliomas are primary brain tumors, resistant to various treatments, as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, induction of apoptosis and surgery. An alternative for the treatment of malignant gliomas is the radionuclide therapy. This technique apply radiolabeled molecules that selectively bind to tumor cells producing cytotoxic effect by dose irradiation, and resulting in death of tumor cells. Most protocols for radionuclide therapy of malignant brain tumors involve the administration of peptides labeled with - emitting radioisotopes. The Substance P (SP) is an 11- amino acid neuropeptide, characterized by the C-terminal sequence Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2. The use of SP labeled with different radionuclides including 177Lu, have been proposed for in vivo treatment of tumors. SP is the most important target of neurokinin 1 receptors, overexpressed in malignant gliomas. The objective of this work was to study conditions of radiolabeling DOTA-SP with 177Lu, the stability of labeled compound and in vivo and in vitro, to develop a protocol production and evaluate the potential of the radiopharmaceutical in the therapy of gliomas. The labeling conditions were optimized varying the temperature, reaction time, activity of lutetium-177 chloride and mass of DOTA-SP. The radiochemical purity of preparations were analyzed by chromatographic techniques. The stability of 177Lu -DOTA- SP radiolabeled with low activity of 177Lu was evaluated for different time at 2-8 °C or incubated in human serum. The stability of the labeled with high activity of 177Lu was also analyzed in the presence of gentisic acid (6 mg / mL) added after the labeling reaction. The labeled conditions in low and high activity were subjected to evaluation for the ability to cause oxidation of methionine residue, adding the D-L- methionine amino acid to the reaction medium (6 mg / mL) and subsequent chromatographic evaluation. In vitro study with 177Lu-DOTA-SP, radiolabeled in the absence and presence of methionine, using human M059J U-87 MG glioma cells and, showed the effect of oxidation of methionine on the cells binding. Biodistribution studies were performed in Nude mice with tumor model and Balb-c mice. Highest radiochemical purity (> 95%) associated with the highest specific activity of 177Lu-DOTA-SP when the reaction time was 30 minutes, temperature of 90 °C, 10 g of DOTA-SP, and the activity of 177Lu of 185 MBq. The radiolabeled SP in optimized conditions remained stable at 2-8 °C and in human serum for 4 hours. In vitro studies showed the binding to cell receptors and this binding was reduced when the peptide was presented in its oxidized form. The addition of methionine combined with gentisic acid prevented the oxidation of peptide and increased the stability of the labeled compound, particularly with high activity of 177Lu, when using larger mass of DOTA-SP. In vivo studies results showed a favorable biodistribution kinetics of the compound and ability to bind to tumor cells. 177Lu-DOTA-SP can be a useful tool for in vivo studies due to ease preparation, high stability and affinity for tumor cells.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Physics and Astronomy. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Vita. "August 2007" Includes bibliographical references.