Cette étude présente la conception d’agents pour la radiothérapie et la Tomographie par Emission de Positrons (TEP). Les agents bimodaux envisagés sont constitués de deux parties : la partie uracile et la partie diamsar (1,8-diamino-3,6,10,13,16,19- hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]eicosane) qui complexerait le 64Cu2+ ou le 67Cu2+. Durant la conception de ces agents bimodaux, nous avons examiné indépendamment les deux parties. Dans un premier temps, l’introduction de différents groupements benzyliques sur les amines primaires du diamsar ont permis d’étudier les changements dans les propriétés de complexation des ions métalliques (Cu2+, Co2+ et Cd2+) par les ligands. Quant aux dérivés correspondant à la partie uracile, leur stabilité a été étudiée à pression atmosphérique puis dans un système de vide à très basse pression par entraînement dans un jet d’hélium. Lors de l’introduction à leur état gazeux par le jet d’hélium, aucune dissociation thermique ne fut observée par spectrométrie de masse couplée avec la technique de « time of flight ». La réussite de cette introduction démontre clairement que les études d’interactions entre l’électron ou le positron de basse énergie et ces dérivés de l’uracile peuvent être réalisées pour des études ultérieures de l’attachement dissociatif des électrons ou de l’annihilation de positron. / The design of PET-radiotherapy agent investigation is reported. These envisaged bimodal agents are based on two moieties: the uracil moiety and the diamsar (1,8-diamino-3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]eicosane) moiety that could complex 64Cu2+ or 67Cu2+. In the design of bimodal agents, the two moieties are investigated independently. Firstly, diamsar derivatives with various benzyl groups linked to the primary amines are synthesized. Therefore, the influence of these changes on the complexation of metal ions (Cu2+, Co2+ and Cd2+) is established. In the other hand, the stability of the synthesized uracil derivatives is first investigated at atmospheric pressure followed by their introduction into a high vacuum system by seeding into a helium jet. Through time of flight mass spectroscopy (TOFMS), no thermal dissociation is observed in their gas phase during the heating phase of introduction in the helium jet. This successful introduction clearly demonstrates that interaction studies between low energy electron or positron and these uracil derivatives could be performed for dissociative electron attachment (DEA) or positron annihilation studies.

In this conceptual report the idea to establish an European Positron Source for Applied Research ("EPOS") based on new LINAC facilities in Germany (ELBE/Rossendorf or TTF-DESY/Hamburg) is considered. The report contains not only the outline of obvious applications in atomic physics, materials science and surface physics, but also several new methodical developments which are only possible with an intense positron beam. This opportunity will also allow the use and further development of imaging techniques being of special interest for industrial applications.

No description available.

Introduction. Aortic stenosis is characterised both by progressive narrowing of the valve and the hypertrophic response of the left ventricle. The purpose of this thesis was to study the contribution of inflammation and calcification to valve narrowing using Positron Emission and Computed Tomography (PET/CT) and to investigate the hypertrophic response using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Methods. PET/CT studies. Patients with aortic sclerosis and mild, moderate and severe stenosis were prospectively compared to matched control subjects. Aortic valve severity was determined by echocardiography. Calcification and inflammation in the aortic valve and coronary arteries were assessed by sodium 18-­‐fluoride (18F-­‐NaF) and 18-­‐fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-­‐FDG) uptake using PET. CMR studies. Consecutive patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis undergoing CMR were enrolled into a registry. Patients who received gadolinium contrast were categorised into absent, mid-­‐ wall or infarct patterns of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by blinded independent observers. Patients follow-­‐up was completed using patient questionnaires, source record data and the National Strategic Tracing Scheme. After excluding those patients with concomitant triggers to LV remodeling, the extent and patterns of hypertrophy were investigated based upon measurements of indexed LV mass, indexed LV volume and the relative wall mass. Results. PET/CT studies. 121 subjects (20 controls; 20 aortic sclerosis; 25 mild, 33 moderate and 23 severe aortic stenosis) were studied. Quantification of tracer uptake within the valve demonstrated excellent inter-­‐observer reproducibility with no biases and limits of agreement of ±0.21 (18F-­‐NaF) and ±0.13 (18F-­‐FDG) for maximum tissue-­‐to-­‐background ratios (TBR). Activity of both tracers was higher in patients with aortic stenosis than control subjects (18F-­‐NaF: 2.87±0.82 vs 1.55±0.17; 18F-­‐ FDG: 1.58±0.21 vs 1.30±0.13; both P<0.001). 18F-­‐NaF uptake displayed a progressive rise with valve severity (r2=0.540, P<0.001) with a more modest increase observed for 18F-­‐FDG (r2=0.218; P<0.001). Amongst patients with aortic stenosis, 91% had increased 18F-­‐NaF (>1.97) and 35% increased 18F-­‐ FDG (>1.63) uptake. Increased 18F-­‐NaF uptake was also observed in the coronary arteries in a subset of patients with atherosclerosis. These patients (n=40) had higher rates of prior cardiovascular events (p=0.016) and angina (p=0.023), and higher Framingham risk scores (p=0.011). CMR studies. 143 patients (aged 68±14 years; 97 male) were followed up for 2.0±1.4 years and 27 died. Compared to those with no LGE (n=49), univariate analysis revealed that patients with mid-­‐wall fibrosis (n=54) had an eight-­‐fold increase in all-­‐cause mortality despite similar aortic stenosis severity and coronary artery disease burden. Patients with an infarct pattern (n=40) had a six-­‐fold increase. Mid-­‐wall fibrosis (HR 5.35 [95% CI 1.16-­‐24.56]; P=0.03) emerged as an independent predictor of all cause mortality by multivariate analysis. The pattern of LV remodelling was studied in 91 patients (61±21 years; 57 male) and displayed wide variation comprising normal ventricular geometry (n=11), concentric remodelling (n=11), asymmetric remodelling (n=11), concentric hypertrophy (n=34), asymmetric hypertrophy (n=14) and LV decompensation (n=10). The magnitude of the hypertrophic response was unrelated to the severity of aortic valve narrowing. Conclusions. Modern imaging techniques have provided important insights in to the pathology underlying aortic stenosis and suggest that valvular calcification and myocardial fibrosis have a key role. Both represent important potential targets for future therapeutic interventions.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Gas fluidised beds are important components in many process industries, e.g. coal combustors and granulators, but not much is known about the movement of the solids. Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) enables the movement of a single, radioactive tracer particle to be followed rapidly and faithfully. Experiments were carried out in columns sized between 70 and 240mm diameter, operating in the bubbling regime at ambient process conditions using particles of group B and D (Geldart Classification). Particle motion was tracked and the data applied to models for particle movement at the gas distributor as well as close to other surfaces and to models for particle circulation in beds of cohesive particles. In the light of these data, models for particle and bubble interaction, particle circulation, segregation, attrition, erosion, heat transfer and fluidised bed scale-up rules were reassessed. Particle motion is directly caused by bubble motion, and their velocities were found to be equal for particles travelling in a bubble. PEPT enables particle circulation to be measured, giving a more accurate correlation for future predictions. Particle motion follows the scale-up rules based on similarities of the bubble motion in the bed. A new group of parameters was identified controlling the amount ofattrition in fluidised beds and a new model to predict attrition is proposed.