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Excitation functions and theoretical yields via charge particle induced reactions were evaluated using EMPIRE-3.2.2 and ALICE/ASH codes and the obtained results have been discussed and compared with the available reported experimental data. It has been verified that natCu(p,n)65Zn reaction is the optimum 65Zn production route. The 65Zn was produced using natCu(p,xn) 65Zn reaction in the energy range of 16.8 → 12.2 MeV with the thick target yield of 0.15 ± 0.005 MBq/μA h. The 65Zn radionuclide was purified by anion exchange chromatography.

Aim of the current research was examining the relation between the quality of work life components and four career anchors among the Personnel of Esfahan's Iron Foundry Organization. The data collection instruments were two researcher-made questionnaires about the quality of work life. The results show that among the eight components of the quality of work life, those which were most influential on the four career anchors were social integrity and attachment in the organization. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the quality of work life of this Iron Foundry personnel in each one of the career anchors is at an average level.

The current research has examined the effect of advanced organizers within web-based instruction on the learning and retention of concepts in chemistry courses. The research method is quasi-experimental with non-equivalent groups and using pre-test and post-test. The results showed that in terms of the level of learning, there was not a significant statistical difference between the students who received advanced organizer (experiment group) and those who did not receive it (control group); however, the amount of retention was significantly greater in the experiment group than in the control group.

Recognizing ethical issues in e-learning and estimating teacher awareness about ethical principals is the main goal of this study .The literature reviewed and the result of survey of Dezfol teachers analyzed descriptively and inferentially. 65% of surveyed teacher sited that they aren’t aware or have very limited awareness about ethical issues in using ICT in education. There was no significant difference between male and female teachers in terms of the level of familiarity with ethical issues. Low correlation (. 34) between teachers ICDL Skill training and teachers’ familiarity with ethical issues implies to the weakness of teacher ICDL training.

This descriptive research aimed at examining self-directed learning among teachers, and was carried out by survey method. Its statistical population comprised preliminary school teachers of Esfahan, Iran, in the academic year 2010–2011. The research sample comprised of 400 individuals. The instrument used was Fischer et al self-directed learning readiness scale questionnaire. After the data were collected, the reliability coefficient was calculated via Cronbach's α (0.88). The data then were analyzed through Student t-test for independent groups and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Scheffe follow-up test. The results showed that self-directed learning has a high level among teachers.

The current research is a descriptive survey with the goal of evaluation of the reliability and validity of Fisher, King and Tague (2001) self-directed learning scale. Its statistical population comprised all preliminary schoolteachers of Esfahan, Iran, in the academic year 2010–2011.the reliability coefficient was calculated via Cronbach's α (0.88). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used in order to evaluate the validity; according to the results, and taking into account the index of fit, the model proved to be approximately fit. Finally, this scale can be used in order to evaluate self-directed learning among teachers in various researches.

Breast cancer radioimmunoscintigraphy targeting HER2/neu expression is a growing field of work in nuclear medicine research. Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to HER2/neu, which is over expressed on breast and other tumors. Developing new tracers for the detection of this cancer is of great interest. In this study, trastuzumab was successively labeled with [64Cu]CuCl2 after conjugation with DOTA-NHS-ester. The conjugate was purified by molecular filtration, the average number of DOTA conjugated per mAb was calculated and total concentration was determined by spectrophotometric method. DOTA–trastuzumab was labeled with 64Cu produced by 68Zn(p,αn)64Cu nuclear reaction (30 MeV protons at 180 μA). Radiochemical purity, integrity of protein after radiolabeling and immunoreactivity of radiolabeled mAb trastuzumab with HER2/neu antigen and SkBr3 cell line were performed by RIA. In vitro stability of radiolabeled mAb in human serum was determined by thin layer chromatography. In vitro internalization studies were performed with the SkBr3 cell line and the tissue biodistribution of the 64Cu–DOTA–trastuzumab was evaluated in wild-type rat (90 ± 5.5 μCi, 2, 6, 12, 24 h p.i.). The radioimmunoconjugate was prepared with a radiochemical purity of higher than 96 ± 0.5 % (ITLC) and specific activity as high as 5.3 μCi/μg. The average number of chelators per antibody for the conjugate used in this study was 5.8/1. The sample was showed to have similar patterns of migration in the gel electrophoresis. The 64Cu–DOTA–trastuzumab showed high immunoreactivity towards HER2/neu antigen and SkBr3 cell line. In vitro stability of the labeled product was found to be more than 94 % in PBS and 82 ± 0.5 % in human serum over 48 h. In vitro internalization studies of the 64Cu–DOTA–trastuzumab showed that up to 11.5 % of the radioimmunoconjugate internalized after 10 h. The accumulation of the radiolabeled mAb in liver, skin, intestine, lung, spleen, kidney and other tissues demonstrates a similar pattern to the other radiolabeled anti-HER2 immunoconjugates. 64Cu–DOTA–trastuzumab is a potential compound for molecular imaging of PET for diagnosis and treatment studies and follow-up of HER2 expression in oncology.

Excitation functions for protons induced on 85/natRb targets that lead to the production of 85Sr radioisotopes using TALYS 1.0 and ALICE/ASH codes were calculated. Rubidium chloride deposition on copper substrate was carried out via sedimentation method in order to produce Strontium-85. 520 mg RbCl, 208 mg ethyl cellulose (EC) and 4 mL acetone were used to prepare a layer of enriched rubidium chloride of 11.69 cm2 area and 62.2 mg · cm−2 thickness. The deposited target was irradiated at 20 A current and 15 MeV proton beam for 10 h and no degradation was observed. The 85Sr production yield was 1.4 MBq/mA · h. The target material was dissolved by 50 mL acetone. Dissolved Strontium-85 was separated from rubidium by Chelex 100 ion exchanger.

In this study, design and fabrication of 103Pd brachytherapy seed was investigated. The excitation functions of 103Rh(p,n) 103Pd and 103Rh(d,2n)103Pd reactions were calculated using EMPIRE (version 3.1 Rivoli), ALICE/ASH and TALYS-1.2 codes, the TENDL-2010 database and compared with the published data. Production of 103Pd was done via 103Rh(p,n)103Pd nuclear reaction. The target was bombarded with 18 MeV protons at 200 μA beam current for 15 h. After irradiation and radiochemical separation of the electroplated rhodium target, the optimum condition for absorption of 103Pd into Amberlite®IR-93 resin was achieved at 0.5 M HCl. Version 5 of the (MCNP) Monte Carlo radiation transport code was employed to calculate the dosimetric parameters around the 103Pd brachytherapy seed. Finally the calculated results were compared with published results for other commercial sources. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rhenium-186, having a half-life of 90.64 h, is an important radionuclide, used in metabolic radiotherapy and radio immunotherapy. 186 Re hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate (HEDP) is a new compound used for the palliation of painful skeletal metastases. Its production is achieved via charged-particle-induced reactions; the data are available in EXFOR library. For the work discussed in this paper, production of 186 Re was done via nat W(p,n) 186 Re nuclear reaction. Pellets of nat W were used as targets and were irradiated with 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25 MeV proton beams at 5 μA current. The radiochemical separation was performed by the ion exchange chromatography method. The production yield achieved at 25 MeV was 1.91 MBq·μA -1 ·h -1 . Excitation functions for the 186 Re radionuclide, via 186 W(p,n) 186 Re and 186 W(d,2n) 186 Re reactions were calculated by ALICEASH and TALYS-1.0 codes to validate and fit the experimental data and to obtain a recommended set of data for 186 W(p,n) 186 Re reaction. Required thickness of the targets was obtained by SRIM code for each reaction.

Strontium carbonate deposition on copper substrate was carried out by the sedimentation method in order to produce yttrium-86. Natural strontium carbonate thick layer was prepared with 480 mg SrCO(3), 220 mg ethyl cellulose, and 7.5 mL acetone. This optimum condition is a result of several repeated experiments with different amount of ethyl cellulose and acetone. Target quality control was done by SEM photomicrograph and thermal shock test. The deposited target was irradiated at 30 microA current and 15 MeV proton beam for 12 min.

Because of high neutron and gamma-ray intensities generated during bombardment of a thallium-203 target, a thallium target-room shield and different ways of improving it have been investigated. Leakage of neutron and gamma ray dose rates at various points behind the shield are calculated by simulating the transport of neutrons and photons using the Monte Carlo N Particle transport computer code. By considering target-room geometry, its associated shield and neutron and gamma ray source strengths and spectra, three designs for enhancing shield performance have been analysed: a shielding door at the maze entrance, covering maze walls with layers of some effective materials and adding a shadow-shield in the target room in front of the radiation source. Dose calculations were carried out separately for different materials and dimensions for all the shielding scenarios considered. The shadow-shield has been demonstrated to be one suitable for neutron and gamma dose equivalent reduction. A 7.5-cm thick polyethylene shadow-shield reduces both dose equivalent rate at maze entrance door and leakage from the shield by a factor of 3.

Study of the shield performance of a thallium-203 production target room has been investigated in this work. Neutron and gamma-ray equivalent dose rates at various points of the maze are calculated by simulating the transport of streaming neutrons, and photons using Monte Carlo method. For determination of neutron and gamma-ray source intensities and their energy spectrum, we have applied SRIM 2003 and ALICE91 computer codes to Tl target and its Cu substrate for a 145 μA of 28.5 MeV protons beam. The MCNP/4C code has been applied with neutron source term in mode n p to consider both prompt neutrons and secondary gamma-rays. Then the code is applied for the prompt gamma-rays as the source term. The neutron-flux energy spectrum and equivalent dose rates for neutron and gamma-rays in various positions in the maze have been calculated. It has been found that the deviation between calculated and measured dose values along the maze is less than 20%.

Context: Herceptin and its fragments have been radiolabeled and used in the imaging of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu-positive tumors and development of diagnostic kits is of great importance in radiopharmacy. Aims: In this study, 111 In-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid-trastuzumab ( 111 In-DOTA-trastuzumab) was successively prepared and evaluated for ultimate use in the HER2 antigen imaging in oncology. Settings and Design: The conjugate was prepared, labeled and evaluated using in vitro (radioimmunoassay [RIA], enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), stability, binding, internalization)/in vivo (bio-distribution, single-photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]) experiments. Materials and Methods: 111 In-DOTA-trastuzumab was prepared followed by determination of radiochemical purity (RCP), integrity of protein, immunoreactivity of radiolabeled antibody with HER2/neu antigen (by SkBr3 cell line binding and RIA methods) were determined followed by stability tests, internalization studies and the tissue bio-distribution determination in wild-type rats as well as SPECT imaging in SkBr3-bearing mice. Statistical Analysis Used: All values were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (mean ± SD) and the data were compared using Student′s t-test. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. Results: 111 In-DOTA-trastuzumab was prepared (RCP >95 ± 0.5%, S.A. 5.3 μCi/μg) with the average number of chelators per antibody of 6:1 showing significant immune-reactivity retention using ELISA. In vitro stability was >90% in phosphate buffered saline and 80 ± 0.5% in serum over 48 h. Cell binding was significant (>0.79). In vitro internalization reached up to %12-13 in 10 h. Significant tumor uptake was observed. Conclusions: In vitro and in vivo/SPECT imaging in SkBr3-bearing mice demonstrated that 111 In-DOTA-trastuzumab is a potential compound for molecular imaging of SPECT for diagnosis and follow-up of HER2 expression in oncology.