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Angular distributions of the 11B + 15N elastic and inelastic scattering were measured at Elab (15N) = 84 MeV. The data were analyzed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels method. The elastic and inelastic scattering, reorientations of 11B and 15N in ground and excited states as well as the important one- and two-step transfer reactions were included in the channels-coupling-scheme. The 11B + 15N optical potential parameters as well as deformation parameters of these nuclei were deduced. The contributions of one- and two-step transfers in the 11B + 15N elastic and inelastic scattering channels were estimated.

Angular distributions of the 7Li + 12C elastic and inelastic scattering as well as the 7Li(14N, Х) reactions with exited stable and unstable nuclei with Z = 3 6 were measured at Elab(12C) = 115 MeV. The data were analyzed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels method. The elastic and inelastic scattering, reorienta-tions of 7Li in ground and excited states as well as more important transfer reactions were included in the chan-nels-coupling-scheme. 7Li + + 12C optical potential parameters for ground and excited states of 7Li and 12C as well as deformation parameters of these nuclei were deduced. The contributions of one- and two-step transfers in the 7Li + 12C elastic and inelastic scattering channels were estimated.

New experimental data for differential cross sections of the 14С(11B, 9Be)16N reaction were measured for the ground states of 9Be and 16N nuclei as well as for the excited states of 16N at the energy Elab.(11В) = 45 MeV. The reaction data were analyzed within the coupled-reaction channels method (CRC) for one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters. In the CRC-calculations, the optical potential deduced from the analysis of the 11В + 14С elastic scattering data was used for the entrance reaction channel. Needed spectroscopic amplitudes of nucleons and clusters in nuclei were calculated within shell-model. 9Ве + 16N optical potential parameters were deduced by fitting CRC cross-sections to the 14С(11B, 9Be)16N reaction data. Contributions of one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters into the 14С(11B, 9Be)16N reaction cross-sections were obtained.

Angular distributions of the 6Li(18O, 17O)7Li reaction were measured at Elab(18O) = 114 MeV for ground and excited states of exit nuclei. The data were analyzed within the coupled-reaction-channels method (CRC). The 6Li + 18O elastic and inelastic scattering channels as well as the simplest one- and two-step reactions were includ-ed in the coupled-reaction-channels scheme. In CRC calculations, the 6Li + 18O potential with parameters de-duced from the elastic scattering data, was used for the entrance reaction channel. The spectroscopic amplitudes of nucleons and clusters were calculated within the translational-invariant shell model. The 7Li + 17O potential parameters were deduced by fitting 6Li(18O, 17O)7Li reaction data. Isotopic differences of the 7Li + 17O, 7Li + 18O and 7Li + 16O potential, as well as the reaction mechanisms are studied.

Angular distributions of the 6Li + 18O elastic and inelastic scattering as well as the 6Li(18O, Х) reactions with production of 16,17,19O + 8,7,5Li, 14,15,16,17N + 10,9,8,7Be and 12,13,14C + 12,11,10B nuclei were measured at Elab(18O) = = 114 MeV. The data were analyzed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels method. The 6Li + 18O optical potential parameters as well as deformation parameters of these nuclei were deduced and the scatter-ing mechanisms were studied. The isotopic differences between the 6, 7Li + 18O and 6Li + 16, 18O scattering as well as their potential parameters were investigated.

Angular distributions of the 7Li + 14N elastic and inelastic scattering as well as the 7Li(14N, Х) reactions with production of 13, 15, 16N + 8, 6, 5Li, 11, 12, 13, 14С + 10, 9, 8, 7Ве, 10, 11, 12В + 11, 10, 9В nuclei and others were measured at Elab (14N) = 80 MeV. The data were analyzed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels method. The elastic and inelastic scattering, reorientations of 7Li and 14N in ground and excited states as well as the prominent one- and two-step transfers were included in a channels-coupling-scheme. The 7Li + 14N optical potential parameters for ground and excited states of 7Li and 14N as well as deformation parameters of these nuclei were deduced. The contributions of one and two-step transfers in the 7Li + 14N elastic and inelastic scattering channels were estimated.

The new data of the angular distributions of 7Li(18O, 16N)9Be reaction were obtained for the transitions to the ground and excited states of 8Be and 17N at the energy Elab(18O) = 114 MeV. The angular distributions of the reaction were measured for the first time. Data were analyzed with coupled-reaction-channels method for one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters. In the analysis, the 7Li + 18O potential deduced in the analysis of the elastic 7Li + 18Oscattering data as well as shell-model spectroscopic amplitudes of transferred nucleons and clusters were used. The parameters of the 9Be + 16N potential were deduced using the reaction data. The contributions of different one- and twostep transfers in the 7Li(18O, 16N)9Be reaction cross-section was studied.

New angular-distribution data of 14С + 18О elastic and inelastic scattering at the energy Elab(18O) = 105 MeV were obtained firstly. The data were analysed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels methods including contributions from most simple transfer reactions. The 14С + 18О potential parameters were deduced. Isotopic differenc-es of the 12, 13, 14С + 18О and 14С + 16, 18О potentials were investigated.

Angular distributions of the 7Li(18O, 17N)8Be reaction were measured for the transitions to the ground states of 8Be and 17N and excited states of 17N at the energy Elab(18O) = 114 MeV. The data were analyzed with coupled-reaction-channels method for one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters. In the analysis, the 7Li + 18O potential de-duced in the analysis of the elastic 7Li + 18O-scattering data as well as shell-model spectroscopic amplitudes of trans-ferred nucleons and clusters were used. Parameters of the 8Be + 17N potential were deduced using the reaction data. Contributions of different one- and two-step transfers in the 7Li(18O, 17N)8Be reaction cross-section was studied.

New angular-distribution data of 13С + 18О elastic and inelastic scattering at the energy Elab(18O) = 105 MeV were obtained for the transitions to the ground and excited states 3.088 MeV(1/2+), 3.555 MeV (1/2-), 3.854 MeV (5/2+) of 13С and 1.982 MeV (2+), 3.555 MeV (4+), 3.921 MeV (2+), 4.456 MeV (1-), 5.098 MeV (3-), 5.260 MeV (2+) of 18O. These and the 13С + 18О elastic scattering data taken from the literature at the energies Elab(18O) = 15, 20, 24, 31 MeV and Elab(13С) = 24 MeV were analysed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels methods. Sets of 13С + 18О optical potential parameters and their energy dependence were obtained. Contributions of potential scattering and transfer reactions to the elastic and inelastic channels of 13С + 18О scattering were studied. Isotopic differences (effects) in 12, 13С + 16, 18О optical potential parameters were investigated.

Angular distributions of the 7Li(10B, 9Bе)8Bе were measured at the energy Elab(10B) = 51 MeV (21 MeV c.m.) for the ground and excited states of 8Bе. The experimental data were analyzed within the coupled-reaction-channels (CRC) method for one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters. The 10B(7Li, 9Bе)8Bе reaction data at the energy Elab(7Li) = 24 MeV (14,12 MeV c.m.) known from the literature, were included in the CRC-analysis also. Mechanism of the reactions was determined, the parameters of the 8Bе + 9Bе-potential were deduced and energy dependence of the parameter was studied.

New experimental data for differential cross sections of 14С(11B, 11B)14С inelastic scattering at the energy Elab.(11В) = 45 MeV for transitions of 11B nucleus to the excited states of 2,12 - 8,56 MeV were obtained. Experi-mental data were analyzed within optical model and coupled-reaction channels method. Elastic and inelastic scattering of nuclei, reorientation of spin of 11B and simplest transfers of nucleons and clusters were included in the coupling scheme. Woods - Saxon optical model parameters of 14С + 11B interaction and deformation parameters of 11B nu-cleus were deduced. Optical potential, deduced from the fit of experimental data, is compared to the respective folding-potential, calculated by the method of double-folding. Isotopic differences of optical model potentials for 12,13,14С + 11B interaction, using the results of recent publications of 12,13С + 11B elastic and inelastic scattering at similar energies, were investigated. Contributions of one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters into the elastic and inelastic channels of 14С + 11B scattering were defined.

Angular distributions of the 12C + 18O elastic and inelastic scattering were measured at the energy Elab(18O) = 105 MeV (Ec.m. = 42 MeV). These data and data known from the literature at the energies Ec.m. = 12.9 - 56 МеV were analysed within the optical model and coupled-reactionchannels method. The sets of the Woods-Saxon (12С + 18O)-potential parameters were deduced and their energy dependence was studied. It was found the isotopic differences in the (12С + 16O)- and (12С + 18O)-potentials parameters and in their surface forms. The mechanisms of elastic and inelastic (12С + 18O)-scattering and role of transfer reactions were studied.

Angular distributions of the 7Li(10B, 10Bе)7Bе reaction were measured at the energy Elab(10B) = 51 MeV for the transitions to the ground and excited states of 10Bе and 7Bе nuclei. The measured 7Li(10B, 10Bе)7Bе reaction data as well as only known from the literature 10B(7Li, 7Bе)10Bе reaction data at the energy Elab(7Li) = 39 MeV were analyzed within DWBA method for the direct charge-exchange of the 10B → 10Bе, 7Li → 7Bе nuclei and within the coupled-reactionchannels method for one- and two-step transfers of nucleons and clusters such as 10B → Х → 10Bе, 7Li → Y → 7Bе. It was studied the contributions of different mechanisms to the angular distribution of the 7Li(10B, 10Bе)7Bе and 10B(7Li, 7Bе)10Bе reactions. Using data of these reactions, the parameters of the 7Bе + 10Bе-potential as well as their energy dependence were deduced by standard fitting procedure. The deduced 7Bе + 10Bе-potential is compared with the corresponding folding-potential calculated using nucleon distributions in 7Bе and 10Bе.

Positronium is abundantly produced within the molecular voids of a patient's body during positron emission tomography (PET). Its properties dynamically respond to the submolecular architecture of the tissue and the partial pressure of oxygen. Current PET systems record only two annihilation photons and cannot provide information about the positronium lifetime. This study presents the in vivo images of positronium lifetime in a human, for a patient with a glioblastoma brain tumor, by using the dedicated Jagiellonian PET system enabling simultaneous detection of annihilation photons and prompt gamma emitted by a radionuclide. The prompt gamma provides information on the time of positronium formation. The photons from positronium annihilation are used to reconstruct the place and time of its decay. In the presented case study, the determined positron and positronium lifetimes in glioblastoma cells are shorter than those in salivary glands and those in healthy brain tissues, indicating that positronium imaging could be used to diagnose disease in vivo.

Pathological angiogenesis, resulting from an imbalance between anti- and pro-angiogenic factors, plays a pivotal role in tumor growth, development and metastasis. The inhibition of the angiogenesis process by the VEGF/VEGFR-2/NRP-1 pathway raises interest in the search for such interaction inhibitors for the purpose of the early diagnosis and treatment of angiogenesis-dependent diseases. In this work we designed and tested peptide-based radiocompounds that selectively bind to the neuropilin-1 co-receptor and prevent the formation of the pro-angiogenic VEGF-A 165 /NRP-1 complex. Three biomolecules, A7R and retro-inverso D R7A peptides, and the branched peptidomimetic Lys(hArg)-Dab-Pro-Arg (K4R), conjugated with macrocyclic chelator through two linkers' types, were labeled with theranostic scandium-44 radionuclide, and studied in vitro as potential targeted radiopharmaceuticals. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) studies showed no negative effect of the introduced biomolecules' changes and high NRP-1 affinity in the case of A7R- and K4R-radiocompounds and a lack affinity for D R7A-radiocompounds. All radiopeptides showed a hydrophilic nature as well as high stability against ligand exchange reactions in cysteine/histidine solutions. Unfortunately, all radiocompounds showed unsatisfactory nano-scale stability in human serum, especially for use as therapeutic radioagents. Further work is ongoing and focused on the search for angiogenesis inhibitors that are more human serum stable.

Background: 44Sc is becoming attractive as a PET radionuclide due to its decay characteristics. It can be produced from 44Ca present in natural calcium with 2.08% abundance., Materials and Methods: The targets were mostly prepared from natural CaCO3 or metallic calcium in the form of pellets. After irradiation they were dissolved in 3 M hydrochloric acid and 44Sc was separated from excess of calcium by precipitation of scandium hydroxide using ammonia. Alternatively, targets were dissolved in 11 M hydrochloric acid and 44Sc was separated by extraction chromatography on UTEVA resin. As the next step, in both processes 44Sc was further purified on a cation exchange resin. Initially, the separation procedures were developed with 46Sc as a tracer. Gamma spectrometry with a high purity germanium detector was used to determine the separation efficiency. Finally, the CaCO3 pellet with 99.2% enrichment in 44Ca was activated with protons via 44Ca(p,n)44Sc nuclear reaction., Results: Altogether twenty two irradiations and separations were performed. The working procedures were developed and the quality of separated 44Sc solution was confirmed by radiolabeling of DOTATATE. The chemical purity of the product was sufficient for preclinical experiments. At the end of around 1 hour proton beam irradiation of CaCO3 pellet with 99.2% enrichment in 44Ca the obtained radioactivity of 44Sc was more than 4.8 GBq., Conclusion: 44Sc can be produced inexpensively with adequate yields and radionuclidic purity via 44Ca(p,n)44Sc nuclear reaction in small cyclotrons. The recovery yield in both investigated separation methods was comparable and amounted above 90%. The obtained 44Sc was pure in terms of radionuclide and chemical purity, as shown by the results of peptide radiolabeling.

Proton and deuteron beams (15.3 and 6.8 MeV, respectively) extracted from the PETtrace medical cyclotron at the Radiopharmaceuticals Production and Research Centre in the University of Warsaw, Heavy Ion Laboratory, 28 MeV protons from the C30 cyclotron at the National Centre for Nuclear Research, Świerk, near Warsaw and 33 MeV protons from the ARRONAX accelerator, Nantes were used to produce and investigate the medically interesting Sc radioisotopes. Both natural and isotopically enriched CaCO 3 and TiO 2 targets were used ( 42 Ca, 43 Ca, 44 Ca, 48 Ca, 48 Ti). The production efficiency and isotopic purity were determined and are reported here for the highest commercially available enrichments of the target material. The Thick Target Yield, Activities at the End of Bombardment (EOB) and the relative activities of produced impurities at EOB are reported for 43 Sc, 44g Sc, 44m Sc and 47 Sc produced with particle energies below 33 MeV., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The rapid increase in applications of scandium isotopes in nuclear medicine requires new efficient production routes for these radioisotopes. Recently, irradiations of calcium in cyclotrons by α, deuteron, and proton beams have been used. Therefore, effective post-irradiation separation and preconcentration of the radioactive scandium from the calcium matrix are important to obtain the pure final product in a relatively small volume. Nobias resin was used as a sorbent for effective separation of 44 Sc from calcium targets. Separation was performed at pH 3 using a column containing 10 mg of resin. Scandium was eluted with 100 μL of 2 mol L -1 HCl. Particular attention was paid to the reduction of calcium concentration, presence of metallic impurities, robustness and simple automation. 44 Sc was separated with 94.9 ± 2.8% yield, with results in the range of 91.7⁻99.0%. Purity of the eluate was confirmed with ICP-OES determination of metallic impurities and >99% chelation efficiency with DOTATATE, followed by >36 h radiochemical stability of the complex. A wide range of optimal conditions and robustness to target variability and suspended matter facilitates the proposed method in automatic systems for scandium isotope separation and synthesis of scandium-labeled radiopharmaceuticals.

The method of 100 Mo metallic target preparation for production of 99m Tc by proton irradiation in 100 Mo(p,2n) 99m Tc reaction was demonstrated. For this purpose, pressing of molybdenum powder into pellets and their subsequent sintering in reductive atmosphere were applied. The influence of parameters such as molybdenum mass and time of both pressing and sintering on the 100 Mo target durability was investigated. Under the optimized conditions, 100 Mo metallic pellet targets with density of 9.95±0.06g/cm 3 were obtained. Morphology and structure of pressed pellets before and after sintering were studied by using standard optical microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Nanoindentation technique was used to investigate the mechanical properties such as nanohardness and Young modulus. Prepared 100 Mo pellets were successfully irradiated with protons and 99m Tc was efficiently isolated., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The internal α-particle beam of the Warsaw Heavy Ion Cyclotron was used to produce research quantities of the medically interesting Sc radioisotopes from natural Ca and K and isotopically enriched 42 Ca targets. The targets were made of metallic calcium, calcium carbonate and potassium chloride. New data on the production yields and impurities generated during the target irradiations are presented for the positron emitters 43 Sc, 44g Sc and 44m Sc. The different paths for the production of the long lived 44m Sc/ 44g Sc in vivo generator, proposed by the ARRONAX team, using proton and deuteron beams as well as alpha-particle beams are discussed. Due to the larger angular momentum transfer in the formation of the compound nucleus in the case of the alpha particle induced reactions, the isomeric ratio of 44m Sc/ 44g Sc at a bombarding energy of 29MeV is five times larger than previously determined for a deuteron beam and twenty times larger than for proton induced reactions on enriched CaCO 3 targets. Therefore, formation of this generator via the alpha-particle route seems a very attractive way to form these isotopes. The experimental data presented here are compared with theoretical predictions made using the EMPIRE evaporation code. Reasonable agreement is generally observed., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recently, significant interest in (44)Sc as a tracer for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been observed. Unfortunately, the co-emission by (44)Sc of high-energy γ rays (E γ = 1157, 1499 keV) causes a dangerous increase of the radiation dose to the patients and clinical staff. However, it is possible to produce another radionuclide of scandium-(43)Sc-having properties similar to (44)Sc but is characterized by much lower energy of the concurrent gamma emissions. This work presents the production route of (43)Sc by α irradiation of natural calcium, its separation and purification processes, and the labeling of [DOTA,Tyr3] octreotate (DOTATATE) bioconjugate., Methods: Natural CaCO3 and enriched [(40)Ca]CaCO3 were irradiated with alpha particles for 1 h in an energy range of 14.8-30 MeV at a beam current of 0.5 or 0.25 μA. In order to find the optimum method for the separation of (43)Sc from irradiated calcium targets, three processes previously developed for (44)Sc were tested. Radiolabeling experiments were performed with DOTATATE radiobioconjugate, and the stability of the obtained (43)Sc-DOTATATE was tested in human serum., Results: Studies of (nat)CaCO3 target irradiation by alpha particles show that the optimum alpha particle energies are in the range of 24-27 MeV, giving 102 MBq/μA/h of (43)Sc radioactivity which creates the opportunity to produce several GBq of (43)Sc. The separation experiments performed indicate that, as with (44)Sc, due to the simplicity of the operations and because of the chemical purity of the (43)Sc obtained, the best separation process is when UTEVA resin is used. The DOTATATE conjugate was labeled by the obtained (43)Sc with a yield >98 % at elevated temperature., Conclusions: Tens of GBq activities of (43)Sc of high radionuclidic purity can be obtainable for clinical applications by irradiation of natural calcium with an alpha beam.

Two important events happened at the Heavy Ion Laboratory of the University of Warsaw in May this year. First, on May 15 the new Radiopharmaceuticals Production and Research Centre (RPRC) was inaugurated by the Rector Elect, Prof. Marcin Pałys. The construction of this Centre, located on the premises of the Laboratory, was supported by grants from the Ministry of Sciences, International Atomic Energy Agency, Ministry of Health and European Structural Funds.

Chinese hamster ovary CHO-K1 cells were exposed to high LET (12)C-beam (LET: 830 keV/microm) in the dose range of 0-6 Gy and to (60)Co irradiation and the RBE value was obtained. Effects of (12)C-beam exposure on cell survival and chromosomal aberrations were calculated. The chromosomal aberration data were fitted with linear equation. The distribution of aberration in cells was examined with a standard u-test and used to evaluate the data according to Poisson probabilities. The variance to the mean ratio sigma(2)/Y and the dispersion index (u) were determined. Overdispersion was significant (p<0.05) when the value of u exceeded 1.96.