Determination of the Terbium-152 half-life from mass-separated samples from CERN-ISOLDE and assessment of the radionuclide purity

Terbium-152 is one of four terbium radioisotopes that together form a potential theranostic toolbox for the personalised treatment of tumours. As 152 Tb decay by positron emission it can be utilised for diagnostics by positron emission tomography. For use in radiopharmaceuticals and for activity measurements by an activity calibrator a high radionuclide purity of the material and an accurate and precise knowledge of the half-life is required. Mass-separation and radiochemical purification provide a production route of high purity 152Tb. In the current work, two mass-separated samples from the CERN-ISOLDE facility have been assayed at the National Physical Laboratory to investigate the radionuclide purity. These samples have been used to perform four measurements of the half-life by three independent techniques: high-purity germanium gamma-ray spectrometry, ionisation chamber measurements and liquid scintillation counting. From the four measurement campaigns a half-life of 17.8784(95) h has been determined. The reported half-life shows a significant difference to the currently evaluated half-life (ζ-score = 3.77), with a relative difference of 2.2 % and an order of magnitude improvement in the precision. This work also shows that under controlled conditions the combination of mass-separation and radiochemical separation can provide high-purity 152Tb.

X-ray diffraction studies of 180 degrees ferroelectric domains in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices under an applied electric field

The dielectric response of PbTiO(3)/SrTiO(3) superlattices is studied using electrical and structural measurements. While the dielectric response of paraelectric superlattices is well accounted for by the lattice contribution, superlattices with ferroelectric compositions exhibit an enhanced permittivity. X-ray diffraction allowed the presence of ordered nanodomains in ferroelectric superlattices to be established and their displacement under an applied bias to be directly probed, demonstrating that the enhanced permittivity in these artificial materials is due to domain wall motion.

New phenomena at the interfaces of very thin ferroelectric oxides

We present a brief review of the role of interfacial physics in ferroelectric oxides, with an emphasis on the importance of boundary conditions that determine the properties of very thin ferroelectric films and superlattices. As well as discussing the screening problem, and the role of strain and electrostatics in ferroelectrics, we highlight some of the possibilities in fine period superlattices where the high density of interfaces can lead to new and potentially useful phenomena.

The use of the Jasper Jumper for the correction of Class II malocclusion in the young permanent dentition

The effect of the Jasper Jumper in the treatment of Class II, division 1 malocclusions was studied in 26 consecutive 13-25-year-old patients. The median treatment time was 5 months, followed by a median period of observation or retention of 7 months. The effects of the treatment were evaluated from cephalograms taken before the treatment, at the removal of the Jumpers and at the end of the period of observation or retention. The Jumpers brought about a slight retrusion of the maxilla and markedly increased the mandibular prognathism. The maxillary incisors and molars were retruded, and the mandibular incisors and molars protruded. The median correction of the overjet was almost 5 mm and of the molar relationship 3 mm. The intrusive forces of the Jumper resulted in a transient intrusion of the maxillary molars and the mandibular incisors. After the period of retention and observation, the dento-alveolar effects had partially or totally relapsed. The remaining effect contributing most to the correction was the skeletal effect on the mandible, i.e. the increase in mandibular prognathism. The skeletal mandibular effect was the same in younger and older subjects. At the end of observation about 60 per cent of the overjet reduction and 75 per cent of the molar correction remained. The incidence of breakage of the Jumpers was 9 per cent.