Neutron-capture cross-sections of 244Cm and 246Cm measured with an array of large germanium detectors in the ANNRI at J-PARC/MLF

The neutron neutron-capture cross cross-sections of ²⁴⁴Cm and ²⁴⁶Cm were measured by the time-of-flight method in the energy range of 1–300 300 eV with an array of large germanium detectors in the Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction measurement InstrumentANNRI at Material and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research ComplexJ-PARC/MLF. The ²⁴⁴Cm resonances at around 7.7 and 16.8 8 eV and the ²⁴⁶Cm resonances at around 4.3 and 15.3 3 eV were observed in the capture reactions for the first time. The uncertainties of the obtained cross cross-sections are 5.8% at the top of the first resonance of ²⁴⁴Cm and 6.6% at that of ²⁴⁶Cm. The rResonance analyses were performed for low-energy ones using the code SAMMY. The prompt γ-ray spectra of ²⁴⁴Cm and ²⁴⁶Cm were also obtained. Eight and five new prompt γ-ray emissions were observed in the ²⁴⁴Cm(n, γ) and ²⁴⁶Cm(n, γ) reactions, respectively.     

Ethanol production from non-pretreated napiergrass through a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process followed by a pentose fermentation with Escherichia coli KO11

Efficient ethanol production from lignocellulosic napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) was examined by the combination of the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with commercial cellulase and Saccharomyces cerevisiae NBRC 2044 and subsequent pentose fermentation (PF) by Escherichia coli KO11. Under the optimized conditions, the combination of the SSF and PF processes resulted in the production of 144 mg g(-1) of ethanol from the non-pretreated napiergrass powder. The ethanol yield was 44.2% of the theoretical yield based on the hexose (37.5 g) and pentose (26.5 g) derived from 100 g of dry powdered napiergrass.     

Regeneration of granular activated carbon with adsorbed trichloroethylene using wet peroxide oxidation

The objective of this study is to clarify the regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorbed trichloroethylene (TCE) using wet peroxide oxidation (WPO). TCE and TOC concentrations decreased during WPO, whereas Cl(-) accumulated in water indicating that TCE was not only decomposed but was also mineralized to Cl(-) and CO(2) using WPO. Regeneration efficiencies (q/q(0)) of GAC regenerated at 150, 165 and 180 degrees C (initial pH 4) were 0.36, 0.45, 0.48, respectively. In addition, regeneration efficiencies of GAC regenerated in the solution of various initial pH (2.5, 3.0, 4.0) at 180 degrees C were 0.71, 0.60, 0.48, respectively. These results suggest that regeneration of GAC is more effective at higher reaction temperature and lower initial pH of the solution. In the repeated regeneration of GAC, the adsorption capacity of GAC for TCE gradually decreased and regeneration efficiency of the regenerated GAC at sixth step was 0.40. The adsorption capacity loss of regenerated GAC is probably due to oxidation of GAC during WPO.     

Reduction of nitrous oxide emission from pig manure composting by addition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is emitted from pig manure composting, and the emission correlates with nitrite (NO2-) accumulation in the composting material. In the present study, we added nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB)to inhibit NO2- accumulation and evaluated its effect on N2O emission in a laboratory-scale composting experiment. Mature pig manure compost (MPMC) containing NOB at 10(6) MPN g(-1) WM or cultured MPMC (cul-MPMC) NOB at 10(11) MPN g(-1) WM was added after the thermophilic phase of composting. The addition of these materials prevented NO2- accumulation, promoting oxidation to nitrate (NO3-), whereas the accumulation of NO2- occurred in the material to which NOB was not added as the result of the delayed growth of indigenous NOB compared with that of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The pattern of NO2- in the material agreed with that of N2O emission; therefore, N2O emission ceased rapidly when NOB was added. Emission rates of N2O were 88.5 (no addition), 17.5 (MPMC addition), and 20.2 (cul-MPMC addition) g N-N2O kg(-1) TNinitial, respectively. Improving composition of nitrifying communities for complete nitrification promotion would be useful to establish a composting method with low N2O emission.     

Development of a predictive program for microbial growth under various temperature conditions

A predictive program for microbial growth under various temperature conditions was developed with a mathematical model. The model was a new logistic model recently developed by us. The program predicts Escherichia coli growth in broth, Staphylococcus aureus growth and its enterotoxin production in milk, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus growth in broth at various temperature patterns. The program, which was built with Microsoft Excel (Visual Basic Application), is user-friendly; users can easily input the temperature history of a test food and obtain the prediction instantly on the computer screen. The predicted growth and toxin production can be important indices to determine whether a food is microbiologically safe or not. This program should be a useful tool to confirm the microbial safety of commercial foods.     

Rapid prediction of past climate condition from lake sediments by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy

This study explored the feasibility of rapid, nondestructive near-infrared (NIR) reflection spectroscopy for the prediction of conventional physical properties, carbon-nitrogen-sulfur (CNS) analysis, and concentration of inorganic components in sediment cores from a brackish lake. A long core sample, which consisted of well-preserved annually formed lamina from Lake Ogawara along the Pacific coast in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, was used to investigate the past environmental record. The core was previously analyzed for physical properties, CNS, and inorganic components. Calibration models were developed from NIR reflection spectra of 149 core samples. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis provided good regression models between measured and predicted values for water content, total nitrogen (TN), total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (TS), Al(2)O(3), S/Al(2)O(3), Fe(2)O(3)/Al(2)O(3), Sc/Al(2)O(3), Cu/Al(2)O(3), and Zn/Al(2)O(3) with coefficients of determination (r(2)) for cross-validation of 0.73, 0.89, 0.88, 0.73, 0.92, 0.81, 0.82, 0.75, 0.82, and 0.82, respectively. The variation of predicted component values as a function of depth showed the same trend as that of conventionally measured values. This study also showed the possibility of NIR spectroscopy as an on-site, rapid analytical tool for the identification of tephra (fragmental material produced by a volcanic eruption regardless of composition, fragment size, or emplacement mechanism), which is important for dating.     

An Approximation Algorithm for a Large-Scale Facility Location Problem

We developed a new practical optimization method that gives approximate solutions for large-scale real instances of the Uncapacitated Facility Location Problem. The optimization consists of two steps: application of the Greedy—Interchange heuristic using a small subset of warehouse candidates, and application of the newly developed heuristic named Balloon Search that takes account of all warehouse candidates, and runs in ( O (3n + 2n log n ) ) expected time (n is the number of nodes of the underlying graph). Our experiments on the spare parts logistics of a Japanese manufacturing company with 6000 customers and 380,000 warehouse candidates led us to conclude that the Greedy heuristic improved the total cost by 9%-11%, that the Interchange heuristic improved the total cost by an additional 0.5%—1.5%, and that Balloon Search improved it by a further 0.5%—1.5%.     

Autopsy case of duodenal obstruction from impacted mushroom

A 50-year-old diabetic man developed necrotizing scleritis with adjacent keratitis 4 weeks after uncomplicated cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation through a scleral tunnel incision. Cultures of the necrotic sclera grew Rizopus species. Severe destruction of the globe ensued despite topical, subconjunctival, and intravenous amphotericin B, in combination with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Histopathological examination of the enucleated globe was consistent with Rhizopus infection. One year later, the patient was well without signs of recurrence.     

Development of field‐emission displays

Abstract— FEDs are one of the attractive flat‐panel displays that realize high‐quality motion images and low power consumption. FEDs are constructed by using three elemental technologies: micro‐ or nano‐fabrication technology of emitters, opto‐electronic semiconductor technology of anode patterns, and vacuum packaging technology. Each of the three elemental technologies is essential to realize FEDs. The present status of each three technologies, especially the improvement of Spindt‐type field emitters, the trend of flat vacuum packages, and development of phosphors for FEDs is described in this paper.     

Dry Powder Processing of Fibrous Fumed Silica Compacts for Thermal Insulation

This study proposes a new dry powder processing method to produce fiber reinforced fumed silica compacts for highly efficient thermal insulation. First, mechanical forces such as shear stress and compression were applied into a fumed silica powder (BET SSA 300 m²/g) and glass fibers (3 mm length, 11 μm diameter) using an attrition type milling apparatus without any media balls. In the resultant powder mixture, fumed silica porously coated glass fiber composites were successfully prepared. SiC particles were also integrated as opacifiers. Then, the fibrous fumed silica porous compact was formed by dry pressing of the powder mixture and exhibited fracture strength of 1.58 MPa at room temperature and thermal conductivity of 0.0282 W/mK at 400°C, when its porosity was 80.1%.