Features of a control blade degradation observed in situ during severe accident conditions in boiling water reactors

In the present paper, new results using in situ video are presented regarding boiling water reactor (BWR) control blade degradation up to 1750 K at the beginning of a nuclear severe accident. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) mapping indicated stratification of the absorber blade melt with formation of a chromium and boride-enriched layer. High-content-B- and C-containing material with increased melting temperature acted like a shielding and was found to prevent further relocation of control blade claddings. The interacted layers around the B₄C-granules prevented direct steam attack of residual B₄C. The results provide new insights for understanding of the absorber blade degradation mechanism under reducing conditions specific to Fukushima Dai-Ichi Unit 2 resulting from prolonged steam starvation.     

Operation control of internally conductor cooled cable system

The development of 275 kV internally-conductor-cooled cable systems is under way for application to long-distance large-capacity (1500 MVA/cct) underground transmission systems. From the viewpoint of the reliability and the energy economy of these systems, the operational control system for the cooling facilities is especially important, because the facilities require large cooling capacity due to the large heat loss of the cable conductor. The cooling device characteristics are described, and the effects of operation control on energy savings are examined. A long-term field test has shown that the computer-controlled operation system is very useful. Simulation results for the operational control system confirm that calculated values are in good agreement with measurement results     

Self-aligned control of threshold voltages in sub-0.2-μm MOSFETs

We propose a new method to control the threshold voltages (V_th) in sub-0.2 μm MOSFETs. The method suppresses V_th fluctuations caused by variations in the fabricated gate length. Our scheme is to change the concentration of the channel impurity according to the gate length by tilted ion implantation from two directions after the polysilicon gate formation. We show the feasibility of our process by two-dimensional (2-D) process and device simulations. Then we clarify that our scheme was realized in fabricated nMOSFETs. We also measured the V_th in numerous MOSFETs and show that our method can indeed suppress V_th fluctuations caused by variations in the fabricated gate length     

Interleukin 6 is a cause of flu-like symptoms in treatment with a deoxycytidine analogue

The precise mechanism of fever and flu-like syndrome that occurs in treatment with deoxycytidine analogues remains unclear. This study demonstrated a strong correlation between plasma interleukin 6 levels and fever in treatment with oral (E)-2'-deoxy-2'(fluoromethylene)cytidine, another deoxycytidine analogue.     

Changes in volatile flavour components of soybeans during roasting

Volatile concentrates were prepared from whole soybeans, roasted at 200°C for 10, 20 and 30 min, by steam distillation under reduced pressure followed by ether extraction, and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, in comparison with the volatile concentrate from raw soybean flour.Major flavour components of raw soybean, such as n-hexanol, 1-octen-3-ol and n-hexanal, decreased during the course of roasting, but the rate of this decrease was not rapid, especially between 10 and 20 minutes' roasting. During the roasting period, alkylated pyrazines, oxygenated furans, oxygenated pyrroles and phenols were formed or increased markedly. On the other hand, sensory evaluation showed that a flavour change to ‘desirable’ from ‘beany’ or ‘objectionable’ occurred between 10 and 20 minutes' roasting. These results suggest that roast flavour masks the ‘beany’ flavour in soybean.     

Development of radial-flow type internally oil-cooled oil-filledcable

A radial-flow type, internally oil-cooled, oil filled, paper-insulated cable has been developed. The oil flows radially through the paper insulation, decreasing the thermal resistance of the insulation. The decreased thermal resistance as well as the cooling effect of the oil flow in the central oil duct and the outer oil duct under an aluminum sheath increase the current capacity. A method for calculating the cooling characteristics is introduced. The results of initial electrical tests and a long-term field test, confirming the stability of the cable and accessories, are presented     

Effect of sulfhydryl oxidoreduction on permeability of cardiac tetrodotoxin-insensitive sodium channel

Effects of sulfhydryl oxidizing and reducing agents on permeability of the tetrodotoxin (TTX)-insensitive Na-channel were investigated in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Mercury chloride (HgCl2) at 1-100 microM irreversibly blocked Na+ currents with no significant changes in the gating kinetics. In contrast, the hydrophilic sulfhydryl oxidizing agent, thimerosal at 50-100 microM little affected Na+ permeation through the Na-channel. The Hg2+-induced block of Na+ current could be readily reversed by 1,4-dithiothreitol (DTT), an agent that reduces disulfide bonds. These results indicate that the formation of sulfur-Hg-sulfur bridge is essential for Hg2+ block. Pretreatment with DTT prevented the Hg2+ block of Na+ current, whereas Zn2+ and Cd2+ retained their abilities to block Na+ current after DTT treatment. An application of Zn2+ or Cd2+ resulted in the restoration of Hg2+ sensitivity of the DTT-treated channel. A conformational model for the Na-channel with multiple free sulfhydryl groups and native disulfide bonds could account for our experimental data regarding the effects of sulfhydryl modifying agents on the channel permeability. We conclude that the cardiac TTX-insensitive Na-channel contains functionally important free sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds which are accessible from the extracellular side by an aqueous pathway. These sulfhydryls would be capable of modulating the Na-channel permeability by affecting the conformation of channel pore region.     

Comparison of the ability of viral protein-expressing plasmid DNAs to protect against influenza

The ability of plasmid DNA encoding various influenza viral proteins from the A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) virus to protect against influenza was compared in BALB/c mice. The plasmid DNA encoded hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), matrix protein (M1), nucleoprotein (NP) or nonstructural protein (NS1) in a chicken beta-actin-based expression vector (pCAGGS). Each DNA was inoculated twice 3 weeks apart at a dose of 1 microgram per mouse by particle-mediated DNA transfer to the epidermis (gene gun). Seven days after a second immunization, mice were challenged with the homologous virus and the ability of each DNA to protect mice from influenza was evaluated by decreased lung virus titers and increased survival. Mice, given HA- or NA-expressing DNA, induced a high level of specific antibody response and protected well against the challenge virus. On the other hand, mice given M1-, NP-, or NS1-DNA failed to provide protection, although M1- and NP-DNAs did induce detectable antibody responses. These results indicate that both HA- and NA-expressing DNAs for the surface glycoproteins are most protective against influenza from among the various viral protein-expressing DNAs used here.