Benchmark analysis on PFM analysis codes for aged piping of nuclear power plants

Probabilistic fracture mechanics is a rational methodology in structural reliability evaluation and risk assessment for aged piping in nuclear power plants. Several probabilistic fracture mechanical analysis codes have been improved or developed in Japan. To verify the reliability and applicability of two of these codes, we did a benchmark analysis using their basic functions in consideration of representative piping systems in nuclear power plants and typical aging mechanisms. Based on the analysis results, we concluded that the analysis results of these two codes are in good agreement.     

Improvement of a temperature response function for divertor heat flux monitoring in fusion devices

Temperature response functions have been developed to investigate sensor design and divertor heat flux estimation in magnetically confined plasmas. The time-dependent heat flux can be derived by fitting the response function to experimental thermocouple(TC) data. Because the TC signals have a time delay to transit events such as discharge start or confinement transition, the time delay is taken into account in a temperature response function. Such a function accurately describes the signal from ...     

Reactivation of Anticancer Immunity by Resetting Interorgan Crosstalk in Immune-Suppressive Cells with a Nanoparticulated Anti-Inflammatory Drug

The reactivation of anticancer immunity is a fundamental principle in cancer immunotherapy as evidenced by the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). While treatment with the ICIs is shown to have remarkable and durable therapeutic effects in the responders, the low objective response rate (<40%) continues to be a major problem. Since myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), heterogenous cells with strong immunosuppressive activity that originate in the hematopoietic system, suppress the anticancer immunity via parallel immune checkpoint-dependent and independent pathways, these cells are potential targets for improving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In this study, it is demonstrated that MDSCs can be depleted by delivering synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone to phagocytic cells in the spleen using a lipid nanoparticle. Since the interaction of nanoparticles with T cells is intrinsically poor, this strategy also enables the “detargeting” from T cells, thus avoiding the nonspecific suppression of cytotoxic immune responses against cancer cells. In addition to the direct anticancer effect of the nanoparticulated dexamethasone, their synergistic anticancer effect with ICIs is also reported.     

Anticancer Activity of Reconstituted Ribonuclease S-Decorated Artificial Viral Capsid

Ribonuclease S (RNase S) is an enzyme that exhibits anticancer activity by degrading RNAs within cancer cells; however, the cellular uptake efficiency is low due to its small molecular size. Here we generated RNase S-decorated artificial viral capsids with a size of 70–170 nm by self-assembly of the β-annulus-S-peptide followed by reconstitution with S-protein at neutral pH. The RNase S-decorated artificial viral capsids are efficiently taken up by HepG2 cells and exhibit higher RNA degradation activity in cells compared with RNase S alone. Cell viability assays revealed that RNase S-decorated capsids have high anticancer activity comparable to that of standard anticancer drugs.     

End effects of Halbach field magnet-type linear motor

A linear motor that uses a finite length Halbach array as its magnetic field causes a thrust force ripple owing to end effects. In this paper, the theoretical and numerical analysis methods of the Halbach array are investigated. The results of the electromagnetic field analysis are compared to confirm the validity of the theoretical and numerical solutions. Moreover, we focus on the magnetic pole period and coil arrangement of the finite length Halbach field type linear motor to eliminate the influence of the end effects, and report the relationship with the end effects.