First nuclear transmutation of 237Np and 241Am by accelerator-driven system at Kyoto University Critical Assembly

This study demonstrates, for the first time, the principle of nuclear transmutation of minor actinide (MA) by the accelerator-driven system (ADS) through the injection of high-energy neutrons into the subcritical core at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. The main objective of the experiments is to confirm fission reactions of neptunium-237 (²³⁷Np) and americium-241 (²⁴¹Am), and capture reactions of ²³⁷Np. Subcritical irradiation of ²³⁷Np and ²⁴¹Am foils is conducted in a hard spectrum core with the use of the back-to-back fission chamber that obtains simultaneously two signals from specially installed test (²³⁷Np or ²⁴¹Am) and reference (uranium-235) foils. The first nuclear transmutation of ²³⁷Np and ²⁴¹Am by ADS soundly implemented by combining the subcritical core and the 100 MeV proton accelerator, and the use of a lead-bismuth target, is conclusively demonstrated through the experimental results of fission and capture reaction events.     

基于酵母产孢的syntaxin家族蛋白SNARE区域功能分析

真核细胞中大部分膜融合过程由SNARE蛋白介导,但其功能和调节机制尚未完全清楚。酵母孢子形成是研究囊泡融合机制包括SNARE蛋白的理想模型系统。在该过程中涉及t-SNARE蛋白Sso1,它是突触囊泡融合所需蛋白syntaxin 1A的同源物,两者SNARE区域有51%的同源性。尽管如此,将SSO1的SNARE区域完全替换成syntaxin 1A,而构建的嵌合体却无法回补sso1△突变的产孢缺陷。为了确定哪些残基为Sso1功能所必须,作者进行了嵌合体和突变分析,发现Sso1/syntaxin 1A嵌合体中syntaxin 1A的SNARE区域的220位丙氨酸换成谷氨酸后获得产孢功能。另外,Sso1发生相应的突变-218位谷氨酸突变成丙氨酸后失去其功能。因此,218位谷氨酸残基为Sso1产孢功能所必须。     

Purification and biochemical properties of pepsins from the stomach of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)

Pepsins 1 and 2 from the stomach of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) were purified to homogeneity by using a series of chromatographic purification involving DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-50 and Sephadex G-75 with increase in purity of 246-fold and 213-fold, respectively. Molecular weights of pepsins 1 and 2 were estimated by SDS–PAGE to be 33.9 and 33.7 kDa, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the first 20 amino acids of both isoenzymes were YQDGTEPMTNDADLSYYGVI. The optimal pH and temperature for pepsin 1 were 2.5 and 50 °C, respectively, while pepsin 2 showed optimal activity at pH 2.0 and 45 °C. The activity of two pepsins was stable in the pH range of 2–5 and at temperatures up to 50 °C. The activity of purified pepsins was strongly inhibited by pepstatin A in a dose-dependent manner. SDS and cysteine showed inhibitory effects toward both pepsins. Activity of pepsin 2 was slightly activated by NaCl, but NaCl had no effect on pepsin 1. Pepsins 1 and 2 had high affinity and hydrolytic activity toward hemoglobin with K _m of 54 and 71 μM, respectively. k _cat of pepsins 1 and 2 were 38.1 and 44.3 s⁻¹, respectively. Both pepsins effectively hydrolyzed bovine serum albumin, egg white, natural actomyosin from brownstripe red snapper muscle and acid-solubilized collagen from arabesque greenling skin. Nevertheless, the hydrolytic activity was slightly less than that of pepsin from porcine stomach.     

Vitamin E reduces cholesterol esterification and uptake of acetylated low density lipoprotein in macrophages

The effects of vitamin E on cholesteryl ester (CE) metabolism in 1774 cells were examined. Pretreatment of 1774 cells with vitamin E at concentrations above 50 μM significantly decreased acetylated low density lipoprotein (LDL)-induced incorporation of [¹⁴C]oleate into CF in cells in a dose-dependent manner. This was partly due to vitamin E Also significantly inhibiting the uptake of [³H]CE-labeled acetylated LDL by 1774 cells. A trend existed toward suppression of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity in the cell lysate at high vitamin E concentration, but there was no effect on hydrolysis of CE. These data indicate that vitamin E reduces the uptake of modified LDL and suppresses ACAT activity, resulting in less cholesterol esterification in macrophages; a novel mechanism underlying the antiatherogenic properties of vitamin E.     

Formation Processes of β-C2S by the Decomposition of Hydrothermally Prepared C-S-H with Ca(OH)2

A mixture of CaO and silicic acid prepared with a Ca/Si ratio of 2.0 was hydrothermally synthesized at 80° to 200°C, and the thermal decomposition behavior of the products (C-S-H with Ca(OH)₂) was analyzed using XRD, ²⁹Si MAS NMR, and the trimethylsililation method (TMS). It was found that the main silicate anion structure of C-S-H was a mixture of a dimer and a single-chain polymer (larger than Si₅O₁₆) and that polymerization advanced with an increase of the synthesizing temperature. On heating, the products decomposed to form β-C₂S. It was found that the decomposition was gradual and that the-higher the temperature of hydrothermal synthesis, the lower was the temperature of the decomposition into β-C₂S. Although the decomposition proceeded to form a monomer (β-C₂S) from the polymer and dimer, this dimer was resistant to heat and did not decompose unless heated to above 400°C.     

Photoluminescence properties of porous silicon layers prepared by electrochemical etching in extremely dilute HF solutions

Dilute HF solutions with concentrations down to 0.03% have been used to obtain luminescent porous silicon (PSi) layers on p-type Si wafers. The experimental results show that with a constant etching time of 30 min, PSi layers with sufficient luminescence efficiencies can be formed for HF concentrations as low as 0.1%. Because of a significantly lowered critical current density, only very low etching current densities of  ≤0.1 mA cm⁻² can result in the formation of luminescent PSi samples in 0.1% HF solutions. A notable result is that these low etching current densities cannot be used to form luminescent PSi layers in concentrated ( ≥1%) HF solutions. The behavior of PL intensity as a function of etching current density has been analyzed over a wide range of HF concentration. The PL intensity is determined by the ratio of the etching current density to the critical current density, suggesting that the presence of silicon oxides plays an important role in the formation of luminescent Si nanostructures in PSi layers.     

Characteristics of menhaden oil ethanolysis by immobilized lipase in supercritical carbon dioxide

Ethanolysis of menhaden oil was performed with 1,3-regiospecific lipase to produce diglycerides and monoglycerides containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, and fatty acid ethyl esters. Immobilized lipases like lipozyme TL-IM (Thermomuces lanuginosa immobilized on silica gel) were used for enzymatic ethanolysis. Ethanolysis was carried out in different processes (solvent free, organic solvent and supercritical fluid system) to compare the reaction rate and yield obtained by menhaden oil ethanolysis. Organic solvent (hexane) and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) were used as reaction medium. The reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Higher amounts of ethanol as a substrate caused substrate inhibition which dramatically decreased the reaction rate of ethanolysis. To elucidate the effect of pressure, enzymatic ethanolysis was performed in SC-CO₂ at pressures ranging from 75 to 121 bar. Enzymatic ethanolysis of menhaden oil in SC-CO₂ decreased by substrate inhibition. Reaction rate and optimum amount of ethanol used were depended on SC-CO₂ density individually. Kinetic model with substrate inhibition (dead-end inhibition) by excess ethanol was set up to measure the reaction and inhibition rates.     

Push-Pull Fatigue of Sintered Silicon Nitride Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures

The fatigue tests under push-pull completely reversed loading and pulsating loading were performed for silicon nitride ceramics at elevated temperatures. Then the effects of stress wave form, stress rate, and cyclic understressing on fatigue strength, and cyclic straining behavior, were examined. The cycle-number-based fatigue life is found to be shorter under trapezoidal stress wave loading than under triangular stress wave loading, and to become shorter with increasing hold time under the trapezoidal stress wave loading. Meanwhile, the equivalent time-based life curve, which is estimated from the concept of slow crack growth, almost agrees with the static fatigue life curve in the short and intermediate life regions, showing the small cyclic stress effect and the dominant stress-imposing period effect on cyclic fatigue life. The fatigue strength increased in stepwise stress amplitude increasing test, where stress amplitude is increased stepwise every given number of stress cycles, at 1100° and 1200°C. Occurrence of cyclic strengthening was proved through a gradual decrease in strain amplitude during a pulsating loading test at 1200°C in this material, corresponding to the above cyclic understressing effect on fatigue strength.     

Distributions of hydroperoxide positional isomers generated by oxidation of 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-<Emphasis Type="Italic">sn</Emphasis>-glycero-3-phosphocholine in liposomes and in methanol solution

The differences in distribution of geometric isomers of unsaturated PC hydroperoxides generated by free radical oxidation were compared, as corresponding hydroxy analogs, in heterogeneous liposomes and in a homogeneous methanol solution by using HPLC with UV detection due to the presence of conjugated dienes. Identification of fractionated peak components was carried out by GC-MS. When the oxidation of 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, PC(16∶0/18∶2), was initiated in liposomes by a hydrophilic azo radical initiator, and in a methanol solution by a hydrophobic azo radical initiator, there was no significant difference in the relative percentages of 1-palmitoyl-2-(9-hydroxy-trans-10,trans-12-octadecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (9-t,t-OH PC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-(13-hydroxy-trans-9,trans-11-octadecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (13-t,t-OH PC) between the PC oxidized in liposomes and in the methanol solution. For the oxidation of 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, PC(16∶0/20∶4), the relative percentage of 1-palmitoyl-2-(5-hydroxy-trans-6,cis-8,11,14-eicosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (5-OH PC) was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of 1-palmitoyl-2-(15-hydroxy-cis-5,8,11,trans-13-eicosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (15-OH PC) in liposomes. For the homogeneous methanol solution of PC(16∶0/20∶4), the relative percentage of 5-OH PC was close to that of 15-OH PC. For the PC(16∶0/20∶4) oxidized in bulk with added pentamethylchromanol, the individual amount of 15-OH PC, 1-palmitoyl-2-(11-hydroxy-cis-5,8trans-12,cis-14-eicosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (11-OH PC), 1-palmitoyl-2-(12-hydroxy-cis-5,8,trans-10,cis-14-eicosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (12-OH PC), 1-palmitoyl-2-(8-hydroxy-cis-5,trans-9,cis-11,14-eicosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (8-OH PC), 1-palmitoyl-2-(9-hydroxy-cis-5,trans-7,cis-11,14-eicosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (9-OH PC), and 5-OH PC were close to each other compared to the corresponding values in liposomes and in methanol solution. The results obtained by gel permeation chromatography of the PC liposomes containing hydrophilic 2,2′-azobis-2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) suggest that the AAPH added to the liposomes of PC(16∶0/20∶4) was partitioned into the water phase and out of the hydrophobic region of the fatty acyl moieties of the PC. These results confirm that the distance that exists in the bis-allylic carbons of the unsaturated fatty acyl moieties of PC from the interface between the hydrophilic region of PC and the water phases played an important role in influencing hydrogen abstraction to form a symmetrical distribution of hydroperoxide isomers in both the heterogeneous liposomes and the homogeneous methanol solution.