Beta-decay half-lives calculated on the gross theory

Beta-decay half-lives have been calculated by the use of the gross theory which was formulated by Takahashi, Yamada, and Koyama. Both allowed and first-forbidden transitions have been taken into account, and consideration also has been given to the possibility that all the transitions to the levels near the ground states may be highly forbidden. The Q-values used in the calculation have been taken from the mass formula of Myers and Swiatecki. The calculated half-lives are shown in the PLOTS together with the experimental data and the Q-values. The PLOTS cover all the isotopes between the proton-drip and neutron-drip lines with Z = 3 to Z = 100.     

Self-organized inorganic nanoparticle arrays on protein lattices

Cavities formed by proteins have been utilized as the reaction chamber for the fabrication of a range of inorganic nanoparticles, providing control of the size of particles by limiting growth and preventing agglomeration. In crystal form, proteins construct molecular arrays that can provide regularly arranged sites for nanoparticles. Here we report the fabrication of nanometric iron and indium particles using ferritin, an iron-storage protein. The indium nanoparticles thus formed have uniform spherical shape with diameter of 6.6 +/- 0.5 nm, while the iron nanoparticles are somewhat irregular in shape (5.8 +/- 1.0 nm). Regular two-dimensional arrays of these nanoparticles are successfully produced by crystallizing ferritin molecules on a water-air interface using the denatured protein film method. The lattice constant of these nanoparticle arrays is 13 nm with hexagonal packing, and arrays of more than 1 microm in area can be obtained by transfer onto silicon wafer.     

Overlapping positive and negative regulatory elements determine lens-specific activity of the delta 1-crystallin enhancer

Lens-specific expression of the delta 1-crystallin gene is governed by an enhancer in the third intron, and the 30-bp-long DC5 fragment was found to be responsible for eliciting the lens-specific activity. Mutational analysis of the DC5 fragment identified two contiguous, interdependent positive elements and a negative element which overlaps the 3'-located positive element. Previously identified ubiquitous factors delta EF1 bound to the negative element and repressed the enhancer activity in nonlens cells. Mutation and cotransfection analyses indicated the existence of an activator which counteracts the action of delta EF1 in lens cells, probably through binding site competition. We also found a group of nuclear factors, collectively called delta EF2, which bound to the 5'-located positive element. delta EF2a and -b were the major species in lens cells, whereas delta EF2c and -d predominated in nonlens cells. These delta EF2 proteins probably cooperate with factors bound to the 3'-located element in activation in lens cells and repression in nonlens cells. delta EF2 proteins also bound to a promoter sequence of the gamma F-crystallin gene, suggesting that delta EF2 proteins are involved in lens-specific regulation of various crystallin classes.     

Development of in-vessel components of the microfission chamber for ITER

Microfission chambers (MFCs) will measure the total neutron source strength in ITER. The MFCs will be installed behind blanket modules in the vacuum vessel (VV). Triaxial mineral insulated (MI) cables will carry signals from the MFCs. The joint connecting triaxial MI cables in the VV must be considered because the MFCs and the MI cables will be installed separately at different times. Vacuum tight triaxial connector of the MI cable has been designed and a prototype has been constructed. Performance tests indicate that the connector can be applied to the ITER environment. A small bending-radius test of the MI cable indicates no observed damage at a curvature radius of 100 mm.     

Size Controlled Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Porphyrin with Four Sulfur Atoms

Tetradentate thioacetyl porphyrin ligand (1) was synthesized to protect gold nanoparticles. 1-protected gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and XPS. Analysis by XPS showed that all of four thioacetyl groups of 1 were dissociated and bound to the surface of gold nanoparticles in thiolate form. The size of 1-protected gold nanoparticles (GN:1) was controlled by thioacetyl group/HAuCl₄ molar ratio and approached to 2 nm. Compared with a protecting ligand without porphyrin plane (2) or dodecanethiol, 1 can control the size of gold nanoparticles efficiently probably due to the tetradentate ligation effect.     

竹笋膳食纤维对猪肉盐溶性蛋白热诱导凝胶特性的影响

通过提取猪肉盐溶性蛋白,添加不同比例（0%、1%、2%、3%、4%（猪肉盐溶性蛋白为100 g添加竹笋膳食纤维））的竹笋膳食纤维,应用质构仪、流变仪、低场核磁共振成像分析仪和扫描电镜测定分析竹笋膳食纤维-猪肉盐溶性蛋白形成的凝胶体系的凝胶强度、动态流变学特性、保水性、水分分布和微观结构,研究竹笋膳食纤维对凝胶体系的凝胶特性和保水性的影响。结果发现：添加竹笋膳食纤维显著增强凝胶体系的凝胶强度（P＜0.05）,当添加量为3%时,凝胶强度最高;随着竹笋膳食纤维添加量增加,猪肉盐溶性蛋白体系的储能模量（G’）和损失模量（G”）明显增加,凝胶体系的蒸煮损失和离心损失显著降低（P＜0.05）;低场核磁显示竹笋膳食纤维的添加显著提高了不易流动水的相对百分比并且降低了其弛豫时间T2（P＜0.05）;扫描电镜观察发现竹笋膳食纤维增加了凝胶体系的三维网络结构致密度和均一度。结果显示竹笋膳食纤维能够明显改善猪肉盐溶性蛋白的凝胶功能特性,在肉制品加工中有广阔的应用前景。     

Sorptive behavior of nitro-PAHs in street runoff and their potential as indicators of diesel vehicle exhaust particles

This is the first report to reveal the particle-water distribution of nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) and to discuss their potential risks and utility as indicators of diesel vehicle exhaust particles (DEP). Time-series samples of runoff were collected from a highway, and NPAHs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to study their dynamic behavior. The concentrations of total NPAHs ranged from 11 to 73 ng/L in particulate phase (>0.7 mcirom) and from 2.3 to 4.9 ng/L in dissolved phase (<0.7 microm). Like their PAH analogs, most (81-97%) NPAHs were associated with particulate matter. The organic carbon-normalized in situ partition coefficients (Koc') of NPAHs observed in runoff events (10(5.8-6.3) for 2-nitrofluoranthene and 10(5.8-6.2) for 1-nitropyrene [1-NP]) were more than 1 order of magnitude higher than those expected from their Kow, indicating great affinity for particulate matter such as soot. Concentrations of PAHs and NPAHs adjusted by potency equivalency factors and induction equivalency factors showed that the potential risks of NPAHs were smaller than those of PAHs by a factor of more than a hundred for the particulate phase and morethan fourforthe dissolved phase. Comparison of concentrations and compositions of NPAHs and PAHs among runoff, DEP, gasoline vehicle exhaust particles, boiler exhaust particles, and aerosols suggested that the ratio of 1-NP to total PAHs (1-NP/PAH) is a useful indicator of DEP for source apportionment of PAHs among traffic-related sources. Source-apportionment of PAHs in the runoff by 1-NP/PAH and methylphenanthrene/phenanthrene ratios suggested that most PAHs in the runoff except the second flush peak were derived from DEP but that other pyrogenic sources contributed to the particles at the second flush and thus to the overall runoff particles.     

Additive-Free Enzymatic Phosphorylation and Ligation of Artificial Oligonucleotides with C-Nucleosides at the Reaction Points

We report enzymatic phosphorylation and additive-free ligation of DNAs containing unnatural C-nucleotide residues through the action of T4 polynucleotide kinase and T4 DNA ligase. The artificial units are each made up of an alkynyl deoxyribose component and one of the unnatural nucleobases D * , T * , G * , and C * , corresponding—from a viewpoint of hydrogen-bonding patterns—to natural A, T, G, and C, respectively. Phosphorylation progressed quantitatively at the 5′-end in the cases of all of the artificial units in the chimeric DNAs. Ligation also smoothly progressed at the 5′-end in the cases of the D* and G* nucleotide residues, but only negligibly in those of their T* and C* counterparts. Chemical redesign of the last two units successfully improved the ligation efficiency, so that enzymatic ligation worked well for all of the artificial units in every 3′-natural ⋅ 5′-artificial, 3′-artificial ⋅ 5′-natural, and 3′-artificial ⋅ 5′-artificial terminal combination at the nicks.     

Quantification of wear,strain and heat energy consumption rates for sliding steel ball against diamond-like carbon coatings

Abstract

In this work, we evaluated the different energy consumption rates associated with the total frictional energy for a ball sliding on a flat surface. The energy generated by the sliding two bodies in contact is dissipated into the materials in various forms. The wear consumption energy for a steel ball against a diamond-like carbon surface was evaluated by the wear coefficient of the wear volume–energy input equation. The strain energy generated in the steel ball as a result of being made to slide under a certain load was calculated using the Hertzian theory. The chemical reaction energy was estimated based on iron oxidation. Finally, the frictional energy dissipated as heat was obtained by subtracting the wear and the strain energies from the total frictional energy.