LiErO2 formation on Er2O3 in static and natural convection lithium

Er₂O₃ is candidate material for insulating coating to prevent the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure drop in the self-cooled liquid Li blanket system. Although Er₂O₃ is stable material, detailed chemical behavior in liquid Li is not clear. Corrosion behavior of bulk Er₂O₃ in Li is investigated in static and flowing condition in the present study. After these tests, good compatibility of Er₂O₃ was confirmed and slight formation of LiErO₂ was detected by XRD analysis. This chemical behavior did not change in a static and flowing tests, however some of the corrosion product of LiErO₂ was removed easily by the Li flow. Intensity of LiErO₂ peaks in XRD spectrum suggests that the temperature gradient may affect the reaction rate in the natural convection loop. Since corrosion rate of Er₂O₃ is very small, slight change in state will be important information to evaluate lifetime of coating.     

Superoxide dismutase-based third-generation biosensor for superoxide anion

A third-generation biosensor for superoxide anion (O2-) was developed by immobilizing superoxide dismutase (SOD) on a self-assembled monolayer of cysteine on gold electrode; i.e., a SOD/cysteine-modified gold electrode (SOD/Cys/Au) was fabricated. A rapid and direct electron transfer of SOD was realized at the gold electrode by using the cysteine molecule as an electron-transfer promoter. The promoted direct electron transfer of SOD and biomolecular recognition by the exploitation of specific and significant enzyme-substrate reactivity of SOD toward O2- combined with the low operating potential enabled a sensitive measurement of O2-. At SOD/Cys/Au, O2- could be specifically oxidized and reduced to O2 and hydrogen peroxide, respectively, through the inherent catalytic reaction of SOD. This allowed us to measure O2- by polarizing the electrode both anodically and cathodically. We could successfully measure O2- by suitably polarizing the electrode, typically at 300 and -200 mV versus Ag/AgCl without the virtual interference from physiological levels of H2O2, ascorbic acid, uric acid, and metabolites of neurotransmitters. The response mechanism of SOD/Cys/Au to O2- and its sensor characteristics are also presented and discussed.     

Growth hormone, prolactin and chorionic somatomammotropin in normal and molar pregnancy

Twenty patients with molar pregnancy, ten normal pregnant women and ten healthy non-pregnant women were given 30 g of arginine intravenously. The serum concentration of growth hormone, prolactin and chorionic somatomammotropin (CS) was determined by radioimmunoassay. In addition, serum 17beta-estradiol, estriol and progesterone were also measured. Arginine infusion induced a sharp rise of GH in patients with molar pregnancy and in nonpregnant subjects, but the response in normal pregnancy was blunted. The response of PRL was high in patients with molar pregnancy, blunted in normal pregnancy and very small in nonpregnant subjects. CS did not respond at all to arginine infusion both in normal pregnancy and molar pregnancy. The high response to argine of PRL, normal response of GH and low baseline secretion and no response of CS may be characteristic of molar pregnancy.     

Evaluation of TEM samples of an Mg-Al alloy prepared using FIB milling at the operating voltages of 10 kV and 40 kV

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples of an Mg-Al alloy has been prepared using a Ga-focused ion beam (FIB) milling at two different operating voltages of 10 kV and 40 kV to investigate the influence of the FIB energy on the sample quality. The fine structures of the samples have been studied using a high resolution TEM, and the concentration of the implanted Ga was analysed using an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The result of the TEM observation revealed that point defects were introduced to the sample finally milled at 40 kV but not at 10 kV. However, crystal lattice images and electron diffraction patterns were clearly observed on both the samples. The typical influence of the FIB energy was indicated in the elemental analysis. The relative Ga concentration in the thin sample finally milled at 10 kV was 1.0-2.0 at% that is less than half of 4.0-6.0 at% of the Ga concentration in the sample finally milled at 40 kV. A comparison between the experimental results of the Ga concentration measurement with simulation was also discussed.     

A Unified Gradient-Based Approach for Combining ASM into AAM

Active Appearance Model (AAM) framework is a very useful method that can fit the shape and appearance model to the input image for various image analysis and synthesis problems. However, since the goal of the AAM fitting algorithm is to minimize the residual error between the model appearance and the input image, it often fails to accurately converge to the landmark points of the input image. To alleviate this weakness, we have combined Active Shape Models (ASM) into AAMs, in which ASMs try to find correct landmark points using the local profile model. Since the original objective function of the ASM search is not appropriate for combining these methods, we derive a gradient based iterative method by modifying the objective function of the ASM search. Then, we propose a new fitting method that combines the objective functions of both ASM and AAM into a single objective function in a gradient based optimization framework. Experimental results show that the proposed fitting method reduces the average fitting error when compared with existing fitting methods such as ASM, AAM, and Texture Constrained-ASM (TC-ASM) and improves the performance of facial expression recognition significantly.     

中国液态锂铅包层材料研究进展

液态锂铅包层是国际上普遍关注和最有发展潜力的聚变堆包层概念设计之一,而包层材料是液态锂铅包层的核心问题之一.目前,液态锂铅包层普遍选用低活化铁素体/马氏体钢(RAFM钢)作为结构材料,液态锂铅作为中子倍增剂及氚增殖剂.另外,部分设计采用了耐高温、电绝缘流道插件作为功能材料,以降低磁流体动力学效应及提高冷却剂出口温度(高于700℃).为适应液态包层的发展需求,中国科学院等离子体物理研究所FDS团队联合国内外相关研究单位,进行了具有中国自主知识产权的中国低活化马氏体钢(CLAM钢)及液态锂铅包层功能材料研发,并开展了锂铅热对流及强迫对流回路的设计、研制及腐蚀实验研究,以研究液态金属锂铅的流动特性及其与结构和功能材料的相容性.同时建立了聚变堆材料数据库平台,为促进中国聚变堆液态包层及材料技术的研究和发展提供数据支持.     

Upgrading of X-ray CT technology for analyses of irradiated FBR MOX fuel

The X-ray CT technology previously developed by JAEA was upgraded. The shape of the X-ray source beam was changed from a circular shape to an elliptical one and the collimator slit width was decreased from 0.3 to 0.1 mm. The X-ray detector was improved by changing a CdWO₄ scintillator to a highly sensitive silicon semiconductor detector. The analysis code of X-ray CT image was revised with respect to the number of points by using two kinds of experimental results and taking into account the effects of crack existence and deviation of the central void position from the radial center of a fuel pellet. As a result, high resolution X-ray CT images could be obtained on the transverse cross section of irradiated fuel assemblies. The error of the dimensional measurement was improved from ±0.1 to ±0.03 mm by upgrading the instrument and revising the analysis code of X-ray CT image. The discriminating accuracy of density difference could be increased, and the low density region (undisturbed region) and high density region (equi-axial and columnar regions) in the X-ray CT image on the cross section of irradiated fuel could be discriminated from each other. The reliability of fuel performance analysis improves because a large number of PIE data can be collected, compared with the conventional destructive PIE.     

Role of nitric oxide in rat nephrotoxic nephritis: comparison between inducible and constitutive nitric oxide synthase

Nitric oxide (NO), generated by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in migrating macrophages, is increased in glomerulonephritis. This study investigates the effect of NO inhibition on rat nephrotoxic nephritis (NTN) to clarify the role of NO production in glomerular damage. NTN was induced in Sprague Dawley rats by an injection of an anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody. Urinary nitrite excretion and nitrite release from kidney slices (5.47 +/- 1.19 versus 2.15 +/- 0.73 nmol/mg protein, NTN versus Control, P < 0.05) were increased in NTN on day 2. Glomerular macrophage infiltration and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expression increased from day 2. iNOS expression was increased in interstitial macrophages. Glomerular endothelial cell NOS (ecNOS) expression evaluated by counting immunogold particles along GBM was suppressed (0.06 +/- 0.02 versus 0.35 +/- 0.04 gold/micron GBM, P < 0.0001). Glomerular damage developed progressively. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), which inhibits both iNOS and ecNOS and aminoguanidine (AG), a relatively selective inhibitor for iNOS, equally suppressed nitrite in urine and renal tissue. Glomerular ICAM-1 expression and macrophage infiltration were reduced by L-NAME, but not by AG. Expression of ecNOS was significantly increased by L-NAME (0.91 +/- 0.08, P < 0.0001 versus NTN), but slightly by AG (0.18 +/- 0.04). AG significantly and L-NAME slightly attenuated the glomerular damage at day 4. In conclusion, suppression of iNOS prevents glomerular damage in the early stage of NTN. Treatment by L-NAME reduces macrophage infiltration by suppression of ICAM-1 expression, which may be explained by an increase in ecNOS expression.