The positional distribution of dioleoyl-palmitoyl glycerol influences lymph chylomicron transport, composition and size in rats

The effects of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glycerol (OPO) on lymph chylomicron transport, composition and size in rats were investigated in comparison with 1,2-dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl glycerol (OOP). The OPO and OOP were prepared by enzymatic transesterification reactions. The concentrations of OPO and OOP in the preparations were 65.7 g/100 g, and the composition of fatty acids was similar for each. The OPO preparation contained triacylglycerols with 76.6% of the palmitic acid in the sn-2 position, whereas 100% of the oleic acid was esterified to the sn-2 position in the OOP preparation. Rats were infused with lipid emulsion containing 150 g/L of OPO or OOP via a stomach catheter. Lymph was collected through the mesenteric lymphatic trunk at 1-h intervals for 12 h. Collected lymph chylomicrons were analyzed for triacylglycerol, fatty acids, apolipoprotein A-I and particle size. The maximum transport rates of triacylglycerols in the OPO group were higher than those in the OOP group. The overall absorption of triacylglycerols, palmitic acid and oleic acid in the OPO group was also higher than that in the OOP group. In the chylomicrons, 60-70% of the fatty acids at the sn-2 position of the infused triacylglycerol was transported at the original position. The transport rates of dioleoyl-palmitoyl glycerol in the OPO group were higher than those in the OOP group. The transport rates of apolipoprotein A-I did not differ between groups, whereas the mean diameter of the chylomicrons in the OPO group was larger than that in the OOP group. These results indicate that OPO is absorbed and transported more effectively than OOP.     

Total reflection X-ray spectroscopy as a rapid analytical method for uranium determination in drainage water

Uranium concentrations in drainage water are typically determined by α-spectrometry. However, due to the low specific radioactivity of uranium, the evaporation of large volumes of drainage water, followed by several hours of measurements, is required. Thus, the development of a rapid and simple detection method for uranium in drainage water would enhance the operation efficiency of radiation control workers. We herein propose a novel methodology based on total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) for the measurement of uranium in contaminated water. TXRF is a particularly desirable method for the rapid and simple evaluation of uranium in contaminated water, as chemical pretreatment of the sample solution is not necessary, measurement times are typically several seconds, and the required sample volume is low. We herein employed sample solutions containing several different concentrations of uranyl acetate with yttrium as an internal standard. The solutions were placed onto sample holders, and were dried prior to TXRF measurements. The relative intensity, otherwise defined as the net intensity ratio of the Lα peak of uranium to the Kα peak of yttrium, was directly proportional to the uranium concentration. Using this method, a TXRF detection limit for uranium in contaminated water of 0.30 µg/g was achieved.     

Temperature rises in the human eye exposed to EM waves in thefrequency range 0.6-6 GHz

The temperature rises in the human eye for plane wave exposures are investigated in the frequency range between 600 MHz and 6 GHz, which covers the hot spot frequency range. As a first step, the specific absorption rates (SARs) are calculated with the use of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and the mechanism of hot-spot formation is discussed. Then the temperature rises in the human eye are calculated by using Pennes' bioheat equation. In addition, the dependence of SARs and temperature rises on the electromagnetic (EM) wave polarization and the eye dimension is discussed. Furthermore, the temperature rises calculated are compared with the values found in the literature pertaining to microwave-induced cataract formation. Numerical results show that hot spots appear in a certain frequency range and that the location and number of hot spots depend on the frequencies of the incident wave. In particular, the averaged SARs and the temperature rise are found to depend obviously on the polarization of the EM wave. Additionally, the deviations in the SAR and the temperature rise caused by the eye size are found to be within 10%. Furthermore, the maximum temperature rise due to the incident EM power density of 5.0 mW/cm² , which is the maximum permissible exposure limit for controlled environments, is found to be 0.30°C at 6.0 GHz. This value is small but not negligible, as compared with the threshold temperature rise 3.0°C for cataract formation     

Permeation, diffusion and dissolution of hydrogen isotopes, methane and inert gases through/in a tetrafluoroethylene film

Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) is widely used for conventional tritium handling systems such as vacuum seals, tubing and so on. We measured the permeation of the three hydrogen isotopes, methane and the inert gases through a TFE film at room temperature by means of the time-lag method in order to establish the physicochemical properties which determine the solubility and diffusivity of those gases. It was found that the diffusion constant of the inert gases changed exponentially with the heat of vaporization and the solubility was an exponential function of the Lennard-Jones force constant of the gases. On the other hand, hydrogen isotopes and methane deviated from these relations. It is concluded that chemical interactions between the solute and the solvent play an important role for the dissolution and the diffusion of these gases in TFE.     

Secondary ion emission from beryllium surfaces by Ar and /or (Ar+D2) mixed ion bombardments

With respect to the impurity emission and erosion of a Be first wall, a secondary ion mass spectrometric investigation was carried out along with surface characterization with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that Be is emitted as distinct types of chemical forms from the surface owing to sputtering with Ar⁺ and an (Ar⁺+ D⁺₂) mixture: (i) Be and Be-cluster, (ii) oxide and hydroxide, and (iii) hydride and/or deuteride.     

Temperature imaging of sub-millimeter-thick water using a near-infrared camera

This paper presents a method of imaging temperature distributions of sub-millimeter-thick water using a near-infrared camera and optical narrow-bandpass filter. The principle is based on the temperature dependence of the ν₁ + ν₃ absorption band of water. Temperature images are constructed by measuring the absorbance of water at the wavelength of 1412 nm through the filter for all pixels of the camera. From calibration measurements on 0.5-mm thick water at temperatures from 26.0 °C to 40.0 °C, the temperature coefficient was 6.3 × 10^?4 K^?1 and the standard deviation of absorbance was 1.9 × 10^?4. Thermal diffusion in 0.5-mm thick water caused by a thin heating wire was visualized with this method. The obtained images were verified against temperature distributions calculated by solving a two-dimensional thermal conduction model. This method would be useful for temperature measurement applications and control of aqueous solutions in microchips.     

Correlation of optical emission and turbulent length scale in a coaxial jet diffusion flame

This article investigates the correlation between optical emission and turbulent length scale in a coaxial jet diffusion flame. To simulate the H₂O emission from an H₂/O₂ diffusion flame, radiative transfer is calculated on flame data obtained by numerical simulation. H₂O emission characteristics are examined for a one-dimensional opposed-flow diffusion flame. The results indicate that H₂O emission intensity is linearly dependent on flame thickness. The simulation of H₂O emission is then extended to an H₂/O₂ turbulent coaxial jet diffusion flame. Time series data for a turbulent diffusion flame are obtained by Large Eddy Simulation, and radiative transfer calculations are conducted on the LES results to simulate H₂O emission optical images. The length scales of visible structures in the simulated emission images are determined by the procedure proposed by Ivancic and Mayer (2002) [8]. The length scales of emission intensity are compared with the integral length scales of velocity and temperature evaluated from LES flowfield data. The results clearly indicate that the length scale of emission intensity agrees well with the integral length scale of temperature, and is also close to that of the radial velocity component. Finally, the explanation as to why the integral length scale of temperature can be extracted from emission intensity distributions is stated.