Photocatalytic Property and Electronic Structure of Lanthanide-based Oxysulfides

Lanthanide-based oxysulfides and sulfide, LnTaO_3.5S_0.5, Ln₁₀OS₁₄ (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm) and La₄In₅S₁₃, were successively synthesized by sulfurization in a flowing H₂S. The sulfurization decreased the band-gap energies from >4 eV to <3eV, because of the formation of occupied S3p orbitals on the top of valence band. In accordance with the small band gap, the H₂ evolution from a 0.01 M Na₂S and 0.01 M Na₂SO₃ solution system was observed under irradiation of light up to >500 nm. The rate of H₂ evolution under light irradiation of >500 nm increased in the order of Ni/LaTaO_3.5S_0.5 < Ru/La₁₀OS₁₄ < Pt/La₄In₅S₁₃.     

Syntheses and structural properties of four Rb-aluminosilicate zeolites

Four types of Rb-aluminosilicate zeolites were hydrothermally synthesized in pure phase for the first time from Rb-aluminosilicate gels without using any organic structure-directing agent (SDA) under stirring conditions. The crystal structure of each zeolite was refined by Rietveld analysis of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. These crystal structures were confirmed to be Rb-mordenite, Rb-merlinoite, a new aluminosilicate zeolite with an ATT framework topology, and Rb-offretite denoted by RMA-1, RMA-2, RMA-3, and RMA-4, respectively. The Si/Al ratio of RMA-1 with an MOR topology varied from 5.3 to 8.0; however, the variation of the Si/Al ratios of the other zeolites was rather small. The crystal system of RMA-2 was tetragonal with space group I4/mmm, where two Rb sites were distributed at the center of an 8-membered ring (MR). On the other hand, two Rb sites in RMA-3 were located at the center of the 8-MR in small two cages. The structure of RMA-4 was identified as the OFF type with a local disorder or defect, which included a small amount of an intergrown ERI phase.     

The integral experiment on beryllium with D-T neutrons for verification of tritium breeding

A clean benchmark experiment on beryllium was performed with D-T neutrons at the FNS facility of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The main objective was to verify the integral data related to the tritium production on lithium isotopes. Tritium production rates, as well as activation reaction rates were measured inside the beryllium assembly that was shaped as a pseudo-cylindrical slab with an area-equivalent diameter of 628 mm and a thickness of 355 mm. Experimental results were analyzed with a three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport code MCNP-4C and FENDL/MC-2.0, JENDL-3.2/3.3 neutron transport libraries. Evaluation of reaction rates was based on the cross section data taken from the JENDL Dosimetry File and ENDF B-VI data libraries. Analysis shows that all calculation combinations (transport and activation cross section libraries) used for evaluation of reaction rates give data that is agreeable with measured values within 10%.     

Age-related accumulation of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide in cultured human diploid cells and its prevention by α-tocopherol

The levels of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide in serially cultured human fetal diploid fibroblasts at various population doubling levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with chemiluminescence detections. This methodology utilizes a mixture of cytochromec and luminol as post-column hydroperoxide group specific luminescent reagents. The cellular hydroperoxide content increased with age from 0.34 to 27.72 pmol/10⁶ cells. At the end of the cells'in vitro lifespan (51st population doubling level), the hydroperoxide content per 10⁶ cells reached about 80 times the level found in cells of the 20th population doubling level. Supplementation of exogenous α-tocopherol to the culture medium prevented hydroperoxide accumulation, but did not extent the lifespanin vitro. The results indicate that substantial intracellular phospholipid hydroperoxide accumulation occurred in the course of aging of human fetal liploid fibroblasts.     

Numerical simulation of parallel-plate particle separator for estimation of charge distribution of PM2.5

A numerical simulation of an instrument that is used to measure the charging state of PM2.5 is conducted in order to clarify its measurement uncertainty and to improve its performance. The instrument, a parallel-plate particle separator (PPPS), is designed to classify aerosol particles according to their charging states and measure their quantities. The trajectories of submicron particles in the PPPS are numerically analyzed using the Lagrangian particle tracking method, taking into account the Brownian force and the electrostatic force. First, it is confirmed that the deterioration in the classification accuracy observed in the experiment is due to Brownian diffusion. The optimal condition that improves the accuracy is investigated through a parametric study by varying the balance of flow rates at the inlets, the geometry of the inlet and exit sections, and the applied voltage. It is found that decreasing the flow rate of the central inlet for aerosol or narrowing the central inlet improves the accuracy. The dependence of the accuracy on the flow rate is found to be in accordance with the experimental results. For charged particles, an optimum voltage that maximizes the classification accuracy is found. On the basis of the simulation results, we propose a method to determine the charge distribution of aerosol from the number of particles counted at each exit of the PPPS. In the test assuming aerosol in the air, the charge distribution determined from the number count at the exits is found to perfectly agree with the charge distribution specified at the inlet.

Copyright © 2019 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Behavioral and electroantennogram responses of periplanone analogs

The biological activities of synthetic periplanone analogs, including four candidates of periplanone-A (P-A), were evaluated by behavioral and electroantennogram (EAG) assays. Among 16 periplanone analogs, six compounds evoked pheromonal activity from the male American cockroaches. The threshold dosages of these biological active analogs were 10–10⁵ times lower than that of the known periplanone mimic, germacrene-D. The conformation required for eliciting the pheromonal activity is discussed in terms of the structure-activity relationship of these analogs. Hauptmann's P-A elicited the strongest pheromonal activity among four candidates of P-A in our bioassay, suggesting that Hauptmann's P-A is a natural P-A produced from female cockroaches.     

Systematic analysis of glycosphingolipids in the human gastrointestinal tract: Enrichment of sulfatides with hydroxylated longer-chain fatty acids in the gastric and duodenal mucosa

The composition of the glycosphingolipids of the human gastrointestinal tract was studied. The major neutral glycosphingolipids were ceramide monohexosides (e.g., GalCer, GlcCer), LacCer, Gb₃Cer, Gb₄Cer and more polar ones with more than four sugars, whereas neither Gg₃Cer nor Gg₄Cer were present. The acidic glycosphingolipids consisted of sulfatides and gangliosides such as G_M3, G_M1, G_D3 and G_D1a. Also a large amount of sulfatides was found in the gastric mucosa and duodenum. The concentrations of sulfatides in the fundic mucosa, antral mucosa and duodenum amounted to 416.0, 933.8 and 682.9 nmol/g of dry weight, respectively, exceeding those in the gastric mucosa and kidney of other mammals. The major molecular species of the sulfatides were identified as I³SO₃-GalCer with hydroxylated longer-chain fatty acids based on the analyses by gas-liquid chromatography and negative ion fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry. In contrast, gangliosides in these regions showed a tendency to be lower than sulfatides, and the molar ratios of sulfatides to gangliosides were about 2.0, whereas those in other parts were less than 0.5. A high content of sulfatides in the gastric and duodenal mucosa, where mucosa is easily insulted by acid, pepsin and bile salts, may be closely related to their roles in mucosal protection. The nomenclature used for gangliosides and other glycosphingolipids follows the system of Svennerholm (Ref. 1) and the recommendation of the IUPAC-IUB Commission (Ref. 2), respectively.     

Arrangements of uniformly sized particles in a powder bed

The volume of the unit cell of a powder bed in a general case is calculated, and an equation is proposed for calculating the porosity of the bed consisting of uniformly sized ellipsoidal particles in contact and regularly arranged. In the case of uniformly sized spherical particles in contact, the equation can be simplified.Three dimensions and face angles of the unit cell are given for each regular arrangement both in cases of ellipsoidal and spherical particles. The values of the porosity are calculated by using the author's equation: the results for both ellipsoids and spheres are equal when tire particle arrangements are the same.The face angles of the unit cells proposed by Graton and Fraser are modified in two cases by the author's method of calculation and a system omitted from their classification is described. Other equations for calculation of the porosity are discussed.     

Fractionation and enrichment of CLA isomers by selective esterification with Candida rugosa lipase

A commercial product of CLA contains almost equal amounts of cis-9,trans-11 (c9,t11)-CLA and trans-10,cis-12 (t10,c12)-CLA. We attempted to enrich the two isomers by a two-step selective esterification using Candida rugosa lipase that acted on c9,t11-CLA more strongly than on t10,c12-CLA. An FFA mixture containing CLA isomers was esterified with an equimolar amount of lauryl alcohol in a mixture of 20% water and the lipase. When the esterification of total FA reached 50%, two isomers were fractionated in a good yield: t10,c12-CLA was enriched in FFA, and c9,t11-CLA was recovered in lauryl esters. The FFA were esterified again to enrich t10,c12-CLA. At 27.3% esterification of total FA, the t10,c12-CLA content in FFA increased to 64.8 wt% with 89.3% recovery: The ratio of the content of t10,c12-CLA to that of two isomers was 95.9%. Lauryl esters obtained by the single esterification were employed for enrichment of c9,t11-CLA. After the esters were hydrolyzed, the resulting FFA were esterified again with lauryl alcohol. At 62.0% esterification of total FA, the c9,t11-CLA content in lauryl esters increased to 73.3 wt% with 79.4% recovery: The ratio of the content of c9,t11-CLA to that of two isomers was 95.6%. In a 600-g-scale purification, molecular distillation was effective in separating the reaction mixture into lauryl alcohol, FFA, and lauryl ester fractions.