Synthesis of the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonist (+)-(S)-2-chloro-5-methoxy-4-[5-(2-piperidylmethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-y l]aniline

A 52-year-old white woman was first diagnosed with a tumor of the right optic nerve in 1972. She remained asymptomatic until 1992, when she had a seizure on the left side of her body from a frontoparietal glioblastoma multiforme. Ophthalmic examination revealed enlargement of the eye tumor. This case provides clinical documentation spanning 20 years of a growing, pigmented tumor of the optic nerve head shown histopathologically to be a retinal pigment epithelial adenoma.     

Rapid measurement and control of the moisture content of compost using near-infrared spectroscopy

In a compost fermentation of soybean-curd (tofu) refuse, the effects of the moisture content of the compost on the compost reaction were studied. The moisture content of the compost was a very important factor for good fermentation. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was applied to the determination of the moisture content of the compost. The reflected rays in the wavelength range between 400 and 2500 nm were measured at 2 nm intervals. The absorption of water was observed at three wavelengths, 960, 1406 and 1888 nm. To formulate a calibration equation, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out between the near-infrared spectral data at 960 nm (sample number, n = 50) and on the moisture content obtained using a drying method. The values of the simple correlation coefficient and the standard error of calibration were 0.987 and 1.33%, respectively. To validate the calibration equation obtained, the moisture content in the prediction sample set (n = 35) not used for formulating the calibration equation was calculated using the calibration equation, and compared with the values obtained using the drying method. Good agreement was observed between the results of the drying method and those of the NIRS method. The simple correlation coefficient and standard error of prediction were 0.979 and 1.85%, respectively. Then, the NIRS method was applied to a practical situation in which the moisture content was measured and controlled during the compost fermentation, and good results were obtained. The study indicates that NIRS is a useful method for measurement and control of the moisture content in the compost of soybean-curd refuse.     

微波场中加热水的模拟计算

微波环境下测温存在一些问题,借助数值模拟的方法可计算微波场中试样温度随加热时间的变化.计算过程中需考虑材料的介电常数随温度的变化.水的介电常数数据最完整,所以选水为研究对象,进行微波场中加热水的实验研究及数值计算.计算结果表明微波在炉腔内金属壁上全反射形成驻波.随着微波在水中的传播,其强度逐渐衰减,因此水表面的微波场最强.考虑水的介电常数随温度变化以及微波场在水中传播时的衰减等因素后,模拟计算出的水温随微波加热时间的变化与实验结果吻合较好.     

氟-18-左旋氧氟沙星的标记与动物实验研究

炎症显像是核素影像诊断的重要研究领域,但其中正电子核素标记的药物报道不多.为探索合成一种可特异性在炎症部位浓集、且可鉴别是否为细菌性感染的正电子核素标记的显像剂,我们研究制备了18F标记的Levofloxacin(LVFX)用于炎症显像.标记方法采用经典的Hamacher法(氟离子亲核取代)标记LVFX,放射化学纯大于98%,放射性得率约40%,热原检测为阴性.结果表明标记方法简单迅速,标记物稳定.研究了18F-LVFX在正常炎症动物模型内的生物分布以及炎症动物模型的显像.生物分布和显像结果均表明18F-LVFX在炎症组织内有较高的摄取,炎症组织与正常组织间有显著性差异(P＜0.05),该标记物主要通过肾脏和肝脏排泄.研究表明18F-LVFX是一种潜在的炎症显像剂.     

微波协助碾磨高钛高炉渣

为从高钛高炉渣中分离出钙钛矿(CaTiO3),降低渣中TiO2含量,进行了利用微波辐射在渣中引发裂纹,降低炉渣强度,节约碾磨能耗的研究.由实验得知,高钛高炉渣能被微波有效加热,并在炉渣中引发微裂纹;随着微波处理时间的延长,引发的裂纹也随之扩展.为研究引发的裂纹对碾磨渣的影响,对经过微波处理的高钛高炉渣进行了耐压强度测试.测试结果表明,高钛高炉渣中引发微裂纹后,渣的耐压强度下降(经5次、5 min微波处理后,渣的强度大约降低了20%);渣的耐压强度随微波处理时间的延长和微波循环次数的增加而降低,尤其是微波循环次数对渣耐压强度的影响更为显著.     

Speed-up of cross-section collapsing with weight-window for subcritical burnup calculation

In the author’s group, a fusion–fission (FF) hybrid energy system has been analyzed using our own burnup calculation system consisting of Monte Carlo transport code MCNP-4C and point burnup code ORIGEN2.1. Since the neutron energy spectrum changes along with progress of burnup in a subcritical system, it is necessary to update one-group cross-section library in each burnup step. The one-group cross-sections are normally updated by collapsing the evaluated nuclear data such as JENDL and ENDF using a neutron flux calculated by an appropriate transport code such as MCNP. The collapsed cross-sections are handed over to ORIGEN, and the reaction rates for burnup of elements are thereafter estimated accurately.As well known, MCNP generates track-length (TL) data in the neutron transport calculation, which are base data to estimate the neutron flux. We thus use the track-length data directly instead of the calculated neutron flux, in order to evaluate the reaction rate as accurately as possible. However, the number of TLs becomes extremely large and thus it takes a longer computation time. We therefore reduce the number of TLs used in the cross-section collapsing process as far as the accuracy is conserved. However, in some energy region the number of TLs is inversely too small to conserve the original cross-section accuracy of the evaluated nuclear data files, because the number of TL data per unit energy is smaller than that of the nuclear data.In the present study, the weight-window (WW) technique of MCNP was applied to our burnup calculation system in order to control the number of TLs in such an energy region artificially and to complete the collapsing process accurately in the whole energy region. As a result, the variance of the calculated neutron flux thus deteriorates slightly, but the number of TLs could be successfully adjusted to conserve the accuracy of the nuclear data file in the whole energy region. And the accurate reaction rate estimation for burnup with MCNP was finally realized and simultaneously the computation time could be saved reasonably.     

Direct neutron spectrum measurement to validate Zr(n,2n) reaction cross-section at 14 MeV

Lithium zirconate, Li₂ZrO₃, is known as a candidate blanket material in a fusion reactor. Various neutronics benchmark experiments for zirconium have thus been carried out so far. According to the independent benchmark studies by two parties, the neutron spectrum calculations show fairly large overestimation for most evaluated nuclear data libraries. However, the reason has not yet been made clear up to now. The author's group expects it would be due to a problem of evaluation for the ^natZr(n,2n) reaction cross-section, because the cross-section measurement is basically not possible with the foil activation method for zirconium isotopes except for ⁹⁰Zr.In the present study, two neutrons emitted from ^natZr(n,2n) reaction have been measured directly to investigate the reason for the above overestimation. The measurement was done with our own special technique of detecting angle-correlated neutrons by the coincidence detection technique and the pencil-beam DT neutron source of FNS, JAEA. Angle-correlated energy differential cross-sections for ^natZr(n,2n) reaction were successfully measured. The obtained total cross-section above the emitted neutron energy of 800 keV was fairly larger than the one evaluated in JENDL-3.3. The total cross-section of ^natZr(n,2n) reaction was estimated by extrapolating the spectrum down to zero energy taking into account the nuclear temperature. The estimated cross-section value with the nuclear temperature of 1 MeV, which is larger than the one adopted in JENDL-3.3, was in acceptable agreement with JENDL-3.3. It is suggested from the result that the disagreement pointed out in the previous benchmark studies may be due to inappropriate nuclear temperature used in the evaluation. Further investigation of the nuclear temperature employed in the nuclear data evaluation should thus be carried out once again.     

Low thermal conductivity of SrTiO3−LaTiO3 and SrTiO3−SrNbO3 thermoelectric oxide solid solutions

Electron-doped SrTiO₃ has been attracting attention as oxide thermoelectric materials, which can convert wasted heat into electricity. The power factor of the electron-doped SrTiO₃, including SrTiO₃-LaTiO₃ and SrTiO₃-SrNbO₃ solid solutions, has been clarified. However, their thermal conductivity (κ) has not been clearly identified thus far. Only a high κ (>12 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) has been assumed from the electron contribution based on Wiedemann–Franz law. Here, we show that the κ of the electron-doped SrTiO₃ is lower than the assumed κ, and its highest ZT exceeded 0.1 at room temperature. The κ slightly decreased with the carrier concentration (n) when n is below 4 × 10²¹ cm⁻³. In the case of SrTiO₃-SrNbO₃ solid solutions, an upturn in κ was observed when n exceeds 4 × 10²¹ cm⁻³ due to the contribution of conduction electron to the κ. On the other hand, κ decreased in the case of SrTiO₃-LaTiO₃ solid solutions probably due to the lattice distortion, which scatters both electrons and phonons. The highest ZT was 0.11 around n = 1 × 10²¹ cm⁻³. These findings would be useful for the future design of electron-doped SrTiO₃-based thermoelectric materials.     

Reliable surface modification of dental plastic substrates to reduce biofouling with a photoreactive phospholipid polymer

Plastic substrates have been widely applied in clinical settings for dental treatments. These substrates should be strong enough for long‐term implantation in the oral cavity and should be resistant to biofouling. We developed a new photoreactive phospholipid polymer to reduce biofouling on dental plastics via a photochemical reaction. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) were used as dental plastics. To determine the antibiofouling properties on the polymer surface, the phospholipid polymer was covalently immobilized on the substrates by UV irradiation. We evaluated the antibiofouling properties by observing the protein adsorption and cell and bacterial adhesion. Significant protein adsorption and cell adhesion appeared on the bare PMMA and PEEK substrates but decreased dramatically after surface modification with the phospholipid polymer. Thus, this photoreactive polymer shows potential for conferring dental plastics with antibiofouling properties. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46512.     

Effect of annealing on grain growth and Y segregation behavior in tetragonal ZrO2 thin film

In order to fabricate tetragonal yttria stabilized zirconia samples with large grain size, 3 mol% Y₂O₃ doped zirconia thin films were grown on (0001) α-Al₂O₃ substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) followed by subsequent high temperature annealing. The thin film samples were annealed at 1200°C, 1250°C, 1300°C, and 1350°C in order to obtain larger grain size without Y segregation. The microstructure and chemical composition of these annealed films were analyzed using atomic force microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The as-grown thin film was found to be composed of [111]-oriented grains of ∼100 nm connected with small-angle tilt boundaries. Based on analysis of annealed thin films, it was revealed that grain growth of tetragonal zirconia occurred anisotropically. Cross section scanning transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that such grain growth behavior is affected by the step-terrace structures of the sapphire substrate. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that Y was found to distribute almost uniformly below 1300°C but to segregate at the grain boundaries at 1350°C. As a conclusion, the 1300°C-annealed sample shows the largest grain size with homogeneous Y distributions.