Heterogeneous distribution of radiocesium in aerosols, soil and particulate matters emitted by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: retention of micro-scale heterogeneity during the migration of radiocesium from the air into ground and river systems

We analyzed ¹³⁷Cs in aerosols, rock, soil and river suspended sediment collected after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Based on the results, we discuss the post-event behavior and transportation of radiocesium in the environment from the air into ground and river systems. First, radionuclides were emitted from the FDNPP as airborne ‘hot’ particles, which contained water-soluble fractions of radiocesium. Radiocesium was still present in a water-soluble fraction after deposition on the ground. Subsequent interaction of the ‘hot’ particles with water (e.g. rainfall) dissolved and strongly fixed the radiocesium on rock and soil particles, thus changing the radiocesium into insoluble forms. The distribution of ‘hot spots’ was possibly controlled by the initial position of deposition on the ground. Consequently, ‘hot spots’ were studded on the rock surface rather than being uniformly distributed. The distribution of radiocesium in river suspended particles was not homogeneous during water transportation, reflecting the heterogeneity of radiocesium in rock and soil. Leaching experiments demonstrated that radiocesium in rock, soil and river suspended sediment was fairly insoluble, showing that the adsorption reaction is irreversible. The micro-scale heterogeneous distribution of radiocesium in aerosols, soil and suspended particles was due to the presence of ‘hot’ particles in aerosols. Dissolution of radiocesium in the ‘hot’ particles in the aerosols and subsequent irreversible adsorption onto the soil particle complex are responsible for the preservation of the heterogeneity both in soil and in river suspended particles.     

Effective synthesis of diiodinated picene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene by AuCl-catalyzed double cyclization

6,13-Diiododibenzo[a,h]anthracene and 5,8-diiodopicene were synthesized by AuCl-catalyzed double cyclization. The highly selective reaction yielded a new class of peri-halogenated fused aromatics.     

Crystal structure of methyl endo-8-cyano-exo-8-methyl-3-oxo-2-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene-6-carboxylate.

A photochemical cycloaddition reaction of methyl 2-pyrone-5-carboxylate with methacrylonitrile mainly gave a [4 + 2] cycloadduct, assigned as methyl endo-8-cyano-exo-8-methyl-3-oxo-2-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene-6-carboxylate, whose structure was determined by an X-ray diffraction study. The formation of the cycloadduct was reasonably explained by considering a biradical intermediate having a less steric hindrance between the methoxycarbonyl group and the cyano group.     

Kaon interferometry in heavy-ion collisions at the CERN SPS

K⁺K⁺ and K^–K^– correlations from S+Pb collisions at 200 GeV/c per nucleon and K⁺K⁺ correlations from p+Pb collisions at 450 GeV/c per nucleon, are presented as measured by the focusing spectrometer of the NA44 experiment at CERN. Multidimensional fits are performed in order to characterize the kaon-emission volume, which is found to be smaller than the pion-emission volume.     

Synthesis of plakevulin A and structure-activity relationships of its related compounds against DNA polymerases

Synthesis of plakevulin A and structure-activity relationships of its related compounds against DNA polymerases is described. We have achieved a total synthesis and revised the structure of plakevulin A. Several analogues including untenone A, manzamenone A, and optically active plakevulin A, were prepared and tested with an enzyme inhibition assay for mammalian DNA polymerases. The effect of the methyl ester moiety, and the substituents at the 1- and 4-positions of plakevulin A on DNA polymerase activities are discussed.     

岩石节理粗糙面的分形几何特性与剪切强度关系的实验研究

自然形成的岩石节理面的表面形状具有分形特性，利用分形理论来描述岩石节理的粗糙特性，并确立与岩石节理面的剪切力学特性间的关系对于指导岩体工程设计，和管理具有重要一研究利用开发设计的三维激光测距仪在精确测定岩石节理面的表面形状４ 基础上，依据变量图法建立了 岩石节理面的     

Total synthesis of (−)-funebrine via Au-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective γ-butyrolactonization of allenylsilane

The stereoselective total synthesis of (−)-funebrine from 2-butyn-1-ol was described. The crucial steps in the synthesis involved the stereoselective enolate Claisen rearrangement of the (S)-α-acyloxy-α-alkynylsilane 8, the Au-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective lactonization of the allenylsilane 7, and the Paal-Knorr pyrrole condensation using an unsymmetrical 1,4-diketone 4b.     

Stereoselective anti-SN2′ Mitsunobu reaction of α-hydroxy-α-alkenylsilanes

A novel silyl group-directed anti-S_N2′ reaction of allylic alcohols under Mitsunobu reaction conditions is described. The Mitsunobu reaction of α-hydroxy-α-alkenylsilanes with a TBS or TIPS group gave the anti-S_N2′ product, in which regio- and stereochemical outcomes of the reaction depended on the steric bulkiness of the silyl group.     

Conformational changes of non-B DNA

In contrast to B-DNA that has a right-handed double helical structure with Watson-Crick base pairing under the ordinary physiological conditions, repetitive DNA sequences under certain conditions have the potential to fold into non-B DNA structures such as hairpin, triplex, cruciform, left-handed Z-form, tetraplex, A-motif, etc. Since the non-B DNA-forming sequences induce the genetic instability and consequently can cause human diseases, the molecular mechanism for their genetic instability has been extensively investigated. On the contrary, non-B DNA can be widely used for application in biotechnology because many DNA breakage hotspots are mapped in or near the sequences that have the potential to adopt non-B DNA structures. In addition, they are regarded as a fascinating material for the nanotechnology using non-B DNAs because they do not produce any toxic byproducts and are robust enough for the repetitive working cycle. This being the case, an understanding on the mechanism and dynamics of their structural changes is important. In this critical review, we describe the latest studies on the conformational dynamics of non-B DNAs, with a focus on G-quadruplex, i-motif, Z-DNA, A-motif, hairpin and triplex (189 references).