Heating factors of gas targets for radioactive ion beam production

At low-energy nuclear physics facilities, the in-flight fragmentation method is often employed to produce radioactive ion beams. This technique often involves a stable ion beam at high intensity and a gas cell target. Since the parameters for the production reaction are usually chosen to take advantage of a large cross section of the resonance reaction, a slight change in the center-of-mass energy due to the reduced target density may significantly affect the rare isotope production rate. Therefore, to estimate the heating effect due to beam particles on the target thickness, a new and more comprehensive semi-empirical model is developed by employing a heating factor function. The estimated heating factors were consistent with experimental data, which were obtained from various reaction measurements at wide ranges of heat densities.

     

Preparation of biological and environmental reference materials at CBNM

Summary Since 1984, CBNM has been officially responsible for supporting the BCR programme for CRM storage, distribution and sale activities for the development of methods for preparation, conditioning and packing for reference materials, as well as actually preparing candidate CRMs. This has allowed CBNM to set up a new laboratory with unique facilities for the preparation of biological and environmental reference materials, in particular for organic and inorganic trace analysis. The main technical facilities developed at CBNM and additional equipment built to CBNM specifications by external companies are described. They have been used for the preparation of a variety of reference materials including cod fish, pig liver, offal, spiked milk, curd, orange juice, clover, lettuce, paprika, tomato, fly ash, soils and sediments.     

Breathing new life into your production irradiator the case for reinvesting in your facility

This paper focuses on one of the important technology issues facing the gamma processing industry today: that of strategically planning for extending the useful life of a production irradiator. Production irradiator owners are typically faced with the difficult question of whether or not to significantly reinvest in their facilities after 15–20 years of service. At this point in time the irradiator has likely provided many years of safe, reliable service and has paid for itself many times over. As the equipment ages, it may become less reliable, due to wear and maintenance practices, and more costly to operate.

The cost of refurbishing the equipment may be significant and the downtime required to complete the refurbishment is also likely to be a challenge. This makes it essential to present a clear and rational justification for reinvesting in the facility. There has been a growing trend in recent years for irradiator owners to refurbish or upgrade their facilities. This trend is driven by the need to keep the facilities operating efficiently and safely as well as by the desire to take advantage of advancements that have occurred in the technology over the years. These advancements can enhance equipment efficiency, improve operational effectiveness and maintain or exceed quality assurance requirements. This paper illustrates the value of reinvesting in irradiator facilities, and highlights the significant benefits derived.     

CACAO facility: radioactive targets at Orsay

CACAO, Chimie des Actinides et Cibles radioActives à Orsay (actinide chemistry and radioactive targets at Orsay), is a new laboratory dedicated to the fabrication and characterization of radioactive targets. It is supported by the radiochemistry group and the stable target service of the IPNO. The recurring needs of physicists working in the nuclear fuel cycle physics and the growing difficulties to obtain radioactive targets elsewhere were the main motivating factors behind the construction of this new laboratory. The first targets of ^235,238U and ²³²Th have already been prepared although the full operating licenses still need to be obtained. In this paper, the installation and the equipment of CACAO will be described. An extensive study of a U test target fabricated by the CACAO laboratory has been performed and results are reported here. The different techniques used to characterize the deposit are presented and the outcome is discussed.     

5MeV electron beam facilities in Japan

There are 3 facilities with 5MeV electron beam processing machines in Japan and another one is planned to start operation in 1998. 2 of them are installed by Nissin-High Voltage and the other are by Sumitomo Heavy/Radiation Dynamics. In this report are introduced 2 facilities which we have installed and are operating satisfactorily. The first one was: installed at Radia Industry for irradiation services and the second one for in-house use in a factory of a pharmaceutical plastic container manufacturer, Shinko Chemical. And the second one is available for contract irradiation. The machine in Radia Industry has a comprehensive conveyor system with a turn-over equipment to shoot from the top and the bottom of materials with e-beam and X-ray, and has been successfully operated for many years. The machine in Shinko Chemical is equipped with a unique conveyor system with two conveyor lines under the beam window and the motion of the lines are opposite each other. This conveyor system also has a turn-over equipment like other machines but the direction of turning-over is designed to give the irradiated materials more uniform dose.     

A microcomputer-base 1h-nuclear magnetic resonance search system for spectra

The development of integrated software for a microcomputer system is described for ¹H-NMR spectra search. The facilities include registration of newly generated reference data, addition of new data to the data bases and extraction of matched files for the query spectrum with good efficiency.     

Characterisation of optical detectors using high-accuracy instruments

The facilities of the Metrology Research Institute at the Helsinki University of Technology, and methods for characterisation of optical detectors for spectral radiant intensity and irradiance responsivity, are described. The instrumentation for such characterisations includes a reference spectrometer with a number of auxiliary set-ups, and equipment for the spectral irradiance measurements with a filter radiometer based on a trap detector. The methods of realising the spectral responsivity scales based on an absolute cryogenic radiometer in house are addressed. The procedures and results of characterisation of a multipoint measuring system of photosynthetically active radiation, by employing the available facilities, are briefly described. The absolute irradiance responsivity of the device is determined by using a photometric lamp, whose spectral irradiance has been measured with the filter radiometer. The combined standard uncertainty of this set of calibrations is 3.6% at the 1σ level. The uncertainty is caused almost completely by the multipoint measuring system.     

The performance of a fast testing system for illicit materials detection based on energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction technique

A prototype setup for detecting illicit materials by energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) has been developed. The obtained results of NaCl by the equipment suggest that the total measurement system is reliable and can be used to detect different kinds of materials. The tests of TNT, methamphetamine and heroin are also performed on this equipment and the related EDXRD spectra are obviously influenced by the detecting angle and the X-ray sources. The detecting angle of 10° is more suitable for detecting TNT and methamphetamine, while 12° is better for heroin. Moreover, the curves of TNT, methamphetamine and heroin emitted by W target have more diffraction peaks than those emitted by Cu or Mo target, while the peak intensities of TNT and methamphetamine emitted by Mo are stronger than those emitted by Cu or W target. The curve of methamphetamine emitted by Mo target shows a special characteristic and exhibits a super strong diffraction peak located at 1.62 Å^{− 1}, which can be attributed to the effect arising from Mo kα and kβ.     

The production of powdered candidate biological and environmental reference materials in the laboratories of the Joint Research Centre

The production of candidate biological and environmental reference materials in the laboratories of the Joint Research Centre, mainly on behalf of BCR, started in 1972 in Ispra and became concentrated in 1984 in Geel. Today, dedicated facilities for the transformation of biological and solid or liquid materials into dry powder samples are in use. The major guidelines followed in the conception of these facilities are described. Some typical examples of facilities developed or adapted to fulfil the specific requirements of professional CRM preparation are discussed, e.g. the whole-Teflon cryo-grinding equipment, the in-line controlled freeze-drier, the special facility for clean and dry handling of powders, the milling with classification equipment and the automation of bottling and labelling operations.     

Survey of the teaching and applications in radiochemistry in Latin American countries

Summary Missouri University, a recipient of a U.S. Department of Energy Radiochemistry Education Award Program (REAP) grant in 1999, has significantly expanded its education and research mission in radiochemistry. While MU had a viable radiochemistry program through existing faculty expertise and the utilization of the Missouri University Research Reactor, the REAP award allowed MU to leverage its resources in significantly expanding capabilities in radiochemistry. Specifically, the grant enabled the: (1) hiring of a new faculty member in actinide radiochemistry (Dr. Paul Duval); (2) support of six graduate students in radiochemistry; (3) purchase of new radiochemistry laboratory equipment; (4) more extensive collaboration with DOE scientists through interactions with faculty and graduate students, and (5) revised radiochemical curriculum (joint courses across disciplines and new courses in actinide chemistry). The most significant impact of this award has been in encouraging interdisciplinary education and research. The proposal was initiated by a joint effort between Nuclear Engineering and Chemistry, but also included faculty in biochemistry, radiology, and molecular biology. Specific outcomes of the REAP grant thus far are: (1) increased educational and research capabilities in actinide chemistry (faculty hire and equipment acquisition); (2) increased integration of biochemistry and radiochemistry (e.g., radiochemical analysis of uranium speciation in biological systems); (3) stronger interdisciplinary integration of molecular biology and radiochemical sciences (alpha-emitters for treating cancer); (4) new and more extensive interactions with national laboratory facilities (e.g., student internships at LANL and LLBL, faculty and lab scientist exchange visits, analytical measurements and collaboration with the Advanced Photon Source), and (7) new research funding opportunities based on REAP partnership.     

Upgrade of the prompt gamma activation analysis and the neutron-induced prompt gamma spectroscopy facilities at the Budapest research reactor

The Budapest Research Reactor’s Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) and Neutron-Induced Prompt gamma Spectroscopy (NIPS) facilities were significantly upgraded during the last few years. The higher neutron flux, achieved by the partial replacement and realignment of the neutron guides, made feasible the automation and specialization of the two experimental stations. A new neutron flux monitor, computer-controlled beam shutters and a low-level counting chamber have been put into operation to assist with in-beam activation experiments. An automatic sample changer has been installed at the PGAA station, while the NIPS station was redesigned and upgraded with a Compton suppressor to use for the non-destructive analysis of bulky samples. In the near future the latter setup will be completed with a neutron tomograph and a moving table, to turn it into a Neutron Radiography/Tomography-driven PGAA equipment.     

数智物联岩石力学背包实验室的自主创新

简要阐述了岩石力学试验装备的发展历史,介绍数智物联岩石力学背包实验室自主创新历程,重点总结了该设备相较于传统设备存在的优势.数智物联岩石力学背包实验室能够大幅度提升工作效率与信息化水平,工作现场更具便捷化和智能化.背包实验室的新理念,为实际工程提供新思路,相较传统试验更节约时间成本、人员成本、材料成本,是工程仪器未来的...     

A Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method to Study the Interaction between Membrane Proteins and Low-Molecular-Weight Compound Mixtures

Molecular interaction analysis is an essential technique for the study of biomolecular functions and the development of new drugs. Most current methods generally require manipulation to immobilize or label molecules, and require advance identification of at least one of the two molecules in the reaction. In this study, we succeeded in detecting the interaction of low-molecular-weight (LMW) compounds with a membrane protein mixture derived from cultured cells expressing target membrane proteins by using the size exclusion chromatography-mass spectrometry (SEC-MS) method under the condition of 0.001% lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol as detergent and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. This method allowed us to analyze the interaction of a mixture of medicinal herbal ingredients with a mixture of membrane proteins to identify the two interacting ingredients. As it does not require specialized equipment (e.g., a two-dimensional liquid chromatography system), this SEC-MS method enables the analysis of interactions between LMW compounds and relatively high-expressed membrane proteins without immobilization or derivatization of the molecules.     

Field evaluations of the VDmax approach for substantiation of a 25 kGy sterilization dose and its application to other preselected doses

The International and European standards for radiation sterilization require evidence of the effectiveness of a minimum sterilization dose of 25 kGy but do not provide detailed guidance on how this evidence can be generated. An approach, designated VD_max, has recently been described and computer evaluated to provide safe and unambiguous substantiation of a 25 kGy sterilization dose. The approach has been further developed into a practical method, which has been subjected to field evaluations at three manufacturing facilities which produce different types of medical devices. The three facilities each used a different overall evaluation strategy: Facility A used VD_max for quarterly dose audits; Facility B compared VD_max and Method 1 in side-by-side parallel experiments; and Facility C, a new facility at start-up, used VD_max for initial substantiation of 25 kGy and subsequent quarterly dose audits. A common element at all three facilities was the use of 10 product units for irradiation in the verification dose experiment.

The field evaluations of the VD_max method were successful at all three facilities; they included many different types of medical devices/product families with a wide range of average bioburden and sample item portion values used in the verification dose experiments. Overall, around 500 verification dose experiments were performed and no failures were observed. In the side-by-side parallel experiments, the outcomes of the VD_max experiments were consistent with the outcomes observed with Method 1.

The VD_max approach has been extended to sterilization doses >25 and <25 kGy; verification doses have been derived for sterilization doses of 15, 20, 30, and 35 kGy. Widespread application of the VD_max method for doses other than 25 kGy must await controlled field evaluations and the development of appropriate specifications/standards.     

建立医疗设备档案的重要性

随着医学科学技术的发展 ,各种先进的医疗设备特别是进口大型医疗设备在医院里不断地发挥其重要的作用 ,它们既是临床检验的重要工具又是医院现代化建设的一项重要标志 .医院要保证医疗设备能够正常地开展工作 ,除了对医疗设备进行日常维护和保养以外 ,还必须对所引进的医疗设备建立相应的技术档案 ,以确保设备运行的延续性 ,因此做好医疗设备的建档工作也是医疗设备在管理中的一个很重要的环节 .1　建档工作应贯穿医疗设备管理的全　　过程最大限度地发挥医疗设备的功能 ,提高仪器的使用率和完好率 ,很重要的一环就是要抓好医疗设备的前期…     

Optically stimulated luminescence techniques in retrospective dosimetry

Optically stimulated luminescence signals from natural quartz and feldspar are now used routinely in dating geological and archaeological materials. More recently they have also been employed in accident dosimetry, i.e. the retrospective assessment of doses received as a result of a nuclear accident. Since 1990 the exploration of this wide variety of applications has driven an intensive investigation and development programme at Risø, in measurement facilities and techniques. This paper reviews some of the outcomes of this programme, including (i) optimisation of stimulation and emission windows, and detection sensitivity, (ii) experience with various stimulation light sources, including filtered incandescent lamps (420–550 nm) and high intensity light emitting diodes (470 nm) and laser diodes (830–850 nm). We also discuss recently developed high-precision single-aliquot measurement protocols. These offer exciting possibilities in dating and accident dosimetry, and are already leading to new demands on measurement techniques and facilities.     

A polyplex qPCR-based binding assay for protein-DNA interactions

The measurement of protein-DNA interactions is difficult and often involves radioisotope-labelled DNA to obtain the desired assay sensitivity. More recently, high-throughput proteomic approaches were developed but they generally lack sensitivity. For these methods, the level of technical difficulties involved is high due to the need for specialised facilities or equipment and training. The new qPCR-based DNA-binding assay involves immunoprecipitation of a GFP-tagged DNA-binding protein in complex with various DNA targets (Ter sites) followed by qPCR quantification, affording a very sensitive and quantitative method that can be performed in polyplex. Using a single binding reaction, the binding specificity of the DNA replication terminator protein Tus for ten termination sites TerA-J could be obtained for the first time in just a few hours. This new qPCR DNA-binding assay can easily be adapted to determine the binding specificity of virtually any soluble and functional epitope-tagged DNA-binding protein.     

Search for approaches to improving the calculation accuracy of the protein—ligand binding energy by docking

The following reasons limiting the accuracy of calculations of the protein—ligand binding energy by the molecular docking programs are considered: the limited facilities of algorithms of finding a global minimum on a complicated multi-dimensional protein—ligand energy surface, restrictions on the degrees of freedom of a protein—ligand system including docking into a rigid protein, inadequacy of the existing force fields, a lack of taking into account the solvent or too rough allowance for the solvent in the docking procedure, a lack of the local energy optimization in the docking process, an inaccuracy of the construction of models of a target protein and a ligand, simplification of the calculation method of the Gibbs free energy of a molecular system, and limited computer resources for docking of one ligand. A new approach to the development of the new generation of docking programs is proposed. The approach allows one to remove step-by-step the existing simplifications and to increase considerably the accuracy of the whole docking process, including the calculation accuracy of the protein—ligand binding energy. The results of the study are presented and demonstrate the computational feasibility of the assigned docking problem.