Measurements of nuclear data of minor actinides for transmutation of high-level waste

For nuclear transmutation of minor actinides, delayed neutron emission measurement for²⁴¹Am was carried out in thermal neutron irradiation location. The neutron capture cross sections of²⁴¹Am were also measured radiochemically. The transmutation process of²⁴¹Am in reactor is discussed by calculating the yields of minor actinides with the nuclear data measured in this study and the evaluated values. The accelerator driven transmutation of minor actinides by high-flux neutrons from spallation reactions is also presented.     

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The structural phase transition in SrV6O11

Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and specific heat studies establish that strontium hexavanadium undecaoxide, SrV₆O₁₁, undergoes a P6₃/mmc to inversion twinned P6₃mc structural transition as the temperature is lowered through 322 K. The P6₃/mmc and P6₃mc structures have been determined at 353 K and at room temperature, respectively. For the room‐temperature structure, seven of the ten unique atoms lie on special positions, and for the 353 K structure all of the seven unique atoms sit on special positions. The P6₃/mmc to P6₃mc structural phase transition, accompanied by a magnetic transition, is a common characteristic of AV₆O₁₁ compounds, independent of the identity of the A cations.     

X-ray fluorescence spectrometric determination of sulfur-containing anionic surfactants in water after their enrichment on a membrane filter as an ion-pair complex with a cationic surfactant.

Anionic surfactants containing sulfur in their structure were enriched on a mixed cellulose ester membrane filter (MF) by filtration as an ion-pair complex with a cationic surfactant. After their enrichment, the anionic surfactants were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry of the sulfur enriched on the MF. A linear calibration was obtained over a concentration range from 0.05 to 0.8 mg L(-1) of sodium dodecyl sulfate as a standard material with less than 6% RSD. The detection limit based on 3s for the reagent blank was 2 microg L(-1). This method is very simple, rapid and highly selective for sulfur-containing surfactants, and does not require any organic solvent extraction. This method was applied to the determination of anionic surfactant in some urban river waters where domestic wastewater was discharged. The results were compared with those obtained by conventional solvent extraction-spectrophotometry. The distribution of the analyte complexes within the MF where the ion-pair was retained is also discussed.     

High-resolution photoemission study of FeSr2YCu2O7+δ

We have performed high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (PES) on FeSr₂YCu₂O_7+δ, of which superconductivity of T_c=49 K was recently reported. We clearly observed opening of a d-wave-like superconducting gap and estimated the maximum gap value (Δ_max) to be 10 meV at 15 K. This gap value gives 2Δ_max/k_BT_c∼5, suggesting a strong-coupling nature of superconductivity in FeSr₂YCu₂O_7+δ. Comparative PES study with superconducting and insulating samples shows that the valence band is rigidly shifted as a function of doping without evolution of additional states within the insulating gap.     

Design of a Hyperpolarized Molecular Probe for Detection of Aminopeptidase N Activity

Aminopeptidase N (APN) is an important enzyme that is involved in tumor angiogenesis. Detection of APN activity can thus lead to early diagnosis and elucidation of tumor development. Although some molecular probes for APN have been developed, the detection of APN activity in opaque biological samples remains a challenge. To this end, we designed a hyperpolarized NMR probe [1‐¹³C]Ala‐NH₂ which satisfies the prerequisites for APN detection, namely, sufficient retention of the hyperpolarized state, a high reactivity to APN, and an APN‐induced chemical shift change. The [1‐¹³C]Ala‐NH₂ probe allowed sensitive detection of APN activity using ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.     

Theoretical analysis of a wheel driven root crop harvester

A prototype of a wheel driven trailer was developed to simulate a wheel driven trailed root crop harvester. The mobility of the prototype tractor-trailer system was improved by driving the trailer wheels by a mounted engine. A mathematical model to predict the mobility and the stability of the system was developed. The model was validated by field experiments conducted in plowed, rotary tilled and untilled fields. The model was found to predict performance with a high accuracy. Parameter studies were conducted to investigate the effects of several design parameters, such as the peripheral velocity ratio (R_s), the weight of the trailer (m₁), the trailer's C.G. location (L_L) and the height of a hitch point (h), on the mobility and the stability of the system.