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The manufacturing process and welding technology of PF coil support are introduced, and the taken technical measures to control the deformation stress of welding, to improve low temperature impact toughness and to control the weld ferrite content are explained. The machine accuracy and the quality were improved through post weld stress relief and anti deformation measures.     

A comparative study of fragment screening methods on the p38�� kinase: new methods, new insights

The stress-activated kinase p38α was used to evaluate a fragment-based drug discovery approach using the BioFocus fragment library. Compounds were screened by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) on a Biacore(?) T100 against p38α and two selectivity targets. A sub-set of our library was the focus of detailed follow-up analyses that included hit confirmation, affinity determination on 24 confirmed, selective hits and competition assays of these hits with respect to a known ATP binding site inhibitor. In addition, functional activity against p38α was assessed in a biochemical assay using a mobility shift platform (LC3000, Caliper LifeSciences). A selection of fragments was also evaluated using fluorescence lifetime (FLEXYTE(?)) and microscale thermophoresis (Nanotemper) technologies. A good correlation between the data for the different assays was found. Crystal structures were solved for four of the small molecules complexed to p38α. Interestingly, as determined both by X-ray analysis and SPR competition experiments, three of the complexes involved the fragment at the ATP binding site, while the fourth compound bound in a distal site that may offer potential as a novel drug target site. A first round of optimization around the remotely bound fragment has led to the identification of a series of triazole-containing compounds. This approach could form the basis for developing novel and active p38α inhibitors. More broadly, it illustrates the power of combining a range of biophysical and biochemical techniques to the discovery of fragments that facilitate the development of novel modulators of kinase and other drug targets.     

Computational analysis and physico-chemical characterization of an inclusion compound between praziquantel and methyl-��-cyclodextrin for use as an alternative in the treatment of schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is still an endemic disease in many regions, with 250 million people infected with Schistosoma and about 500,000 deaths per year. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for schistosomiasis treatment, however it is classified as Class II in the Biopharmaceutics Classification System, as its low solubility hinders its performance in biological systems. The use of cyclodextrins is a useful tool to increase the solubility and bioavailability of drugs. The aim of this work was to prepare an inclusion compound of PZQ and methyl-??-cyclodextrin (MeCD), perform its physico-chemical characterization, and explore its in vitro cytotoxicity. SEM showed a change of the morphological characteristics of PZQ:MeCD crystals, and IR data supported this finding, with changes after interaction with MeCD including effects on the C?CH of the aromatic ring, observed at 758 cm^?1. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements revealed that complexation occurred in a 1:1 molar ratio, as evidenced by the lack of a PZQ transition temperature after inclusion into the MeCD cavity. In solution, the PZQ UV spectrum profile in the presence of MeCD was comparable to the PZQ spectrum in a hydrophobic solvent. Phase solubility diagrams showed that there was a 5.5-fold increase in PZQ solubility, and were indicative of a type A_L isotherm, that was used to determine an association constant (K_a) of 140.8 M^?1. No cytotoxicity of the PZQ:MeCD inclusion compound was observed in tests using 3T3 cells. The results suggest that the association of PZQ with MeCD could be a good alternative for the treatment of schistosomiasis.     

Cyclodextrins for remediation of soils contaminated with chlorinated organics

The effect of random methylated ??CD (RAMEB) on the efficiency of various remediation technologies was studied in lab-scale model-experiments applying soil and groundwater originating from a site contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). The solubility of TCE was enhanced to tenfold in 10% solution of RAMEB compared to that in water. This solubilizing effect was utilized for remediation of the TCE contaminated soil using enhanced groundwater extraction and in situ TCE oxidation by ISCO (= in situ chemical oxidation). The effect of CD on TCE extraction from soil was studied using two technologies: ground-water extraction followed by air stripping or UV irradiation. The RAMEB-enhanced ISCO was applied directly to the water-saturated soil without water extraction or separation. The efficiency of air stripping of TCE (removal by bubbling air through the contaminated ground-water obtained by extraction) was decreased in the presence of RAMEB due to the volatility decreasing effect of complexation. The efficiency of the entire technology (extraction and air stripping together) was, however, enhanced as three times more TCE was dissolved, and more than twice as much could be removed when 5% RAMEB solution was applied instead of water. Similar results were obtained by UV irradiation. Although the complexation has a protective effect against degradation caused by irradiation, the efficiency of the technology (extraction and subsequent UV irradiation) is enhanced to approximately threefold, because more than 10 times higher TCE concentration was found in the extract using 20% RAMEB concentration. ISCO is based on Fe-catalyzed oxidation using hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic effect of RAMEB was observed only when it was applied together with Fe(II) salts. Without Fe(II) the effect of complex formation dominated. When hydrogen peroxide and FeSO₄ were applied with RAMEB, over five times enhancement in TCE removal was obtained compared to the technology based on the addition of hydrogen peroxide and Fe(II) salts without RAMEB. This effect shows that the solubilizing effect on iron catalyst is at least as much or even more important than the solubilizing effect on TCE. The ternary complex formation with ferrous/ferric ion and TCE seems to be responsible for the enhanced efficacy.     

Pre-concentration and determination of 90Sr in radioactive wastes using solid phase extraction techniques

This paper describes the use of IBC??s AnaLig^®Sr-01 molecular recognition technology product to effectively and selectively pre-concentrate, separate and recover strontium from radioactive waste samples. The use and effectiveness of AnaLig^®Sr-01 gel was successfully validated by analysis of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA 375) reference soil and National Physical Laboratory (NPL)?CHigh Alpha?CBeta (2003) liquid sample. The second part of this paper focuses on analysis of radioactive waste samples from nuclear power plant A1 Jaslovske Bohunice in Slovak Republic (NPP A1).     

Sorption of aqueous palladium onto synthetic hydroxyapatite

The sorption of Pd(II) on hydroxyapatite (Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂) has been studied at 25 °C as a function of pH, in 0.01 M NaClO₄, and 0.01 and 0.025 M Ca(ClO₄)₂ aqueous background electrolytes and Pd(II) concentration (9.3 to 47 ??M), trying to minimize some types of reactions, such as solid dissolution of and metal precipitation. The radiotracer palladium, ¹⁰⁹Pd, obtained by neutron irradiation, has been used to calculate the palladium??s distribution coefficients K _d between aqueous and solid phase. A mathematical treatment of results has been made by ion-exchange theory in order to interpret palladium sorption onto treated solid. For this, we take into account the existence of active sites at the hydroxyapatite surface, and the aqueous solution chemistry of palladium as well as the effect of phosphate anions from solid dissolution. The results can be explained as evidence of sorption of the species PdOH⁺, and of a mixed hydroxo complex of Pd²⁺ like (XCaO^?)?CPdOH⁺·nH₂O fixed onto {??Ca?COH} surface sites of the hydroxyapatite.     

Film Chemistry Control and Growth Kinetics of Pulsed Plasma-Polymerized Aniline

The polymerization of aniline under continuous and pulsed RF-plasma conditions is studied using the same plasma reactor. The effects of input power, on and off-times, frequency and duty cycle variations on the growth kinetics and on the chemical structure of the obtained layers are examined. The chemical structure of the films is characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red, X-ray photoelectron and UltraViolet?CVisible spectroscopies. The thickness of the films is determined by profilometry. The results show a strong dependence of film chemistry and deposition rates on the discharge power and on-time. The film deposited by pulsed plasma grows mainly during the plasma-on period. Furthermore, this work shows that the retention of aromatic rings can be evaluated by Fourier transform infrared analysis whereas oxidation degree of plasma polyaniline can be determined by X-ray photoelectron and UV?CVis spectroscopies.     

Direct multielement determination of trace elements in boron carbide powders by direct current arc atomic emission spectrometry using a CCD spectrometer

The use of direct current arc atomic emission spectrometry (DC-arc-AES) with a CCD spectrometer for the direct determination of the trace impurities Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Si, Ti, and Zr in three well characterized boron carbide powders is described. The detection limits obtained by the procedure were found to be between 0.2 (Mg) and 25 (Na) ??g?g^?1 for the above elements. Three boron carbide powder samples with trace element concentrations between 0.9 (Cu) and 934 (Si) ??g?g^?1 for Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Si, Ti, and Zr ?? including the standard reference material ERM?-ED102 ?? were analyzed by DC-arc-AES. The relative standard deviations for 9 measurements when using 5.0?±?0.3?mg of the respective samples were found to vary from 6.2 to 27% for Al and Cu, respectively. The trace elements Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Si, Ti and Zr could be determined in the standard reference material and their concentrations determined by DC-arc AES were found to be between 89 and 116% of the accepted values. Fe and Ti were determined by DC-arc AES in the three boron carbide samples as well as in Al₂O₃, BN, SiC, coal fly ash, graphite and obsidian rock. The correlation coefficients of the plots of the net intensities versus the accepted values over the concentration ranges from 18 to 1750 and from 6 to 8000???g?g^?1 are 0.999 and 0.990 for Fe and Ti, respectively.

Accurate determination of the length of carbon nanotubes using multi-angle light scattering

We have prepared a kind of molecularly imprinted nano-porous sensing film for the adsorption of melamine. It consists of a graphite electrode impregnated with paraffin and modified with melamine, chitosan, silver nanoparticles and polyquercetin by employing an electrochemical method. The film displays excellent and highly selective sorption of melamine in the 3-dimensional porous nanomaterial, and this was applied to the determination of melamine in dairy products. The electrode responds linearly to melamine in the concentration range of 1?×?10^?8 to 9?×?10^?7?M, with a detection limit of 1.3?×?10^?9?M (at 3??) in real samples, and with recoveries in the range of 99 to 102%. The surface structure and composition of the sensor was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and electrochemical techniques. The interaction between the porous film and melamine was also studied by using hexacyanoferrate (III) as an electrochemical indicator.

Metallomic study on plasma samples from Nile tilapia using SR-XRF and GFAAS after separation by 2D PAGE: initial results

An investigation was made on plasma samples obtained after protein separation. The proteome of the plasma of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was separated by 2D PAGE, and manganese and zinc in protein spots was qualitatively and quantitatively determined by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Manganese and zinc are present in four and six plasma protein spots, respectively. These ions are bound to proteins with molecular weights ranging from 19 to 70?kDa and with isoelectric point (pI) ranging from 4.7 to 6.3. The concentrations of manganese and zinc bound to these proteins as determined by GFAAS following acid digestion of the spots range from 0.8 to 2.6?mg of manganese, and from 1.0 to 6.3?mg of zinc, respectively, per g of protein.