Intake of Radionuclides in the Trees of Fukushima Forests 3. Removal of Radiocesium from Stem Wood, Cryptomeria Japonica (L.f.) D. Don.

Nuclear power plant accidents have dispersed radiocesium into the atmosphere to contaminate trees with no turnover in heartwood, as occurred in Fukushima, and as has persisted for over 30 years around Chernobyl. Here we employ the ponding method, in which radiocesium can be flushed out from the cross-cut edges of Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica (L.f.) D. Don., stem with water due to xyloglucan degradation in tracheids. Furthermore, lab-scale ponding experiments have shown that a non-detectable level of radiocesium has been observed not only in the pool water used for 575 days but also in the water containing recombinant xyloglucanase. This traditional technology is now a new biotechnology

[Translation] Hegels Erben in der Strafrechtswissenschaft : Hegelianer im 19. Jahrhundert (5) Stephan Stübinger, Einfluss der Hegelianer auf die Strafrechtswissenschaft ihrer Zeit

飯島暢・川口浩一(編訳)森川智晶(訳

スイジョウキカイシツ ニヨル モクシツバイオマス ノ キョウド ト ハサイエネルギーテイゲン ニ カンスル ケントウ

本研究では,農山村地域における木質バイオマスのエネルギー変換・利用を図るために,高温・高圧の水蒸気を用いた水蒸気改質による木質バイオマスのエネルギー利用を検討している。特に今回,改質物の物理特性として,改質に伴う強度変化および,破砕への影響を明らかにすることを目的に試験をおこなった。その結果,200℃,1.95MPaの改質条件で,60min改質したスギ材の試験片は,未改質のものに比べ,曲げ強さ,衝撃曲げ強さがそれぞれ64%,68%低下した。同様に,改質処理した試料を破砕した場合,未改質の試料に比べ,消費エネルギーが低下した。これにより,一連の改質プロセスにおいて,22kgの試料を改質した場合,12.63MJのエネルギー削減となることがわかった。The purpose of this research is to examine the energy conversion and the use of the woody biomass in agricultural and mountain village areas. In this study, the woody biomass was reformed by hydrothermal treatment using high temperature and pressure steam. Then, we examined the effects of steam reforming on strength and the influence of crushing method on energy consumption. As a result, after 60min processing, under by conditions of 200 degrees and 1.95MPa, the bending strength and impact bending strength of samples were reduced can 64% and 68%. Respectively, the mechanical load and consumption of energy decreased, too. As a result, it be understood to produce a consumption energy reduction of 12.63MJ with samples of 22kg in reforming process

Testosterone Deficiency Accelerates Neuronal and Vascular Aging of SAMP8 Mice: Protective Role of eNOS and SIRT1

Oxidative stress and atherosclerosis-related vascular disorders are risk factors for cognitive decline with aging. In a small clinical study in men, testosterone improved cognitive function; however, it is unknown how testosterone ameliorates the pathogenesis of cognitive decline with aging. Here, we investigated whether the cognitive decline in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8), which exhibits cognitive impairment and hypogonadism, could be reversed by testosterone, and the mechanism by which testosterone inhibits cognitive decline. We found that treatment with testosterone ameliorated cognitive function and inhibited senescence of hippocampal vascular endothelial cells of SAMP8. Notably, SAMP8 showed enhancement of oxidative stress in the hippocampus. We observed that an NAD+-dependent deacetylase, SIRT1, played an important role in the protective effect of testosterone against oxidative stress-induced endothelial senescence. Testosterone increased eNOS activity and subsequently induced SIRT1 expression. SIRT1 inhibited endothelial senescence via up-regulation of eNOS. Finally, we showed, using co-culture system, that senescent endothelial cells promoted neuronal senescence through humoral factors. Our results suggest a critical role of testosterone and SIRT1 in the prevention of vascular and neuronal aging