Identification of 45 New Neutron-Rich Isotopes Produced by In-Flight Fission of a 238U Beam at 345 MeV/nucleon

A search for new isotopes using in-flight fission of a 345 MeV/nucleon 238U beam has been carried out at the RI Beam Factory at the RIKEN Nishina Center. Fission fragments were analyzed and identified by using the superconducting in-flight separator BigRIPS. We observed 45 new neutron-rich isotopes: 71Mn, 73,74Fe, 76Co, 79Ni, 81,82Cu, 84,85Zn, 87Ga, 90Ge, 95Se, 98Br, 101Kr, 103Rb, 106,107Sr, 108,109Y, 111,112Zr, 114,115Nb, 115,116,117Mo, 119,120Tc, 121,122,123,124Ru, 123,124,125,126Rh, 127,128Pd, 133Cd, 138Sn, 140Sb, 143Te, 145I, 148Xe, and 152Ba

Guidance for peptide vaccines for the treatment of cancer

Recent progress in fundamental understanding of tumor immunology has opened a new avenue of cancer vaccines. Currently, the development of new cancer vaccines is a global topic and has attracted attention as one of the most important issues in Japan. There is an urgent need for the development of guidance for cancer vaccine clinical studies in order to lead to drug development. Peptide vaccines characteristically have the effect of indirectly acting against cancer through the immune system - a mechanism of action that clearly differs from anticancer drugs that exert a direct effect. Thus, the clinical development of cancer peptide vaccines should be planned and implemented based on the mechanism of action, which differs significantly from conventional anticancer drug research. The Japanese Society for Biological Therapy has created and published Guidance for peptide vaccines for the treatment of cancer as part of its mission and responsibilities towards cancer peptide vaccine development, which is now pursued globally. We welcome comments from regulators and business people as well as researchers in this area. Guidance for Peptide Cancer Vaccines

Investigating nuclear shell structure in the vicinity of 78Ni: Low-lying excited states in the neutron-rich isotopes 80,82Zn

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Isoprene production in seawater of Funka Bay, Hokkaido, Japan

We carried out shipboard observations in Funka Bay, Hokkaido, Japan, monthly or bimonthly from December 2015 to November 2016. We measured vertical profiles of isoprene, chlorophyll-a (chl-a), and other parameters from surface to bottom layer (about 95 m) near the center of the bay. We found substantial increases in isoprene concentration in the surface mixed layer from February to March during the peak of the spring diatom bloom, in the bottom layer from March to April after the peak of the bloom, and in the subsurface layer (below the surface mixed layer) in summer from July to August, where there were also substantial chl-a concentration maxima. We attribute the increased isoprene in the surface and subsurface layers to photosynthetic production of isoprene by the dominant phytoplankton in the spring bloom and in summer, and that in the bottom layer to dark production of isoprene by diatom aggregates that settled from the surface euphotic zone. We also measured isoprene production in laboratory incubation experiments. The rates of in situ production of isoprene per unit chl-a in the surface mixed layer during the spring bloom, in the dark bottom layer during the bloom, and in the subsurface layer in summer (0.82, 0.03–0.13, and 7.38 pmol (μg chl-a)^−1 day^−1, respectively) were consistent with our incubation results. We believe that this is the first report focused on dark production of isoprene by diatoms; the rate of isoprene production under dark conditions ranged from 4% to 16% of that by photosynthesis

Destruction energy index (DEI) of vitamin E blended UHMWPE for artificial joints

Destruction resistance such as start-up wear resistance characteristics of vitamin E (dl-α-tocopherol) blended ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were evaluated using the destruction energy index (DEI). The DEI is used to evaluate wear-like destruction, by minimising the effects of viscosity at the sliding interface, and is estimated using newly designed friction testers. In this experiment, silicone oils of different viscosities were used to determine micro displacement up to a start-up point, and the DEI of the UHMWPE was changed from 17.48 to 1.84 μJ by adding vitamin E. The results suggest that the blending with vitamin E reduces destruction of UHMWPE at start-up friction in silicone oils