4 research outputs found
Analysis of public attitudes towards ālocal agreementsā on restarting nuclear power plants: a questionnaire survey in four prefectures in Japan
This study explored public attitudes towards the ālocal agreementā process as it relates to the restart of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Japan. Conflicts have arisen over not only whether NPPs should be restarted, but also how and by whom the local agreements on their restart should be made. Using exploratory factor analysis on the data from an online monitor questionnaire survey conducted in four prefectures with NPPs in Japan, this study identified three latent factors behind public attitudes: āthe conventional decision makers,ā āthose negatively affected,ā and āthose benefitting from the restart.ā A multi-regression analysis of factor scores showed that opinions on restarting NPPs, prefectural referendums, and the geographical range of local agreements were related to attitudes towards local agreements. There were also differences in attitudes towards local agreements according to prefectures, gender, and age, while where respondents live in relation to the nearby NPP had little influence. To design a more socially acceptable local agreement process, it is necessary to reconcile such differences. By providing a better understanding of the local politics regarding restarting NPPs in Japan, this study paved the way for resolving conflicts over local agreements.</p
Deuterium Labeling of Isoaspartic and Isoglutamic Acids for Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Isoaspartic acid (isoAsp) is a common protein modification
that
spontaneously arises from asparagine or aspartic acid and has been
linked to various diseases and health conditions. However, current
methods for identifying isoAsp sites in proteins often suffer from
ambiguity and have not gained widespread adoption. We developed a
novel method that exclusively labels isoAsp with deuterium. This method
capitalizes on the unique structural characteristics of isoAsp residues,
which possess a free Ī±-carboxyl group and can form an oxazolone
ring. Once the oxazolone ring forms, it facilitates racemization at
the CĪ±-position, incorporating a deuteron from a
D2O solvent. The sites of deuterium-incorporated isoAsp
in proteins can be unequivocally determined by comparing the precursor
and product ion masses of the peptides from proteins reacted in H2O and D2O. The effectiveness of this method has
been demonstrated through its application to model proteins lysozyme
and rituximab. Furthermore, we have confirmed that the isoAsp deuterium-labeling
reaction efficiently labels both l- and d-isoAsp
without distinction, as well as isoglutamic acid (isoGlu), for which
no effective detection methods currently exist
Multicomponent Coupling Reaction Using Arynes: Synthesis of Xanthene Derivatives
One-pot
synthesis of xanthene derivatives was achieved by a route
involving the cascade three-component coupling reaction of arynes
with DMF and active methylenes followed by the S<sub>N</sub>2ā²
reaction of three-component coupling products with thiols. The reactivity
of three-component coupling products toward nucleophiles and the further
conversion of oxygen heterocycles allowing facile incorporation of
structural variety were studied
Imidazole Cā2 Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Reaction at Histidine for Probing Protein Structure and Function with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry
We present a mass spectrometric method
for analyzing protein structure
and function, based on the imidazole C-2 or histidine C<sup>Īµ1</sup> hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange reaction, which is intrinsically
second-order with respect to the concentrations of the imidazolium
cation and OD<sup>ā</sup> in D<sub>2</sub>O. The second-order
rate constant (<i>k</i><sub>2</sub>) of this reaction was
calculated from the pH dependency of the pseudo-first-order rate constant
(<i>k</i><sub>Ļ</sub>) obtained from the change in
average mass [Ī<i>M</i><sub>r</sub> (0 ā¤ Ī<i>M</i><sub>r</sub> < 1)] of a peptide fragment containing
a defined histidine residue at incubation time (<i>t</i>) such that <i>k</i><sub>Ļ</sub> = ā[lnĀ(1
ā Ī<i>M</i><sub>r</sub>)]/<i>t</i>. We preferred using <i>k</i><sub>2</sub> rather than <i>k</i><sub>Ļ</sub> because <i>k</i><sub>2</sub><sup>max</sup> (maximal value
of <i>k</i><sub>2</sub>) was empirically related to p<i>K</i><sub>a</sub> as illustrated with a BrĆønsted plot [log <i>k</i><sub>2</sub><sup>max</sup> = ā0.7p<i>K</i><sub>a</sub> + Ī± (Ī±
is an arbitrary constant)], so that we could analyze the effect of
structure on the H/D exchange rate in terms of logĀ(<i>k</i><sub>2</sub><sup>max</sup>/<i>k</i><sub>2</sub>) representing the deviation of <i>k</i><sub>2</sub> from <i>k</i><sub>2</sub><sup>max</sup>. In the catalytic site of bovine ribonuclease
A, His12 showed a change in logĀ(<i>k</i><sub>2</sub><sup>max</sup>/<i>k</i><sub>2</sub>) much larger than that of His119 upon binding with cytidine 3ā²-monophosphate,
as anticipated from the X-ray structures and the possible change in
solvent accessibility. However, we need to consider the hydrogen bonds
of the imidazole group with nondissociable groups to interpret an
extremely slow H/D exchange rate of His48 in a partially solvent-exposed
situation