HHF Tests Research Articles

Adaptation to a High-Fat Diet Leads to Hyperphagia and Diminished Sensitivity to Cholecystokinin in Rats

Rats fed high-fat (HF) diets exhibit reduced sensitivity to some peptide satiety signals. We hypothesized that reduced sensitivity to satiety signals might contribute to overconsumption of a high-energy food after adaptation to HF diets. To test this, we measured daily, 3-h intake of a high-energy, high-fat (HHF, 22.3 kJ/g) test food in rats fed either low-fat (LF) or HF, isoenergetic (16.2 kJ/g) diets. During testing, half of each group received the HHF test food (LF/HHF; HF/HHF), whereas the other half received their respective maintenance diet (LF/LF; HF/HF). Rats fed a HF diet ate more of the HHF food during the 3-h testing period than LF-fed rats (HF/HHF = 7.7 +/- 0.3 g vs. LF/HHF = 5.5 +/- 0.2 g; P = 0.003). Rats tested on their own maintenance diets had similar intakes (HF/HF = 3.2 +/- 0.2 g vs. LF/LF = 3.7 +/- 0.3 g), which were lower (P < or = 0.008) than intakes of rats tested on HHF. HHF-tested rats did not differ in body weight by the end of wk 2 of testing. In a subsequent short-term choice preference test, rats exhibited an equal relative preference for HHF irrespective of their maintenance diets (HF = 63.1%, LF = 68.1%, P = 0.29). Finally, we examined the effect of intraperitoneal NaCl or cholecystokinin (CCK)-8 (100 and 250 ng/kg) injection on 1-h food intake. Both doses of CCK significantly suppressed food intake in LF-fed rats but not HF-fed rats. These results demonstrate that chronic ingestion of a HF diet leads to short-term overconsumption of a high-energy, high-fat food compared with LF-fed cohorts, which is associated with a decreased sensitivity to CCK.

Analysis of a beryllium—copper diffusion joint after HHF test

The development of beryllium—copper joints which can withstand relevant ITER divertor conditions is one of the important tasks at the present time. One of the main problems associated with these joints is the intermetallic layers. The strength and life of these joints significantly depend on the width and contents of the intermetallic layers. The objective of this work is to study the diffusion joint of TGP-56 beryllium to OFHC copper after thermal response and thermocyclic tests with a beryllium—copper mock-up. The HHF test was performed on the e-beam facility (EBTS, SNLA). The following methods were used for analysis: roentgenographic analysis, X-ray spectrum analysis and fracture analysis. During the investigation the following studies were undertaken: the analysis of the diffusion boundary layer, which was obtained at the cross-section of one of the tiles, the analysis of the debonded surfaces of several beryllium tiles and corresponding copper parts and the analysis of the upper surface of one of the tiles after HHF tests. The joint roentgenographic and element analyses revealed the following phases in the diffusion zone: Cu 2Be(∼170 μm), CuBe (∼30 μm), CuBe 2 (∼1 μm) and a solid solution of copper in beryllium. The phases Cu 2Be, CuBe and the solid solution of copper in beryllium were detected by the quantitative microanalysis and the phases CuBe, CuBe 2 and CuBe, by the roentgenographic analysis. The fracture (origin) is located in the central part of the tiles. This crack was caused by residual stresses and thermal fatigue testing. This analysis provides important data on the joint quality and may be used for all types of joints used for ITER applications.