Capture Reaction Research Articles

First independent validation of the proton-boron capture therapy concept

Boron has been suggested to enhance the biological effectiveness of proton beams in the Bragg peak region via the p + 11B → 3α nuclear capture reaction. However, a number of groups have observed no such enhancement in vitro or questioned its proposed mechanism recently. To help elucidate this phenomenon, we irradiated DU145 prostate cancer or U-87 MG glioblastoma cells by clinical 190 MeV proton beams in plateau or Bragg peak regions with or without 10B or 11B isotopes added as sodium mercaptododecaborate (BSH). The results demonstrate that 11B but not 10B or other components of the BSH molecule enhance cell killing by proton beams. The enhancement occurs selectively in the Bragg peak region, is present for boron concentrations as low as 40 ppm, and is not due to secondary neutrons. The enhancement is likely initiated by proton-boron capture reactions producing three alpha particles, which are rare events occurring in a few cells only, and their effects are amplified by intercellular communication to a population-level response. The observed up to 2–3-fold reductions in survival levels upon the presence of boron for the studied prostate cancer or glioblastoma cells suggest promising clinical applications for these tumour types.

Investigating the rate of $$^{10}$$Be(n,$$\gamma$$)$$^{11}$$Be radiative capture reaction within the FRDWBA framework

Investigating the rate of $$^{10}$$Be(n,$$\gamma$$)$$^{11}$$Be radiative capture reaction within the FRDWBA framework

Biomechanical Assessment of Exoskeleton Intervention for Injured and Recovering Workers: A Simulation Study of Bending Tasks

Exoskeletons, wearable devices designed to enhance physical activity, show promise in mitigating work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. This study examines exoskeleton efficacy as ergonomic intervention for aiding injured workers with limited trunk mobility in returning to work. Six adult males participated in simulated bending tasks using a trunk mobility restrictor and a passive trunk exoskeleton. Lumbosacral joint loads and moments during bending tasks with and without the exoskeleton were biomechanically assessed using optical motion capture and ground reaction force data as model inputs. Results indicate significant reductions in compressive loads and subject moments at the lumbosacral joint with exoskeleton usage, particularly during full bending. Moreover, the exoskeleton’s supportive impact increases with greater trunk flexion angles. These findings underscore exoskeleton potential in facilitating the return to work for individuals with limited trunk mobility, emphasizing the need for further empirical validation in real-world settings.

Uncertainty Quantification of 237Np, 241Am, and 243Am Reaction Rates in Highly Enriched Uranium Fuel Cores at Kyoto University Critical Assembly

Experimental analyses of 237Np, 241Am, and 243Am fission, as well as 237Np capture reaction rates, are conducted with the Serpent 2 code together with ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JENDL-5 using experimental data for the neutron spectra of thermal and intermediate regions obtained in the solid-moderated and solid-reflected cores with highly enriched uranium fuel at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. Also, uncertainty quantification of the fission and capture reaction rate ratios of the test samples of 237Np, 241Am, and 243Am with reference samples of 235U and 197Au are evaluated by the MARBLE code system. In terms of the fission reaction rate ratios of 237Np/235U, 241Am/235U, and 243Am/235U, a comparison between experiments and Serpent 2 calculations shows an accuracy of about 5%, 15%, and 10%, respectively, together with ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JENDL-5. For the capture reaction rate ratios of 237Np/197Au, Serpent 2 calculations reveal a fairly good accuracy at the thermal neutron spectrum. The total uncertainties of the 237Np/235U, 241Am/235U, and 243Am/235U fission reaction rate ratios by MARBLE with the covariance data of ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JENDL-5 are found to be about 4% at most in all cores, except for about 8% for 243Am/235U with ENDF/B-VIII.0 at the intermediate neutron spectrum.

TALYS calculations for α capture reactions on Cu isotopes

TALYS calculations for α capture reactions on Cu isotopes

Capture of single or multiple reactive carbonyl species by mangiferin under high temperatures

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS), including acrolein (ACR), methylglyoxal (MGO), and glyoxal (GO), are typically generated in food processing and accumulate in the body for ages, triggering various chronic diseases. Here, we investigated the capture capability and reaction pathways of mangiferin one-to-one and one-to-many on RCS in high temperatures using UPLC-MS/MS. We found that mangiferin can capture ACR/MGO/GO to form their adducts, yet, the ability to capture RCS is arranged in different orders, with ACR > MGO > GO for a single RCS and MGO > ACR > GO for multiple RCS. After synthesizing and identifying the structures of the ACR- and MGO-adducts of MGF, our results indicated that MGF-ACR-MGO produced in the multiple-RCS-MGF system was formed by capturing MGO through MGF-ACR rather than through MGF-MGO capturing ACR, which resulting in higher inhibitory activity of MGF against MGO than against ACR. Then, the capture ability and path of MGF on RCS were verified in the coffee-leaves tea and cake.

Study of the direct 16O(p,γ)17F astrophysical capture reaction within a potential model approach

A potential model is applied for the analysis of the astrophysical direct nuclear capture process 16O(p,γ)17F. The phase-equivalent potentials of the Woods-Saxon form for the p−16O interaction are examined which reproduce the binding energies and the empirical values of ANC for the 17F(5/2+) ground and 17F(1/2+) (E⁎=0.495 MeV) excited bound states from different sources. The best description of the experimental data for the astrophysical S factor is obtained within the potential model which yields the ANC values of 1.043 fm−1/2 and 75.484 fm−1/2 for the 17F(5/2+) ground and 17F(1/2+) excited bound states, respectively. The zero-energy astrophysical factor S(0)=9.321 KeV b is obtained by using the asymptotic expansion method of D. Baye. The calculated reaction rates within the region up to 1010 K are in good agreement with those from the R-matrix approach and the hierarchical Bayesian model in both absolute values and temperature dependence.

Metal Chloride‐Induced Hydrogen Transfer Enables Efficient Conversion of Aromatic Hydrocarbons for Sodium Storage

AbstractThe cost‐effective synthesis of high‐performance hard carbons (HCs) is a key step of sodium‐ion batteries toward practical applications. Considering the rich resource of low‐value aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., pitch), there is tremendous interesting in its conversion into value‐added HCs. Unfortunately, it still lacks an efficient way for the synthesis, in addition to the time‐consuming oxygen contamination of the carbon framework. Herein, a universal strategy is reported that enables the efficient synthesis of HCs from pitch by modulating hydrogen transfer using metal chlorides. CuCl2 is selected as the model modulator and the effect of different metal chlorides (FeCl3, AlCl3, ZnCl2, and MgCl2) are further explored. Based on material characterizations and density functional theory calculation employing 1‐methylnaphthalene as the model molecule, it shows that the hydrogen capture and chlorination reactions mediated by CuCl2 and FeCl3 are thermodynamically favored, which promote the crosslinking of pitch to form HCs. After optimization, the derived HC exhibits superior performance of reversible capacity of 304.8 mAh g−1 and a high initial Columbic efficiency of 88.4%. These discoveries provide new insights into the synthesis of HCs from aromatic hydrocarbons, facilitating their utilization in electrochemical energy storage.

Utilizing Limestone Alone for Integrated CO2 Capture and Reverse Water-Gas Reaction in a Fixed Bed Reactor: Employing Mass and Gas Signal Analysis

The integrated CO2 capture and utilization coupled with the reverse water-gas shift reaction (ICCU-RWGS) presents an alternative pathway for converting captured CO2 into CO in situ. This study investigates the effectiveness of three calcium-based materials (natural limestone, sol-gel CaCO3, and commercial CaCO3) as dual-functional materials (DFMs) for the ICCU-RWGS process at intermediate temperatures (650–750 °C). Our approach involves a fixed-bed reactor coupled with mass spectrometry and in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements to examine cyclic CO2 capture behavior, detailed physical and chemical properties, and morphology. The in situ FTIR results revealed the dominance of the RWGS route and exhibited self-catalytic activity across all calcium-based materials. Particularly, the natural limestone demonstrated a CO yield of 12.7 mmol g−1 with 100% CO selectivity and 81% CO2 conversion. Over the 20th cycle, a decrease in CO2 capture capacity was observed: sol-gel CaCO3, natural limestone, and commercial CaCO3 showed reductions of 44%, 61%, and 59%, respectively. This suggests inevitable deactivation during cyclic reactions in the ICCU-RWGS process, while the skeleton structure effectively prevents agglomeration in Ca-based materials, particularly in sol-gel CaCO3. These insights, coupled with the cost-effectiveness of CaO-alone DFMs, offer promising avenues for efficient and economically viable ICCU-RWGS processes.

The Astrophysical S Factor of the p + 7Be Radiative Capture Reaction

The Astrophysical S Factor of the p + 7Be Radiative Capture Reaction

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy-Derived Extracellular Vesicles via DNA Accumulation Boost Antitumor Dendritic Cell Vaccine Efficacy.

Radiated tumor cell-derived extracellular vesicles (RT-EVs) encapsulate abundant DNA fragments from irradiated tumor cells, in addition to acting as integrators of multiple tumor antigens. Accumulating evidence indicates these DNA fragments from damaged cells are involved in downstream immune responses, but most of them are degraded in cells before incorporation into derived RT-EVs, thus the low abundance of DNA fragments limits immune responses of RT-EVs. Here, this study found that different radiations affected fates of DNA fragments in RT-EVs. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) induced DNA accumulation in RT-EVs (BEVs) by causing more DNA breaks and DNA oxidation resisting nuclease degradation. This is attributed to the high-linear energy transfer (LET) properties of alpha particles from the neutron capture reaction of 10B. When being internalized by dendritic cells (DCs), BEVs activated the DNA sensing pathway, resulting in functional enhancements including antigen presentation, migration capacity, and cytokine secretion. After vaccination of the BEVs-educated DCs (BEV@BMDCs), the effector T cells significantly expanded and infiltrated into tumors, suggesting robust anti-tumor immune activation. BEV@BMDCs not only effectively inhibited the primary tumor growth and metastasis formation but also elicited long-term immune memory. In conclusion, a successful DC vaccine is provided as a promising candidate for tumor vaccine.

Methodological considerations in assessing countermovement jumps with handheld accentuated eccentric loading

ABSTRACT This study aimed to compare the agreement between three-dimensional motion capture and vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) in identifying the point of dumbbell (DB) release during a countermovement jump with accentuated eccentric loading (CMJAEL), and to examine the influence of the vGRF analysis method on the reliability and magnitude of CMJAEL variables. Twenty participants (10 male, 10 female) completed five maximal effort CMJAEL at 20% and 30% of body mass (CMJAEL20 and CMJAEL30, respectively) using DBs. There was large variability between methods in both loading conditions, as indicated by the wide limits of agreement (CMJAEL20 = −0.22 to 0.07 s; CMJAEL30 = −0.29 to 0.14 s). Variables were calculated from the vGRF data, and compared between four methods (forward integration (FI), backward integration (BI), FI adjusted at bottom position (BP), FI adjusted at DB release point (DR)). Greater absolute reliability was observed for variables from DR (CV% ≤ 7.28) compared to BP (CV% ≤ 13.74), although relative reliability was superior following the BP method (ICC ≥ 0.781 vs ≥ 0.606, respectively). The vGRF method shows promise in pinpointing the DB release point when only force platforms are accessible, and a combination of FI and BI analyses is advised to understand CMJAEL dynamics.

Evaluation of sodium borocaptate (BSH) and boronophenylalanine (BPA) as boron delivery agents for neutron capture therapy (NCT) of cancer: an update and a guide for the future clinical evaluation of new boron delivery agents for NCT.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a cancer treatment modality based on the nuclear capture and fission reactions that occur when boron-10, a stable isotope, is irradiated with neutrons of the appropriate energy to produce boron-11 in an unstable form, which undergoes instantaneous nuclear fission to produce high-energy, tumoricidal alpha particles. The primary purpose of this review is to provide an update on the first drug used clinically, sodium borocaptate (BSH), by the Japanese neurosurgeon Hiroshi Hatanaka to treat patients with brain tumors and the second drug, boronophenylalanine (BPA), which first was used clinically by the Japanese dermatologist Yutaka Mishima to treat patients with cutaneous melanomas. Subsequently, BPA has become the primary drug used as a boron delivery agent to treat patients with several types of cancers, specifically brain tumors and recurrent tumors of the head and neck region. The focus of this review will be on the initial studies that were carried out to define the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of BSH and BPA and their biodistribution in tumor and normal tissues following administration to patients with high-grade gliomas and their subsequent clinical use to treat patients with high-grade gliomas. First, we will summarize the studies that were carried out in Japan with BSH and subsequently at our own institution, The Ohio State University, and those of several other groups. Second, we will describe studies carried out in Japan with BPA and then in the United States that have led to its use as the primary drug that is being used clinically for BNCT. Third, although there have been intense efforts to develop new and better boron delivery agents for BNCT, none of these have yet been evaluated clinically. The present report will provide a guide to the future clinical evaluation of new boron delivery agents prior to their clinical use for BNCT.

Adsorption, Orientation, and Speciation of Amino Acids at Air-Aqueous Interfaces for the Direct Air Capture of CO2.

Amino acids make up a promising family of molecules capable of direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 from the atmosphere. Under alkaline conditions, CO2 reacts with the anionic form of an amino acid to produce carbamates and deactivated zwitterionic amino acids. The presence of the various species of amino acids and reactive intermediates can have a significant effect on DAC chemistry, the role of which is poorly understood. In this study, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) based computational simulations and vibrational sum frequency generation (vSFG) spectroscopy studies were conducted to understand the role of competitive interactions at the air-aqueous interface in the context of DAC. We find that the presence of potassium bicarbonate ions, in combination with the anionic and zwitterionic forms of amino acids, induces concentration and charge gradients at the interface, generating a layered molecular arrangement that changes under pre- and post-DAC conditions. In parallel, an enhancement in the surface activity of both anionic and zwitterionic forms of amino acids is observed, which is attributed to enhanced interfacial stability and favorable intermolecular interactions between the adsorbed amino acids in their anionic and zwitterionic forms. The collective influence of these competitive interactions, along with the resulting interfacial heterogeneity, may in turn affect subsequent capture reactions and associated rates. These effects underscore the need to consider dynamic changes in interfacial chemical makeup to enhance DAC efficiency and to develop successful negative emission and storage technologies.

Recent Progress on Multi-Component Reactions Involving Nucleophile, Arynes and CO2.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a non-toxic, abundant and recoverable source of carbon monoxide. Despite its thermodynamically stable and kinetically inert nature, research on CO2 utilisation is ongoing. CO2-based aryne reactions, crucial for synthesising ortho-substituted benzoic acids and their cyclisation products, have garnered significant attention, and multi-component reactions (MCRs) involving CO2, aryne and nucleophilic reagents have been extensively studied. This review highlights recent advancements in CO2 capture reactions utilising phenylalkyne reactive intermediates. Mechanistic insights into these reactions are provided together with prospects for further development in this field.

Evaluation of the activation of the radiation shielding of the LaDiff neutron triple-axis-spectrometer at FRM-II by simulation/calculation

Neutron radiation is widely used for investigation of matter at research reactors and spallation sources. One undesired side-effect is the production of radioactive nuclides in structure materials of the instruments (e.g. mounting structures and radiation shieldings) due to neutron capture reactions. Hence the structure materials themselves become radiation sources. The knowledge of the activities after a certain time of operation is essential for determination of the accessibility, for modifications of the instrument, for reusing the material and for waste management. It is desirable to have these data in the design phase of the instrument. One possibility to obtain the data is a combination of simulation and calculation. In this paper the simulations/calculations for the LaDiff cold triple-axis neutron spectrometer project at FRM-II (research reactor Munich) are presented. The activities in the shielding house around the experimental area of the instrument made from stainless steel and lead are considered for the cases with and without boron-carbide cover and for different Sb-contents of the lead layer. The influence of the skyshine is also considered.

Метод дослідження ізомерів з великим значенням енергії і моменту

The technique for investigating isomeric states of nuclei with a large values of energy and total momentum created in the neutron capture reaction has been developed. The technique is based on the spectrometry of multiplicity, energy, and time of registration of instantaneous and delayed gamma cascades of isomer occupancy and decay, respectively. The technique was tested in measurements of the isomeric ratio of the 183W level with energy Eiz = 1.285 MeV with total moment Jπiz = 4-, 5- and lifetime Tiz = 8.2 μs in the neutron absorption reaction, which is equal to αiz = (4.7 ± 0.9)⋅10-3. At large values of the efficiency of registration of acts of settlement and decay of the isomer (0.6 - 0.8), the level of the corresponding background of the spectrometer is only 3.5⋅10-4 s-1. At the countable load at the spectrometer input ∼1.5⋅103 s-1, the expected sensitivity of determining the isomeric ratio in measurements with the mono isotope of the sample is αiz ∼(0.3 ± 1.0)⋅10-4.

Upcycling of waste disposable medical masks to high value-added gasoline fuel and surfactants products by sub/supercritical water degradation and partial oxidation

The amount of waste disposable medical masks (DMMs) and the potential environmental risk increased significantly due to the huge demand of disposable medical surgical masks. In this study, two effective and environmentally friendly processes, supercritical water degradation (SCWD) and subcritical water partial oxidation (SubCWPO), were proposed for the upcycling of DMMs. The optimal conditions for the SCWD process (conversion ratio>98 %) were 410 ℃, 15 min, and 1:5 g/mL. The oil products obtained from the SCWD process were mainly small molecule hydrocarbons (C7-C12) with a content of 86 % and could be recycled as fuel feedstock for gasoline. Alkyl radicals in the SCWD reaction formed double bonds and ring structures through hydrogen capture reactions, β-scission, and dehydrogenation reactions, and aromatic hydrocarbons were formed by olefin cyclization and cycloalkane dehydrogenation. The introduction of an oxidant (H2O2) to the reaction system could significantly reduce the reaction temperature and shorten the reaction time. At 350 ℃, 15 min, 1:20 g/mL, V(H2O2): V (H2O) of 1:1, the conversion ratio of the SubCWPO process was 88 %, which was higher than that of the SCWD process at 400 ℃ (71.49 %). Oil products produced from the SubCWPO process were rich in alcohols and esters, which could be used as raw materials for nonionic surfactant of polyol and fatty acid ester. The abundant hydroxyl radical in the SubCWPO system trapped hydrogen atoms on PP and reacted with the resulting alkyl radical to form alkanols, which was oxidized to form acids. The esterification of acids and alkanols formed high level of esters. The SCWD and SubCWPO processes proposed in this study are believed to be promising strategies for DMMs degradation and the recovery of high value-added hydrocarbons.

Effect of fatigue on knee biomechanics during the sidestep cutting manoeuvre: A modelling approach

ABSTRACT Loading both lateral and medial compartments is crucial to understanding the effect of muscle fatigue during sidestep cutting. The present study investigated the changes in tibiofemoral contact forces in the medial and lateral compartments and the muscle force contributions during the sidestep-cutting manoeuvre after a handball-specific fatigue protocol. Twenty female handball athletes performed three trials of the sidestep-cutting manoeuvre before (baseline) and after the fatigue protocol. Motion capture and ground reaction forces were measured, and the data were processed in OpenSim. The variables were compared using statistical parametric mapping (SPM), with a significance level of p < 0.05. The results showed a decreased knee flexion angle during fatigue in the early stance phase. In addition, the post-fatigue analysis demonstrated significantly reduced forces in vasti muscles. Similarly, during fatigue, the SPM analysis showed decreased tibiofemoral contact forces in the vertical and anterior directions. Vertical force applied to both medial and lateral condyles demonstrated a significant reduction after the fatigue protocol. These results indicated that forces applied to the tibiofemoral joint were reduced following the fatigue protocol compared to the baseline values. However, no consistent evidence exists that fatigue increases the risk of knee injuries.

Insights into Carbon Dioxide Capture over Glycine‐Functionalized Metal–Organic Framework‐808 from DFT Calculations

AbstractMetal‐organic framework‐808 (MOF‐808), functionalized with amino acids, is a promising class of materials for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture. In this study, we employed density functional theory calculations to investigate the mechanism of CO2 capture by glycine‐functionalized MOF‐808 (MOF‐808‐Gly). MOF‐808 was treated with one, two, three, or four glycine molecules to investigate the effect of glycine functionalization. It is proposed that the capture reaction proceeds in a single step involving proton transfer and C−N bond formation. With increasing glycine loading, the reaction barriers decreased, whereas the observed rate increased. When considering the substitution of different tetravalent metal centers (Zr and Hf) on the MOF‐808 node, it is found that substituting these tetravalent metal centers does not affect the capture activity. The capture reaction under humid conditions was also studied by introducing explicit and implicit amounts of water. The presence of a water molecule led to reduced barriers and more stable capture product formation, indicating the enhanced performance of MOF‐808‐Gly in CO2 capture.