Heavy ion beam measurement of the hydration of cementitious materials.

The setting and development of strength of Portland cement concrete depends upon the reaction of water with various phases in the Portland cement. Nuclear resonance reaction analysis (NRRA) involving the (1)H((15)N,alpha,gamma)(12)C reaction has been applied to measure the hydrogen depth profile in the few 100 nm thick surface layer that controls the early stage of the reaction. Specific topics that have been investigated include the reactivity of individual cementitious phases and the effects of accelerators and retarders.

Stellar and primordial nucleosynthesis of 7Be: measurement of 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be.

The 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be reaction presently represents the largest nuclear uncertainty in the predicted solar neutrino flux and has important implications on the big bang nucleosynthesis, i.e., the production of primordial 7Li. We present here the results of an experiment using the recoil separator ERNA (European Recoil separator for Nuclear Astrophysics) to detect directly the 7Be ejectiles. In addition, off-beam activation and coincidence gamma-ray measurements were performed at selected energies. At energies above 1 MeV a large discrepancy compared to previous results is observed both in the absolute value and in the energy dependence of the cross section. Based on the available data and models, a robust estimate of the cross section at the astrophysical relevant energies is proposed.

12C+12C fusion reactions near the Gamow energy.

The fusion reactions 12C(12C,alpha)20Ne and 12C(12C,p)23Na have been studied from E=2.10 to 4.75 MeV by gamma-ray spectroscopy using a C target with ultralow hydrogen contamination. The deduced astrophysical S(E)* factor exhibits new resonances at E< or =3.0 MeV, in particular, a strong resonance at E=2.14 MeV, which lies at the high-energy tail of the Gamow peak. The resonance increases the present nonresonant reaction rate of the alpha channel by a factor of 5 near T=8x10(8) K. Because of the resonance structure, extrapolation to the Gamow energy EG=1.5 MeV is quite uncertain. An experimental approach based on an underground accelerator placed in a salt mine in combination with a high efficiency detection setup could provide data over the full EG energy range.

Activation measurement of the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section at low energy.

The nuclear physics input from the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section is a major uncertainty in the fluxes of 7Be and 8B neutrinos from the Sun predicted by solar models and in the 7Li abundance obtained in big-bang nucleosynthesis calculations. The present work reports on a new precision experiment using the activation technique at energies directly relevant to big-bang nucleosynthesis. Previously such low energies had been reached experimentally only by the prompt-gamma technique and with inferior precision. Using a windowless gas target, high beam intensity, and low background gamma-counting facilities, the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section has been determined at 127, 148, and 169 keV center-of-mass energy with a total uncertainty of 4%. The sources of systematic uncertainty are discussed in detail. The present data can be used in big-bang nucleosynthesis calculations and to constrain the extrapolation of the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be astrophysical S factor to solar energies.

Cell-suspension culture of Arachis hypogaea L.: model system of specific enzyme induction in secondary metabolism.

A peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cell-suspension culture susceptible to selective induction of stilbene formation was established. The principles of defense responses of the whole plant were found to be retained in the artificial system. The suspension culture was characterized by its growth curve and by various biochemical parameters. In the stationary phase, reached 8 d after transfer to a new medium, the formation of stilbenes and stilbene synthase could be induced without altering the levels of other enzymes. Eighteen hours after applying an artificial elicitor (ultraviolet-C light) or 4 h after eliciting with a crude preparation of Phytophthora cambivora cell walls, phenylalanineammonia-lyase activity was increased eightfold and stilbene-synthase activity 20-fold. The activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase reached its peak at a slightly different time from that of stilbene synthase. The main products of L-phenylalanine metabolism in the induced cells were resveratrol, 3,3',5-trihydroxy-4'-methoxystilbene and isopentenylresveratrol. Likewise, feruloyl-CoA reductase, as a parameter of lignin formation, was enhanced following induction, albeit with a different time course and with a less steep increase than found for phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and stilbene synthase.

Stilbene Synthase and Chalcone Synthase : Two Different Constitutive Enzymes in Cultured Cells of Picea excelsa.

Cultured cells of Picea excelsa capable of forming stilbenes and flavanoids have been established. Unlike needles of intact plants containing piceatannol (3,3',4',5-tetrahydroxystilbene) and stilbene glycosides the cultured cells converted phenylalanine and p-coumaric acid primarily into resveratrol monomethyl ether (3,4'-dihydroxy-5-methoxystilbene) and naringenin. Partially purified enzyme preparations were assayed for chalcone synthase as well as for stilbene synthase activity converting malonyl-CoA plus p-coumaroyl-CoA into 3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene (resveratrol).Although stilbene synthase and chalcone synthase use the same substrates and exhibit similar molecular properties, i.e. molecular weight and subunit molecular weight, they are two different proteins. This difference was demonstrated by gel electrophoresis and by means of monospecific antibodies.

Action of ultraviolet-C on stilbene formation in callus ofArachis hypogaea.

The action of light on the formation of stilbenes and the induction of stilbene synthase in dark-grown and light-grown callus of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) was investigated over the wavelength range from 250 to 400 nm. Ultraviolet light of 260-270 nm had a significant and selective effect on the formation of resveratrol and isopentenylresveratrol. The callus responded by the production of stilbene synthase, with maximal activity appearing 4 h after irradiation with a fluence rate of 1 W m(-2) (270 nm) applied for 10 min. At lower fluence rates, maximal responses in enzyme activity were shifted to longer induction periods. The efficiency of the biosynthetic pathway, and the form and maxima of enzyme profiles depended on the duration of exposure. We failed to demonstrate any significant influence of red light at low energy irradiation (672 nm, 726 nm and 753 nm).

Cultured cells of Arachis hypogaea susceptible to induction of stilbene synthase (resveratrol-forming).

Callus cultures were established from cotyledons of Arachis hypogaea. The cultured cells were shown to produce stilbene synthase (resveratrol-forming) if the cells were irradiated with 254 nm UV light. The lag period after which the stilbene synthase activity appeared was similar for cultured cells and intact cotyledons.