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A direct charge nuclear battery, or DCNB, is one of the nuclear batteries based on direct energy conversion and is characterized by exceptional high voltage generation and conversion efficiency higher than other nuclear batteries. For studying potential applications of DCNB, a preliminary estimation of DCNB electrical power and performance is required; hence, conversion efficiency analysis is crucial. For preliminary verification purposes, an ideal DCNB conversion efficiency was calculated under the simplified electron transport model by using the general-purpose Monte Carlo particle transport calculation code PHITS. The result was compared with a reference experimental efficiency for a T-loaded parallel plate DCNB, and the resulting relative error was approximately 12%. Considering the relative error of 20% or less in DCNB conversion efficiency shown by preceding studies, the resulting error was comparable, and it was concluded that the PHITS code is sufficiently applicable to DCNB conversion efficiency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct charge nuclear battery, or DCNB, is one of the nuclear batteries based on direct energy conversion and is characterized by exceptional high voltage generation and conversion efficiency higher than other nuclear batteries. For studying potential applications of DCNB, a preliminary estimation of DCNB electrical power and performance is required; hence, conversion efficiency analysis is crucial. For preliminary verification purposes, an ideal DCNB conversion efficiency was calculated under the simplified electron transport model by using the general-purpose Monte Carlo particle transport calculation code PHITS. The result was compared with a reference experimental efficiency for a T-loaded parallel plate DCNB, and the resulting relative error was approximately 12%. Considering the relative error of 20% or less in DCNB conversion efficiency shown by preceding studies, the resulting error was comparable, and it was concluded that the PHITS code is sufficiently applicable to DCNB conversion efficiency analysis.

Abstract: Vibrational spectral measurements, namely, FT-infrared (4000–400cm−1) and FT-Raman (3500–50cm−1) spectra have been made for 1,3-dichloro 5-nitrobenzene (DCNB) and assigned to different normal modes of the molecule. Optimized geometrical structure, harmonic vibrational frequencies, intensities, Mulliken''s net charges and several thermodynamic parameters in the ground state have been computed by the B3LYP, density functional method using 6-311+G(d,p),6-311++G(d,p) basis sets. Complete assignments of the observed spectra have been proposed. Most of the modes have wave numbers in the expected range. Coupling of vibrations has been determined by calculating total energy distributions (TED) with the help of specific scaling procedures. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies and electrostatic potential shows that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. The results of the calculations were applied to simulated infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound which showed excellent agreement with the observed spectra. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, a dendritic cell line derived from mouse skin (FSDC) was used, as an in vitro experimental model, to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of two chemical sensitizers, a strong sensitizer (2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene, DNFB) and a weak sensitizer (2,4-dichloronitrobenzene, DCNB). The results indicated that DNFB reduces the cellular metabolism of FSDC, as evaluated by the reduction of the tetrazolium salt, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT). All the DNFB concentrations tested, ranging from 5.2 μ M to 26 μM, significantly inhibited the MTT reduction after 1 hour of cell exposure to the sensitizer. In contrast, incubation of FSDC with the weak sensitizer DCNB had no significant effect on the MTT reduction assay. When the cells were incubated with DNFB (13 μ M), for 3 and 6 hours, morphological changes characteristics of cell death by apoptosis were observed, as assessed by propidium iodide (PI) DNA staining and annexin-V externalization analysis. These results correlate well with an increase of caspase-3-like activity after FSDC exposure to DNFB (13 μM) for 6 hours. Together, these results indicate that apoptotic death of skin dendritic cells occurs after exposure to the sensitizer DNFB, although necrotic cell death was also observed when the cells were incubated with high concentrations of DNFB (26 μM), or after long periods of cell exposure to the chemical DNFB (13 μM, for 6 hours). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]