Academic Responses to Fukushima Disaster.

Since radiation accidents, particularly nuclear disasters, are rarer than other types of disasters, a comprehensive radiation disaster medical curriculum for them is currently unavailable. The Fukushima compound disaster has urged the establishment of a new medical curriculum in preparation for any future complex disaster. The medical education will aim to aid decision making on various health risks for workers, vulnerable people, and residents addressing each phase in the disaster.

Lactic acid production with lactate dehydrogenase using the visible light sensitization of zinc porphyrin.

Lactic acid production with L-lactate dehydrogenase from Pig heart (LDH) and reduced methyl viologen produced by the visible light photosensitization of zinc tetrakis(4-methylpyridyl)porphyrin (ZnTMPyP) was investigated. When the sample solution containing triethanolamine as an electron-donating reagent, ZnTMPyP, methyl viologen as an electron carrier, pyruvic acid and LDH in potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7) was irradiated, lactic acid production was observed. After 240 min irradiation, the amount of lactic acid production and the yield of pyruvic acid to lactic acid were estimated to be 0.