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Kobayashi, Yoshinori*; Sato, Kiminori*; Yamawaki, Masato*; Michishio, Koji*; Oka, Toshitaka; Washio, Masakazu*
Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 202, p.110590_1 - 110590_6, 2023/01
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.2(Chemistry, Physical)Because of their different charge states, positrons and positronium (Ps) behave quite differently in macromolecules. The behavior of positively charged positrons is strongly influenced by electrostatic interactions. In nonpolar macromolecules such as polyethylene, energetic positrons, if not incorporated into Ps, fall into a delocalized state. These positrons are sensitively trapped by polar groups, if any. On the other hand, charge-neutral Ps is localized in a free volume regardless of the macromolecule's chemical structure. In this study, we discuss the behavior and annihilation characteristics of positrons and Ps in various macromolecules, emphasizing their differences.
Okutsu, Kenichi*; Yamashita, Takuma*; Kino, Yasushi*; Miyashita, Konan*; Yasuda, Kazuhiro*; Oka, Toshitaka; Okada, Shinji*; Sato, Motoyasu*
JJAP Conference Proceedings (Internet), 9, p.011003_1 - 011003_7, 2023/00
Muon catalyzed fusion (
CF) is a cyclic reaction where a negatively charged muon itself acts like a catalyst of nuclear fusion between hydrogen isotopes. In the CF reaction, muon transfer from deuteron to triton and muonic molecular formation are rate-limiting processes. In this work, we have investigated the role of resonance states of muonic molecule in the CF which affects the muonic deuterium atom population. Solving simultaneous rate equations numerically by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, we determined the muonic molecular formation rate so that the number of fusion events reproduces a latest experimental result. It is revealed that the resonance states play a role to enhance the fusion rate by accelerating the de-excitation of the muonic atoms.
Oka, Toshitaka
Isotope News, (784), p.43 - 44, 2022/12
We participated in Young Scientists Project Career Paths for Researchers held at the 59th Isotope and Radiation Research Presentation Meeting, where we heard from four lecturers and discussed how to encourage students to enter doctoral programs.
Mitsuyasu, Yusuke*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Okutsu, Kenichi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Yamashita, Takuma*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; et al.
KEK Proceedings 2022-2, p.120 - 125, 2022/11
We investigate the effect of sample's anisotropy and measurement condition to obtain the higher reproducibility for the shape of the ESR spectrum and the intensity of CO
radical.
Ishikawa, Ryoya*; Suzuki, Masatoshi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Endo, Satoru*; Nakajima, Hiroo*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Shinoda, Hisashi*; et al.
KEK Proceedings 2022-2, p.61 - 66, 2022/11
The balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant activity, which is a defense mechanism against oxidative stress, was investigated in the liver and bladder of wild Japanese macaques captured in Fukushima Prefecture. No significant induction of oxidative stress by exposure to environmental radionuclides after the Fukushima nuclear accident was observed, suggesting that the stress defense mechanism of the organism is activated in some organs.
Kobayashi, Yoshinori*; Sato, Kiminori*; Yamawaki, Masato*; Michishio, Koji*; Oka, Toshitaka; Washio, Masakazu*
Applied Physics Express, 15(7), p.076001_1 - 076001_4, 2022/07
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：59.23(Physics, Applied)We discuss the energy dissipation of short-lived 
-positronium (
-Ps) in polymers and silica glass. The 
parameter characterizing the Doppler broadening of -Ps annihilation is determined from the previously reported systematic data of positron annihilation age momentum correlation for various polymers and silica glass. A comparison of the parameter with that expected for thermalized -Ps trapped in a free volume reveals that -Ps is not thermalized and possesses excess energy in fluorinated polymers and silica glass, indicating that it is difficult for Ps to lose energy in substances containing heavy elements such as fluorine and silicon.
Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Koarai, Kazuma; Kino, Yasushi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Osaka, Ken*; Sasaki, Keiichi*; et al.
Journal of Radiation Research (Internet), 63(4), p.609 - 614, 2022/07
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.01(Biology)Electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry is one of the most powerful tools for radiation dose reconstruction. The detection limit of this technique using human teeth is reported to be 56 mGy or 67 mGy; however, the absorbed dose of Fukushima residents after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident was estimated to be lower than this detection limit. Our aim is to assess the absorbed radiation dose of children in Fukushima Prefecture after the accident; therefore, it is important to estimate the detection limit for their teeth. The detection limit for enamel of deciduous teeth of Japanese children separated by the mechanical method is estimated to be 115.0 mGy. The density separation method can effectively separate enamel from third molars of Japanese people. As we have collected thousands of teeth from children in Fukushima, the present technique may be useful to examine their external absorbed dose after the FNPP accident.
Yomogida, Takumi; Ouchi, Kazuki; Oka, Toshitaka; Kitatsuji, Yoshihiro; Koma, Yoshikazu; Konno, Katsuhiro*
Scientific Reports (Internet), 12(1), p.7191_1 - 7191_10, 2022/05
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：0(Multidisciplinary Sciences)Particles containing alpha (
) nuclides were identified from sediment in stagnant water at the torus room of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (FDiNPS)'s Unit 2 reactor. Several uranium-bearing particles were identified by SEM observation. These particles contained Zr and other elements which constituted fuel cladding and structural materials. The 
U/
U isotope ratio in the solid fractions that included U particles was consistent with the nuclear fuel in the Unit 2 reactor, which indicated that the U particles had been derived from nuclear fuel. The particles with alpha-emitters detected by alpha track analysis were several tens to several hundred m in size. The EDX spectra showed that these particles mainly comprised iron, which indicated Pu, Am, and Cm were adsorbed on the Fe-baring particles. This study clarifies that the major morphologies of U and other -nuclides were differed in the sediment of stagnant water in the torus room of FDiNPS's Unit 2 reactor.
Nakagawa, Seiko*; Oka, Toshitaka; Fujii, Kentaro*; Yokoya, Akinari*
Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 192, p.109884_1 - 109884_5, 2022/03
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.01(Chemistry, Physical)Radicals produced in crystalline L-alanine-3,3,3-d3 and L-alanine-d4 were observed by the electron spin resonance (ESR) technique during 1.5 keV soft X-ray irradiation. The line width of the ESR spectra obtained by the soft X-ray irradiation was 1.5 times wider than that of hard X-rays from a previous report, meaning a higher density of radicals. The efficiency of the radical yield by the soft X-ray irradiation was 10
relative to that by 
-irradiation. For the soft X-ray irradiation, many radicals will be lost by the efficient radical-radical recombination due to the higher density of the radicals, just as the high-LET irradiation by heavy ions. We concluded that the high LET nature of the lower energy photons leads to the dense radical formation in the crystalline alanine powder.
Mitsuyasu, Yusuke*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Koarai, Kazuma; Kino, Yasushi*; Okutsu, Kenichi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Yamashita, Takuma*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; et al.
KEK Proceedings 2021-2, p.91 - 96, 2021/12
We examined whether the ESR dose estimation method could be applied to wild Japanese macaque. In this work, we investigated the enamel preparation protocol and the analytical method of the ESR spectra.
Okutsu, Kenichi*; Yamashita, Takuma*; Kino, Yasushi*; Nakashima, Ryota*; Miyashita, Konan*; Yasuda, Kazuhiro*; Okada, Shinji*; Sato, Motoyasu*; Oka, Toshitaka; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; et al.
Fusion Engineering and Design, 170, p.112712_1 - 112712_4, 2021/09
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：30.57(Nuclear Science & Technology)A muonic molecule which consists of two hydrogen isotope nuclei (deuteron (d) or tritium (t)) and a muon decays immediately via nuclear fusion and the muon will be released as a recycling muon, and start to find another hydrogen isotope nucleus. The reaction cycle continues until the muon ends up its lifetime of 2.2 s. Since the muon does not participate in the nuclear reaction, the reaction is so called a muon catalyzed fusion (CF). The recycling muon has a particular kinetic energy (KE) of the muon molecular orbital when the nuclear reaction occurs. Since the KE is based on the unified atom limit where distance between two nuclei is zero. A precise few-body calculation estimating KE distribution (KED) is also in progress, which could be compared with the experimental results. In the present work, we observed recycling muons after CF reaction.
Yamashita, Takuma*; Okutsu, Kenichi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Nakashima, Ryota*; Miyashita, Konan*; Yasuda, Kazuhiro*; Okada, Shinji*; Sato, Motoyasu*; Oka, Toshitaka; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; et al.
Fusion Engineering and Design, 169, p.112580_1 - 112580_5, 2021/08
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：53.86(Nuclear Science & Technology)A muon () having 207 times larger mass of electron and the same charge as the electron has been known to catalyze a nuclear fusion between deuteron (d) and triton (t). These two nuclei are bound by and form a muonic hydrogen molecular ion, dt. Due to the short inter-nuclear distance of dt, the nuclear fusion, d +t
+ n + 17.6 MeV, occurs inside the molecule. This reaction is called muon catalyzed fusion (CF). Recently, the interest on CF is renewed from the viewpoint of applications, such as a source of high-resolution muon beam and mono-energetic neutron beam. In this work, we report a time evolution calculation of CF in a two-layered hydrogen isotope target.
Sr in cattle bone and tooth samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometryKoarai, Kazuma; Matsueda, Makoto; Aoki, Jo; Yanagisawa, Kayo*; Terashima, Motoki; Fujiwara, Kenso; Kino, Yasushi*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; et al.
Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 36(8), p.1678 - 1682, 2021/08
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：44.59(Chemistry, Analytical)Rapid analysis of Sr in bone and tooth samples of cattle were achieved by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) coupled with mass shift and solid phase extraction techniques. Limit of detection (LOD) in the ICP-MS measurement of 0.1 g samples was lower than that of the radioactivity measurement. Analytical time of the ICP-MS method was reduced from 20 days to 11 hours, compared with the radiometric method. Therefore, the ICP-MS method can be rapid and useful procedure of Sr in small bone and tooth samples derived from terrestrial animals.
Takahashi, Atsushi*; Chiba, Mirei*; Tanahara, Akira*; Aida, Jun*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Murakami, Shinobu*; Koarai, Kazuma; Ono, Takumi*; Oka, Toshitaka; et al.
Scientific Reports (Internet), 11(1), p.10355_1 - 10355_11, 2021/05
Times Cited Count：4 Percentile：50.96(Multidisciplinary Sciences)
)Komatsu, Kazuki*; Iwasaki, Tsugumi*; Murata, Kosuke*; Yamashiro, Hideaki*; Goh, V. S. T.*; Nakayama, Ryo*; Fujishima, Yohei*; Ono, Takumi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; et al.
Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 56(3), p.484 - 497, 2021/03
Times Cited Count：8 Percentile：93.7(Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science)We have established an archive system of livestock and wild animals from the surrounding ex-evacuation zone. Wildlife within the alert zone have been exposed to low-dose-rate (LDR) radiation for a long and continuous time. In this study, we analysed the morphological characteristics of the testes and in vitro fertilization (IVF) capacity of cryopreserved sperm of raccoons from the ex-evacuation zone of the FDNPP accident. This study revealed that the chronic and LDR radiation exposure associated with the FDNPP accident had no adverse effect on the reproductive characteristics and functions of male raccoons.
Yamawaki, Masato*; Uesugi, Naoya*; Oka, Toshitaka; Nagasawa, Naotsugu*; Ando, Hirokazu*; O'Rourke, B. E.*; Kobayashi, Yoshinori*
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 59(11), p.116504_1 - 116504_5, 2020/11
Positron annihilation lifetime measurements were performed on polyethylene films with thickness of 15m - 2000m using a Na-22 positron source enclosed in a Kapton film. For thin films, some positrons will pass through the film and annihilate behind it. Using a single film in a commercial anti-coincidence system, by placing an annealed stainless steel (SUS304) cover behind the sample, it is possible to sufficiently measure the long lifetime ortho-positronium (o-Ps) component even in thin films. Additionally, calculated intensities of the o-Ps component determined from the estimated film transmittance agreed well with the measured values. Furthermore, by applying this method to uniaxially stretched UHMWPE, we were able to observe structural changes owing to the stretching consistent with shorter measured o-Ps lifetime and increased o-Ps intensity.
Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*
Hoshasen Kagaku (Internet), (110), p.13 - 19, 2020/10
The article depicts how to estimate the external exposure dose for wild animals using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The relationship between the CO
radical intensity and the absorbed dose, that is, dose response curve of tooth enamel of Japanese macaque was observed, and the detection limit of our method was estimated. The estimated detection limit of 33.5 mGy is comparable to the previously reported detection limit for human molar teeth. The external exposure dose for seven wild Japanese macaques captured in Fukushima prefecture were examined using this dose response curve. The estimated external exposure dose were ranged between 45 mGy to 300 mGy.
Tanaka, Kiriha*; Muto, Jun*; Nagahama, Hiroyuki*; Oka, Toshitaka
Hoshasen Kagaku (Internet), (110), p.21 - 30, 2020/10
In a fault dating by electron spin resonance (ESR), the number of unpaired electrons trapped in defects in minerals contained in a fault material is detected as ESR intensity. Based on the quantitative change of the intensity before and after an earthquake, the last age of a fault movement can be estimated. However, this method has a hypothesis called "zero-setting" which assumes the decrease in the ESR intensity to zero by fault movement during an earthquake. In order to understand and demonstrate zero-setting, the analysis of the natural fault materials and experiments mimicking fault movements have been conducted. In this paper, we summarized the previous studies about zero-setting by fault movement and described the current status and challenges.
Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Koarai, Kazuma; Mitsuyasu, Yusuke*; Kino, Yasushi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Osaka, Ken*; et al.
Radiation Measurements, 134, p.106315_1 - 106315_4, 2020/06
Times Cited Count：4 Percentile：33.86(Nuclear Science & Technology)The relationship between the CO radical intensity and the absorbed dose (dose response curve) of tooth enamel of Japanese macaque was observed by electron spin resonance and the detection limit of our system was estimated to be 33.5 mGy, which is comparable to the detection limit for human molar teeth. Using the dose response curve, external exposure dose for seven wild Japanese macaques captured in Fukushima prefecture were examined. The results suggest that the external exposure dose for the wild Japanese macaques were ranged between 45 mGy to 300 mGy.
Usui, Yoichi*; Yamazaki, Toshitsugu*; Oka, Toshitaka; Kumagai Yuho*
Journal of Geophysical Research; Solid Earth, 124(11), p.10672 - 10686, 2019/11
Times Cited Count：6 Percentile：42.93(Geochemistry & Geophysics)We report the discovery of inverse AMS fabrics from pelagic clay recovered by a 
12 m long piston core from the western North Pacific. Rock magnetic data and ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that magnetofossils account for most of the mean susceptibility regardless of normal or inverse AMS, suggesting that the inverse AMS fabrics due to magnetofossils may be widespread in pelagic clay.
