Revealing an origin of temperature-dependent structural change in intrinsically disordered proteins

Inoue, Rintaro*; Oda, Takashi; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Taiki*; Ikegami, Takahisa*; Konuma, Tsuyoshi*; Iwase, Hiroki*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Sato, Mamoru*; Sugiyama, Masaaki*

Biophysical Journal, 124(3), p.540 - 548, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2024.12.022

In-situ X-ray imaging of the breakup dynamics of current-carrying molten metal jets during arc discharge

Sato, Yuriko*; Shobu, Takahisa; Tominaga, Aki; Sano, Tomokazu*; Ogino, Yosuke*

Communications Materials (Internet), 5, p.147_1 - 147_9, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00586-1

The flow dynamics of current-carrying molten metal jet breakup during arc discharge serves as mass and heat sources in wire-arc-based metal deposition processes, thereby optimizing the resultant product quality. However, the spatiotemporal flow interaction between the molten metal jet and the surrounding arc plasma remains unclear. Here, using in-situ synchrotron X-ray imaging, we simultaneously track surface deformation and internal flow in molten aluminum jets during argon arc discharge. We reveal that modulating the magnitude and path of the arc discharge current can accelerate the jet velocity by 200 300% beyond its initial injection speed, thereby facilitating significant jet elongation. Our results provide consistent evidence that the jet flow dynamics are predominantly governed by the interaction between the arc discharge current and its coaxial self-induced magnetic field. This study establishes a framework at the intersection of fluid dynamics and electromagnetism, contributing to optimized control and precision in wire-arc-based applications.

Deformation mechanism of a strong and ductile maraging steel investigated using X-ray synchrotron diffraction

Li, H.*; Liu, Y.*; Zhao, W.*; Liu, B.*; Tominaga, Aki; Shobu, Takahisa; Wei, D.*

International Journal of Plasticity, 165, p.103612_1 - 103612_20, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2023.103612

In order to clarify the strength properties of Co-free maraging steel, tensile experiment using high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction was performed. Diffraction profiles from the martensitic and austenitic phases were obtained, and their strength and width were observed to vary as loading. Analysis of the diffraction profiles showed that the content of martensite in the as-aged material decreased slowly at low stress levels and decreased rapidly at high stress levels. On the other hand, the austenite phase in the as-solution materials was significantly transformed the martensite phase as the stress increased. It was clarified to be responsible for their respective strength properties.

Improve long periodic ground motion evaluation with the epicenter on the border between Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures in seismic design of nuclear facilities

Kirita, Fumio; Tominaga, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Toshihiko; Seshimo, Kazuyoshi; Uryu, Mitsuru

JAEA-Research 2022-006, 61 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Research-2022-006.pdf:6.24MB

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories (NCL) has been observing ground motion for a long time. On the border from northern Ibaraki prefecture to Fukushima prefecture, inland crustal earthquakes occur less frequently until the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake (hereinafter referred to as Tohoku Earthquake). After Tohoku Earthquake, aftershocks have become more frequent in this area, and in the Hamadori region of Fukushima earthquake that a remarkable long periodic component was observed in the NCL seismic observation record. Until now there were no such things that long periodic components were observed at the observation points near the epicenter of April 2011 Fukushima earthquake, but it was thought basin structure in deep basement around the NCL affected the propagation process to NCL by reflection survey result. As basement structure of NCL affected the seismic wave propagation process, the seismic wave repeatedly reflects and refracts. For that reason, long periodic components of seismic waves may be possibly amplified. In this study, in order to refine the long periodic ground motion evaluation, using a three dimensional ground structure model (3D model) that can reflect the shape of the deep basement structure around the NCL. When modeling 3D ground structure which has a width of about 80km and a length of about 110km and ranges from the epicenter area of April 2011 Fukushima earthquake to the northern coastal area of Ibaraki prefecture modeled, improved the optimum ground structure model using multiple observation records and performed simulation analysis.

Hydrogen dynamics in hydrated chitosan by quasi-elastic neutron scattering

Hirota, Yuki*; Tominaga, Taiki*; Kawabata, Takashi*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Matsuo, Yasumitsu*

Bioengineering (Internet), 9(10), p.599_1 - 599_17, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9100599

Cross-scale analysis of temperature compensation in the cyanobacterial circadian clock system

Furuike, Yoshihiko*; Ouyang, D.*; Tominaga, Taiki*; Matsuo, Tatsuhito*; Mukaiyama, Atsushi*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Fujiwara, Satoru*; Akiyama, Shuji*

Communications Physics (Internet), 5(1), p.75_1 - 75_12, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-022-00852-z

Influence of distant scatterer on air kerma measurement in the evaluation of diagnostic X-rays using Monte Carlo simulation

Tominaga, Masahide*; Nagayasu, Yukari*; Sasaki, Motoharu*; Furuta, Takuya; Hayashi, Hiroaki*; Oita, Masataka*; Nishiyama, Yuichi*; Haga, Akihiro*

Radiological Physics and Technology, 14(4), p.381 - 389, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-021-00641-3

Due to recent advance of diagnostic radiology, the increase of diagnostic radiation exposure to patient becomes problem. Diagnostic Reference Levels has been released to optimized the radiation exposure to patients in Japan recently. The evaluation of entrance surface dose (ESD) is recommended to assess the dose level for general X-ray examination. The ESD can be easily evaluated by multiplying the backscatter factor of the patient body on the free-in-air air kerma. The air kerma free-in-air value used to estimate ESD may contain X-rays scattered from obstacles located at the time of measurement, which may induce non-minor error in assessments. We therefore studied the influence of scattered X-rays on air kerma measurement under various environments (distances, field sizes, and materials). It was found that the dependence on the X-ray energy and field size was different for different materials. The X-ray contamination can be ignored for all the materials when the distance to the scatterer exceeds 35 cm.

Position dependency of the scattered intensity in the time-of-flight backscattering spectrometer DNA

Matsuura, Masato*; Yamada, Takeshi*; Tominaga, Taiki*; Kobayashi, Makoto*; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Kawakita, Yukinobu

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011068_1 - 011068_6, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011068

The position dependence of the scattered intensity in the time-of-flight backscattering spectrometer DNA was investigated. A periodic structure for both vertical (pixel) and horizontal (PSD) directions was observed. The solar slit and over-bending of an analyzer crystal is discussed as a possible origin of the modulation in the intensity. We have developed software program for the systematic correction of the position-dependent intensity and offset energy for the elastic peak. This corrects the deviation from the true scattering intensity and improve the quality of the data, which includes the energy resolution.

Corrosion of aluminum-based containers for neutron studies with aqueous samples under low temperatures

Tominaga, Taiki*; Sahara, Masae*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Shimamoto, Naonobu*

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011094_1 - 011094_5, 2021/03

BB2019-2098.pdf:5.18MB

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011094

In quasielastic neutron scattering studies, aluminum or aluminum alloys are frequently employed as sample cells. With the increasing incident-neutron flux, the research area currently continues to expand; thus, obtaining data has become quicker than ever for dilute conditions. One such area is the water-containing systems. In this study, we investigated the effect of temperature on Al and found that even in a low temperature atmosphere, Al corrosion can occur. This was attributed to the different thermal expansion coefficients of Al as a base substrate and Al oxide as a passivating film.

Dynamics of proteins with different molecular structures under solution condition

Inoue, Rintaro*; Oda, Takashi*; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Taiki*; Saio, Tomohide*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Shimizu, Masahiro*; Okuda, Aya*; Morishima, Ken*; Sato, Nobuhiro*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.21678_1 - 21678_10, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78311-4

Incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering (iQENS) is a fascinating technique for investigating the internal dynamics of protein. However, both low flux of neutron beam and absence of analytical procedure for extracting the internal dynamics from iQENS profile have been obstacles for studying it under physiological condition (in solution). Thanks to the recent development of neutron source, spectrometer and computational technique, they enable us to decouple internal dynamics, translational and rotational diffusions from the iQENS profile. The internal dynamics of two proteins: globular domain protein (GDP) and intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) in solution were studied. It was found that the average relaxation rate of IDP was larger than that of GDP. Through the detailed analyses on their internal dynamics, it was revealed that the fraction of mobile H atoms in IDP was much higher than that in GDP. Interestingly, the fraction of mobile H atoms was closely related to the fraction of H atoms on highly solvent exposed surfaces. The iQENS study presented that the internal dynamics were governed by the highly solvent exposed amino acid residues depending upon protein molecular architectures.