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.

Observation of morphological abnormalities in silkworm pupae after feeding CsCl-supplemented diet to evaluate the effects of low dose-rate exposure

Tanaka, Sota; Kinouchi, Tadatoshi*; Fujii, Tsuguru*; Imanaka, Tetsuji*; Takahashi, Tomoyuki*; Fukutani, Satoshi*; Maki, Daisuke*; Notomi, Akihiro*; Takahashi, Sentaro*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.16055_1 - 16055_7, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-72882-y

Since the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, morphological abnormalities of the lepidopteran insects have been reported. However, it is unclear whether the abnormalities were caused directly by radiation because they did not study on absorbed dose and dose-effect relationship. In this study, we conducted an internal exposure experiment on silkworm using CsCl-supplemented artificial diet and estimated the absorbed dose to evaluate the morphological abnormalities in silkworm. The ratio of wing to whole body of pupae was compared between the CsCl-exposured and control groups and no significant differences were observed between the groups. This result suggest that morphological abnormalities in lepidopterans are unlikely due to direct radiation effects from Cs contamination after the FDNPP accident.

Characterization of two types of cesium-bearing microparticles emitted from the Fukushima accident via multiple synchrotron radiation analyses

Miura, Hikaru*; Kuribara, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masayoshi*; Sakaguchi, Aya*; Yamaguchi, Noriko*; Sekizawa, Oki*; Nitta, Kiyofumi*; Higaki, Shogo*; Tsumune, Daisuke*; Itai, Takaaki*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.11421_1 - 11421_9, 2020/07

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68318-2

Hydrogen-accelerated spontaneous microcracking in high-strength aluminium alloys

Tsuru, Tomohito; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Itakura, Mitsuhiro; Ebihara, Kenichi; Bendo, A.*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Toda, Hiroyuki*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.1998_1 - 1998_8, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58834-6

Age-hardening has been one and only process to achieve high strength aluminum alloys since unlike iron and titanium, pure aluminum does not have other solid phases during heat treatment. Highly-concentrated precipitations play therefore dominant role in mechanical properties and hydrogen embrittlement of aluminium alloys. It has been considered that the coherent interface between matrix and precipitation does not contribute to the crack initiation and embrittlement due to its coherency. Here, we discovered the origin of unprecedented quasi-cleavage fracture mode. Hydrogen partitioning at various defect sites is investigated comprehensively combined with experiment, theory and first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that despite low excess free volume, the aluminum-precipitation interface is more preferable trap site than void and grain boundary. The cohesivity of the interface deteriorates significantly with increasing occupancy while hydrogen atoms are trapped stably up to extremely high occupancy equivalent to spontaneous cleavage.

Initial decrease in the ambient dose equivalent rate after the Fukushima accident and its difference from Chernobyl

Yoshimura, Kazuya; Saegusa, Jun; Sanada, Yukihisa

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10(1), p.3859_1 - 3859_9, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60847-0

Compositional and structural analysis of Fukushima-derived particulates using high-resolution X-ray imaging and synchrotron characterisation techniques

Martin, P. G.*; Jones, C. P.*; Cipiccia, S.*; Batey, D. J.*; Hallam, K. R.*; Satou, Yukihiko; Griffiths, I.*; Rau, C.*; Richards, D. A.*; Sueki, Keisuke*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10(1), p.1636_1 - 1636_11, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58545-y

Track structure study for energy dependency of electrons and X-rays on DNA double-strand break induction

Yachi, Yoshie*; Yoshii, Yuji*; Matsuya, Yusuke; Mori, Ryosuke*; Oikawa, Joma*; Date, Hiroyuki*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.17649_1 - 17649_8, 2019/11

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54081-6

Radiation weighting factor for photon and electron is defined as 1.0 independently these energies. However, it should be noted that the biological effects after 29 kVp X-rays is relative higher than standard 200 kVp X-rays at the endpoint of . And it is of importance to evaluate electrons generated via interaction of photons with matter. Here, we evaluated the energy concentration along electron track (dose-mean lineal energy) on chromosome (micron-meter) scales by Monte Carlo simulation, and measured the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induction. From the cell experiments, the DSBs induction after diagnostic X-rays exposure (60-100 kVp) is higher than those with therapeutic X-rays (6 MV). In the relation between the dose-mean lineal energy and the number of DSBs, it was shown that lower energy photons might induce more biological impact due to the interaction by low energy electron. This study implies that radiation weighting factor for photon and electron should not be unity.

First determination of Pu isotopes (Pu, Pu and Pu) in radioactive particles derived from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Igarashi, Junya*; Zheng, J.*; Zhang, Z.*; Ninomiya, Kazuhiko*; Satou, Yukihiko; Fukuda, Miho*; Ni, Y.*; Aono, Tatsuo*; Shinohara, Atsushi*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.11807_1 - 11807_10, 2019/08

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48210-4

Radioactive particles were released into the environment during the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Many studies have been conducted to elucidate the chemical composition of released radioactive particles in order to understand their formation process. However, whether radioactive particles contain nuclear fuel radionuclides remains to be investigated. Here, we report the first determination of Pu isotopes in radioactive particles. To determine the Pu isotopes (Pu, Pu and Pu) in radioactive particles derived from the FDNPP accident which were free from the influence of global fallout, radiochemical analysis and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry measurements were conducted. Radioactive particles derived from unit 1 and unit 2 or 3 were analyzed. For the radioactive particles derived from unit 1, activities of Pu and Pu were (1.70-7.06)10 Bq and (4.10-8.10)10 Bq, respectively and atom ratios of Pu/Pu and Pu/Pu were 0.330-0.415 and 0.162-0.178, respectively. These ratios were consistent with the simulation results from ORIGEN code and measurements from various environmental samples. In contrast, Pu was not detected in the radioactive particles derived from unit 2 or 3. The difference in Pu contents is clear evidence towards different formation processes of radioactive particles, and detailed formation processes can be investigated from Pu analysis.

DNA damage induction during localized chronic exposure to an insoluble radioactive microparticle

Matsuya, Yusuke; Satou, Yukihiko; Hamada, Nobuyuki*; Date, Hiroyuki*; Ishikawa, Masayori*; Sato, Tatsuhiko

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.10365_1 - 10365_9, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46874-6

Insoluble radioactive microparticles (so called Cs-bearing particles) have been assumed to adhere in the long term to trachea after aspirated into respiratory system, leading to heterogeneous dose distribution within healthy tissue around the particles. The biological effects posed by such a particle remain unclear. Here, we show cumulative DNA damage in cultured cells proximal and distal to the particle under localized chronic exposure in comparison with uniform exposure. We placed the particle-contained microcapillary onto a glass-base dish containing normal human lung cells in vitro, and observed a significant change in nuclear -H2AX foci after 24 h or 48 h exposure to the particle. The dose calculation by a Monte Carlo simulation and the comparison with nuclear foci under uniform exposure suggested that the localized exposure to a Cs-bearing particle leads to not only signal-induced DNA damage to distal cells but also the reduction of DNA damage induction yield to proximal cells (protective effects). Considering the small organ dose, the conventional radiation risk assessment is adequate. This study is the first to quantify the spatial distribution of cumulative DNA lesions under heterogeneous exposure by insoluble Cs-bearing particles.

Interstitial hydrogen atoms in face-centered cubic iron in the Earth's core

Ikuta, Daijo*; Otani, Eiji*; Sano, Asami; Shibazaki, Yuki*; Terasaki, Hidenori*; Yuan, L.*; Hattori, Takanori

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9, p.7108_1 - 7108_8, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43601-z

Hydrogen is likely one of the light elements in the Earth's core. Despite its importance, no direct observation has been made of hydrogen in an iron lattice at high pressure. We made the first direct determination of site occupancy and volume of interstitial hydrogen in a face-centered cubic (fcc) iron lattice up to 12 GPa and 1200 K using the in situ neutron diffraction method. At pressures 5 GPa, the hydrogen content in the fcc iron hydride lattice (x) was small at x 0.3, but increased to x 0.8 with increasing pressure. Hydrogen atoms occupy both octahedral (O) and tetrahedral (T) sites; typically 0.870 in O-sites and 0.057 in T-sites at 12 GPa and 1200 K. The fcc lattice expanded approximately linearly at a rate of 2.22 per hydrogen atom, which is higher than previously estimated (1.9 /H). The lattice expansion by hydrogen dissolution was negligibly dependent on pressure. The large lattice expansion by interstitial hydrogen reduced the estimated hydrogen content in the Earth's core that accounted for the density deficit of the core. The revised analyses indicate that whole core may contain hydrogen of 80 times of the ocean mass with 79 and 0.8 ocean mass for the outer and inner cores, respectively.