Changes in molecular conformation and electronic structure of DNA under C ions based on first-principles calculations

Sekikawa, Takuya; Matsuya, Yusuke; Hwang, B.*; Ishizaka, Masato*; Kawai, Hiroyuki*; Ono, Yoshiaki*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Kai, Takeshi

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 548, p.165231_1 - 165231_6, 2024/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2023.165231

One of the main causes of radiation effects on the human body is thought to be damage to DNA, which carries genetic information. However, it is not fully understood what kind of molecular structural changes DNA undergoes upon radiation damage. Since it has been reported that various types of DNA damage are formed when DNA is irradiated, our group has investigated the relationship between DNA damage and various patterns of radiation-induced ionization induced by radiation. Although we have so far analyzed DNA damage in a simple system using a rigid body model of DNA, more detailed calculations are required to analyze the molecular structural changes in DNA, which are considered to be important in considering the effects on the human body. In this study, we attempted to clarify the molecular conformational changes of DNA using OpenMX, a first-principles calculation software that can discuss electronic states based on molecular structures. Specifically, we calculated the most stable structure, band dispersion, and wave function of DNA under the assumption that one and two electrons are ionized by various radiation. In the presentation, we will discuss the relationship between the energy dependence of each incident radiation type and the molecular conformational change of DNA. In addition, the radiation-induced changes in the basic physical properties of DNA (corresponding to the initial stage of DNA damage) will be discussed from the viewpoints of both radiation physics and solid state physics.

Quasielastic neutron scattering probing H dynamics in the H conductors LaHO

Tamatsukuri, Hiromu; Fukui, Keiga*; Iimura, Soshi*; Honda, Takashi*; Tada, Tomofumi*; Murakami, Yoichi*; Yamaura, Junichi*; Kuramoto, Yoshio*; Sagayama, Hajime*; Yamada, Takeshi*; et al.

Physical Review B, 107(18), p.184114_1 - 184114_8, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.107.184114

Analysis of the activities of the website "Question and Answer about radiation in daily life" after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and some lessons learned from it; To pass on this experience to the future

Kono, Takahiko; Tanaka, Masato*; Tanaka, Hitomi*; Shimo, Michikuni*; Torii, Hiroyuki*; Uno, Kazuko*

Journal of Radiation Protection and Research, 47(3), p.167 - 179, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.14407/jrpr.2021.00346

After the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, artificial radionuclides such as radioactive cesium and iodine were released into the environment. It caused great anxiety not only in the vicinity of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant but also in other regions of the world. Some members of the Japan Health Physics Society (JHPS), a leading academic society in Japan in the field of radiation protection, volunteered to establish a website called "Question and Answer about radiation in Daily Life" shortly after the accident to help reduce the residents anxiety about the health effects of radiation. In August 2011, Committee for "Question and Answer about radiation in Daily Life" was established in JHPS, making the website-related activities a responsibility of JHPS. The Q&A website continued to respond to the questions from the general public with expertise and sincerity until February 2013 when the Committee members decided to end the activities because the number of questions received had gradually decreased with the passage of time. This paper aims to introduce the following: the activities of the Q&A website during the two years (2011-2013), the stance chosen for the activities, the information related to the website activities and the analysis of Twitter data. Building on the experience and the knowledge obtained from the activities, it also discusses issues and experiences that can be utilized in the initial response to emergencies for radiation protection experts as well as other fields.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors

Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Morishita, Masaki*; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ando, Masanori; Ashida, Takashi; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Doda, Norihiro; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Ezure, Toshiki; Fukano, Yoshitaka; et al.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.3, 631 Pages, 2022/07

https://shop.elsevier.com/books/sodium-cooled-fast-reactors/morishita/978-0-12-824076-2

This book is a collection of the past experience of design, construction, and operation of two reactors, the latest knowledge and technology for SFR designs, and the future prospects of SFR development in Japan. It is intended to provide the perspective and the relevant knowledge to enable readers to become more familiar with SFR technology.

Magnetic Bragg peak enhancement under ultrasound injection

Shamoto, Shinichi*; Akatsu, Mitsuhiro*; Matsuura, Masato*; Kawamura, Seiko; Harii, Kazuya*; Ono, Masao*; Chang, L.-J.*; Ito, Takashi; Nemoto, Yuichi*; Ieda, Junichi

Physical Review Research (Internet), 4(1), p.013245_1 - 013245_7, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013245

Ultrasound injection effect on a magnetic Bragg peak of yttrium iron garnet has been studied by quasielastic neutron scattering. The magnetic Bragg peak is vastly enhanced with decreasing temperature. The energy width increases proportionally to the square root of the sample temperature increase induced by the ultrasound injection. Because the magnetic Bragg peak is enhanced by the lattice vibration, the enhancement is expected to relate to the spin-lattice coupling closely. An observed sharp drop above 100 K in the longitudinal mode suggests the degradation of the spin-lattice coupling. It is consistent with the decline of spin Seebeck effect with increasing temperature above 100 K, proving the degradation mechanism by the spin-lattice coupling.

Proposal of evaluation method of graphite incombustibility

Hamamoto, Shimpei; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Shimazaki, Yosuke; Ono, Masato; Shimizu, Atsushi; Ishitsuka, Etsuo

Proceedings of 2021 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2021) (USB Flash Drive), 6 Pages, 2021/10

Since the HTGR has a large amount of graphite material in the core, it is necessary to assume an accident in which the reactor pressure boundary is damaged and air flows into the core. It is important to state that at the time of this accident, graphite does not burn and the accident does not develop due to the heat of oxidation reaction. Therefore, in this study, in order to evaluate the combustibility of graphite materials, we propose a method to compare the calorific value and heat removal amount of the material. When calculating the calorific value, the structural material of HTTR, a high-temperature gas reactor in Japan, was used as a reference. The amount of air in contact with the structural material is a value determined from the chimney effect. The amount of heat release is the sum of convection and radiation. As a result of comparing the heat generation amount with the heat removal amount, it was shown that the heat release amount was always larger than the heat generation amount. This result shows that the graphite material does not depend on the state at the time of the air inflow accident, the temperature decreases and does not burn. It is important to clearly explain the non-flammability of graphite materials when deciding how to deal with severe accidents in HTGRs. This quantitative evaluation method based on a simple theory is considered useful.

Dimensional reduction by geometrical frustration in a cubic antiferromagnet composed of tetrahedral clusters

Okuma, Ryutaro*; Kofu, Maiko; Asai, Shinichiro*; Avdeev, M.*; Koda, Akihiro*; Okabe, Hirotaka*; Hiraishi, Masatoshi*; Takeshita, Soshi*; Kojima, Kenji*; Kadono, Ryosuke*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 12, p.4382_1 - 4382_7, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24636-1

High temperature gas-cooled reactors

Takeda, Tetsuaki*; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Aihara, Jun; Aoki, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ho, H. Q.; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Imai, Yoshiyuki; et al.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.5, 464 Pages, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/C2018-0-05383-9

As a general overview of the research and development of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) in JAEA, this book describes the achievements by the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) on the designs, key component technologies such as fuel, reactor internals, high temperature components, etc., and operational experience such as rise-to-power tests, high temperature operation at 950C, safety demonstration tests, etc. In addition, based on the knowledge of the HTTR, the development of designs and component technologies such as high performance fuel, helium gas turbine and hydrogen production by IS process for commercial HTGRs are described. These results are very useful for the future development of HTGRs. This book is published as one of a series of technical books on fossil fuel and nuclear energy systems by the Power Energy Systems Division of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Magnetism induced by interlayer electrons in the quasi-two-dimensional electride YC; Inelastic neutron scattering study

Tamatsukuri, Hiromu; Murakami, Yoichi*; Kuramoto, Yoshio*; Sagayama, Hajime*; Matsuura, Masato*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Matsuishi, Satoru*; Washio, Yasuhito*; Inoshita, Takeshi*; Hamada, Noriaki*; et al.

Physical Review B, 102(22), p.224406_1 - 224406_5, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.224406

Competing spin modulations in the magnetically frustrated semimetal EuCuSb

Takahashi, Hidefumi*; Aono, Kai*; Nambu, Yusuke*; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Nomoto, Takuya*; Sakano, Masato*; Ishizaka, Kyoko*; Arita, Ryotaro*; Ishiwata, Shintaro*

Physical Review B, 102(17), p.174425_1 - 174425_6, 2020/11

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.174425

The competing magnetic ground states of the itinerant magnet EuCuSb, which has a hexagonal layered structure, were studied via magnetization, resistivity, and neutron-diffraction measurements on single-crystal samples. EuCuSb has a three-dimensional semimetallic band structure as confirmed by band calculation and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, consistent with the nearly isotropic metallic conductivity in the paramagnetic state. However, below the antiferromagnetic transition temperature of (8.5 K), the resistivity, especially along the hexagonal axis, increases significantly. This implies the emergence of anisotropic magnetic ordering coupled to the conducting electrons. Neutron-diffraction measurements show that the Eu spins, which order ferromagnetically within each layer, are collinearly modulated (up-up-down-down) along the hexagonal axis below , followed by the partial emergence of helical spin modulation below (6 K). Based on the observation of anomalous magnetoresistance with hysteretic behavior, we discuss the competing nature of the ground state inherent in a frustrated Heisenberg-like spin system with a centrosymmetric structure.