Search

The effects of a magnetic field longitudinal to the ion beam track on the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in water were investigated. A longitudinal magnetic field was reported to enhance the biological effects of the ion beam. However, the mechanism of the increased cell death by a longitudinal magnetic field has not been clarified. The local density of •OH generation was estimated by a method based on the EPR spin-trapping. A series of reaction mixtures containing varying concentrations (0.76‒2278 mM) of DMPO was irradiated by 16 Gy of carbon- or iron-ion beams at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC, NIRS/QST, Chiba, Japan) with or without a longitudinal magnetic field (0.0, 0.3, or 0.6 T). The DMPO-OH yield in the sample solutions was measured by X-band EPR and plotted versus DMPO density. O2-dependent and O2-independent H2O2 yields were measured. An aliquot of ultra-pure water was irradiated by carbon-ion beams with or without a longitudinal magnetic field. Irradiation experiments were performed under air or hypoxic conditions. H2O2 generation in irradiated water samples was quantified by an EPR spin-trapping, which measures •OH synthesized from H2O2 by UVB irradiation. Relatively sparse •OH generation caused by particle beams in water were not affected by loading a magnetic field on the beam track. O2-dependent H2O2 generation decreased and oxygen-independent H2O2 generation increased after loading a magnetic field parallel to the beam track. Loading a magnetic field to the beam track made •OH generation denser or made dense •OH more reactive.

The NIRS-930 cyclotron supplies several ion beams for basic science and applied research in the fields of nuclear medicine, biology, and physics at the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST). The main ion species used are protons and helium for these experiments. In addition, heavy ions such as carbon and neon are also supplied. These ions are produced by the compact ECR ion source with all permanent magnets (Kei-source). The Kei-source is installed on top of the NIRS-930, and the ions extract from the ion source pass through the low-energy beamline and enter the NIRS-930. In the future, the ion source will be required to produce highly charged ions of various ion species and increase the beam intensity. The Kei-source has not been optimized for the position of the extraction electrode because a sufficient beam current was obtained. In the case of He2+, the transmission efficiency from faraday cup 2 (FC2) and faraday cup 3 (FC3) was about 60%. In this study, the position of the extraction electrode was optimized and the beam transmission efficiency of the low-energy beam transport will be improved by remotely controlling the extraction electrode of Kei-source. The distance of the extraction electrode and the plasma electrode can be change 28- 54 mm. As a result of a beam test with He2+, the transmission efficiency of FC2-FC3 increased to 93% when the distance of extraction electrode and plasma electrode was changed.

Conferring drought resistant traits to crops is one of the major aims of current breeding programs in response to global climate changes. We previously showed that exogenous application of acetic acid to roots of various plants could induce increased survivability under subsequent drought stress conditions, but details of the metabolism of exogenously applied acetic acid, and the nature of signals induced by its application, have not been unveiled. In this study, we show that rice rapidly induces jasmonate signaling upon application of acetic acid, resulting in physiological changes similar to those seen under drought. The major metabolite of the exogenously applied acetic acid in xylem sap was determined as glutamine—a common and abundant component of xylem sap—indicating that acetic acid is not the direct agent inducing the observed physiological responses in shoots. Expression of drought-responsive genes in shoot under subsequent drought conditions was attenuated by acetic acid treatment. These data suggest that acetic acid activates root-to-shoot jasmonate signals that partially overlap with those induced by drought, thereby conferring an acclimated state on shoots prior to subsequent drought.

Carbon-ion radiotherapy using the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) has been conducted on more than 12,000 patients since 1994. We started the heavy-ion radiotherapy with a 3D scanning irradiation system in 2011 and using a superconducting rotating gantry in 2017, at a new treatment research facility in NIRS. We have continued some R&Ds on HIMAC to enhance the treatment quality and to improve the treatment results. From 2016, we have started developments of a compact superconducting rotating gantry and synchrotron to be applied for a newly started project of a “quantum scalpel” that is a next generation of the heavy-ion radiotherapy machine. This paper outlines those R&Ds as well as the present status of HIMAC facility.

Heavy ion radiotherapy with the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) has been carried out more than 13000 patients since 1994. In 2010, a new particle therapy research facility connected to HIMAC was built, and we started heavy-ion radiotherapy using a 3D scanning irradiation system in 2011 and using a superconducting rotating gantry in 2017 at the new facility. In 2016, we began a project of "quantum scalpel", a next-generation heavy-ion radiotherapy machine that applies a compact superconducting synchrotron and rotating gantry currently under development. This paper outlines R&Ds for a new project and current facility as well as the present status of HIMAC.

National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) promotes multiple ion therapies that form LET and dose distribution with ideal relative biological effectiveness in cancer treatment by irradiating several types of ions to the target. We are developing a compact ECR ion source of all permanent magnets that produces four ions (He2+, C4+, O3+, Ne7+) used in multiple ion therapy. We produced four ions with NIRS-HEC in a fixed magnetic field. As a result, it was obtained ion beam with sufficient intensity for multi-ion treatment. At present, there is a request of high energy beams for biological/physical experiments in addition to therapeutic use in heavy ion radiotherapy facilities. Also, considering cost reduction of the injector, it is necessary to produce ions other than carbon in the ion source and to produce an ion beam having a higher charge than that during treatment supply. Therefore, it is confirmed whether the new ion source can be applied to applications other than treatment supply. We performed C4+ and C5+ production tests in a fixed magnetic field with NIRS-HEC. As a result of using two gases and afterglow tuning, it was obtained that sufficient ion beam of 800 μA for C4+ and 500 μA for C5+.

Purpose The purpose is to verify experimentally whether application of magnetic fields longitudinal and perpendicular to a proton beam alters the biological effectiveness of the radiation. Methods and Materials Proton beams with linear energy transfer of 1.1 and 3.3 keV/μm irradiated human cancer and normal cells under a longitudinal (perpendicular) magnetic field of BL (BP) = 0, 0.3, or 0.6 T. Cell survival curves were constructed to evaluate the effects of the magnetic fields on the biological effectiveness. The ratio of dose that would result in a survival fraction of 10% without the magnetic field Dwo to the dose with the magnetic field Dw, R10 = Dwo/Dw, was determined for each cell line and magnetic field. Results For cancer cells exposed to the 1.1- (3.3-) keV/μm proton beams, R10s were increased to 1.10 ± 0.07 (1.11 ± 0.07) and 1.11 ± 0.07 (1.12 ± 0.07) by the longitudinal magnetic fields of BL = 0.3 and 0.6 T, respectively. For normal cells, R10s were increased to 1.13 ± 0.06 (1.17 ± 0.06) and 1.17 ± 0.06 (1.30 ± 0.06) by the BLs. In contrast, R10s were not changed significantly from 1 by the perpendicular magnetic fields of BP = 0.3 and 0.6 T for both cancer and normal cells exposed to 1.1- and 3.3-keV/μm proton beams. Conclusions The biological effectiveness of proton beams was significantly enhanced by longitudinal magnetic fields of BL = 0.3 and 0.6 T, whereas the biological effectiveness was not altered by perpendicular magnetic fields of the same strengths. This enhancement effect should be taken into account in magnetic resonance imaging guided proton therapy with a longitudinal magnetic field.

Background and Purpose The purpose is to verify experimentally whether application of magnetic fields longitudinal and perpendicular to a proton beam alters the biological effectiveness of the radiation. Methods and Materials Proton beams with linear energy transfer (LET) of 1.1 and 3.3 keV/μm were irradiated onto human cancer and normal cells under the longitudinal (perpendicular) magnetic field of BL (BP) = 0, 0.3, or 0.6 T. Cell survival curves were constructed to evaluate the effects of the magnetic fields on the biological effectiveness. The ratio of dose that would result in a survival fraction of 10% without the magnetic field Dwo to the dose with the magnetic field Dw, R10 = Dwo / Dw, was determined for each cell line and magnetic field. Results For cancer cells exposed to the 1.1- (3.3-) keV/μm proton beams, R10s were increased to 1.10±0.07 (1.11±0.07) and 1.11±0.07 (1.12±0.07) by the longitudinal magnetic fields of BL = 0.3 and 0.6 T, respectively. For normal cells, R10s were increased to 1.13±0.06 (1.17±0.06) and 1.17±0.06 (1.30±0.06) by the BLs. In contrast, R10s were not changed significantly from 1 by the perpendicular magnetic fields of BP = 0.3 and 0.6 T for both cancer and normal cells exposed to 1.1- and 3.3-keV/μm proton beams. Conclusions The biological effectiveness of proton beams was significantly enhanced by the longitudinal magnetic fields of BL = 0.3 and 0.6 T, while the biological effectiveness was not altered by the perpendicular magnetic fields of the same strengths. This enhancement effect should be taken into account in MRI guided proton therapy with a longitudinal magnetic field.

Previous studies have revealed application of a magnetic field longitudinal to a carbon-ion beam enhances its biological effectiveness. This communication investigated how timing of the magnetic field application with respect to beam irradiation influenced this effect. Human cancer cells were exposed to carbon-ion beams with linear energy transfer (LET) of 12 and 50 keV/μm. The longitudinal magnetic field of 0.3 T was applied to the cells just before, during, or right after the beam irradiation. The effects of the timing on the biological effectiveness were evaluated by cell survival. The biological effectiveness increased only if the magnetic field was applied during beam irradiation for both LET beams.

A study of multiple-ion therapy with charged heavy-ion beams was performed to improve outcomes of refractory cancer treatments. We proposed the accelerator operation method for applying the multiple-ion therapy, to quickly switch the ion species and energies of the output beams. In this method, the irradiation ion species can be changed only by switching the selected ion source and the injector parameters, and the output beam energies can be varied without changing the magnetic operation patterns of the synchrotron. We verified the effectiveness of our approach by conducting experiments at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) and confirmed that the approach can provide the fast switching of both the ion species and the beam energies. The experimental results also demonstrated that our approach will greatly reduce the commissioning time and the routine adjustments for multiple-ion beams.

Purpose: Our previous study revealed that the application of a magnetic field longitudinal to a carbon-ion beam of 0.1 ≤ B//≤ 0.6 T enhances the biological effectiveness of the radiation. T...

The multi-ion radiotherapy with dose distribution and Liner Energy Transfer optimization is being studied at QST. Helium, carbon, oxygen and neon ions are considered as ion species for multi-ion therapy. A basic experiment using these ion beams has been carried out at the HIMAC. For heavy-ion radiotherapy facility, it is desirable to operate with only one ECR ion source. We considered the operating method with only one ion source for multi-ion radiotherapy. Ionization gases were helium, methane, oxygen, and neon to produce He2+, C4+, O6+ and Ne7+ ions. Requirement values of beam current were 940 µA correspond to He2+, 290 µA to C4+, 330 µA to O6+, and 245 µA to Ne7+, respectively. This value was obtained from the number of particles required for the cancer treatment and the transmission efficiency of the accelerator in the HIMAC. We performed some beam tests for design of a new compact ion source with the existing 18 GHz ECR ion source (NIRS-HEC). From the results of the beam tests, we estimate the mirror magnetic field of NIRS-HEC by using POISSON/SUPERFISH code. Then, the structure of the permanent magnets for new ECR ion source is determined so that they reproduce the values of the upstream mirror peak (Binj), B minimum (Bmin) and the downstream mirror peak (Bext) at the NIRS-HEC. The magnetic field of Binj, Bmin and Bext at NIRS-HEC were 1.14 T, 0.475 T and 0.9 T, respectively. We will describe about the beam tests with the NIRS-HEC and design of the new compact ECR ion source.

Several research and developments have been performed at a compact ECR ion source (Kei3) with a fixed magnetic field at HIMAC. The Kei3 is a testing machine for application of Kei series developed for high-energy carbon-ion radiotherapy. It is difficult for Kei3 to produce ions that are heavier than carbon ion because it uses the same magnetic field distribution as the Kei series. In order to improve the beam current of multiply charged ions such as the neon and the argon, the two microwave frequency heating method was tested in Kei3. Microwaves are introduced from the vacuum box on the upstream side of the plasma chamber through the rectangular waveguide of the WR-90. A traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifier made by NEC (LD79X75A1) is used as the microwave source. The frequency band is 9.75-10.25 GHz and the maximum output power is 750 W. The WR-75 waveguide is also introduced from the upper part of the upstream vacuum box and installed on top of the existing WR-90 waveguide. A TWT amplifier manufactured by Xicom (XTRD-300IJ) was used as a microwave source for the two frequency heating. The frequency band is 10-18 GHz and the maximum output power is 300 W. A beam test with oxygen, neon, and argon was performed in order to confirm the effect of two microwave frequency heating. In this test, we focused on O6+, Ne7+, and Ar9+ ions. We checked the microwave frequency at the XTRD-300IJ, dependence of the microwave power at the LD79X75A1 and charge state distributions of O, Ne and Ar.

2020年度量子医科学研究所 重粒子線がん治療装置等共同利用研究報告書

The effect of a magnetic field loaded parallel to the ion-beam track on the generations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in water was investigated. It was reported that loading magnetic field parallel to the particle beam track exaggerate the biological effects, i.e. cell lethality, of the particle beam. However, the mechanism of the enhanced cell death delivered by a logigudinal magnetic field to the beam track has not been clarified yet. Local density of •OH generation was estimated by a method based on EPR spin-trapping technique. A series of reaction mixtures containing varying concentrations (0.76‒2278 mM) of DMPO was prepared, and transferred to a polyethylene bag for irradiation. Then, the samples were irradiated 16 Gy of carbon- or iron-beam at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC, NIRS/QST, Chiba, Japan) with or without longitudinal magnetic field (0.0, 0.3, or 0.6 T). O2-dependent and O2-independent H2O2 yield was measured. An aliquot of ultra-pure water was irradiated by carbon-ion beam with or without longitudinal magnetic field. Irradiation experiments were performed under air or hypoxic (, 20th Biennial Meeting of SFRR International (SFRR-I 2021)

High-energy carbon-ion radiotherapy is being carried out at Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC). Over 12000 cancer patients have been treated with carbon beams having energies of between 56-430 MeV/u since 1994. There are two injectors in the HIMAC for medical and experimental use. First injector consists of two ECR ion sources and one PIG ion source, the RFQ linac and the DTL. Usually, this injector suppling the carbon ion for cancer therapy and various ion such as H, He, Fe, Xe are accelerated for biological and physical experiment. The 10 GHz NIRS-ECR ion source produce the carbon ion for cancer therapy. The 18 GHz NIRS-HEC ion source produce He to Xe ions for experimental use. Second injector consists of the compact ECR ion source with all permanent magnet, the RFQ linac and the APF IH-DTL. This injector supplies the carbon ion for experimental use. Additionally, we tried production of the Indium and the Tin ions by using the In(C5H5) and the Sn(i-C3H7)4 at the NIRS-HEC. Beam current of the 115In20+ and 120Sn18+ were 90 and 15 microA, respectively., 24th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources

The multi-ion radiotherapy with dose distribution and Liner Energy Transfer optimization is being studied at QST. Helium, carbon, oxygen and neon ions are considered as ion species for multi-ion therapy. A basic experiment using these ion beams has been carried out at the HIMAC. For heavy-ion radiotherapy facility, it is desirable to operate with only one ECR ion source with permanent magnets from the viewpoint of cost and maintenance. We considered the operating method with only one ion source for multi-ion radiotherapy. Ionization gases were helium, methane, oxygen, and neon to produce He2+, C4+, O6+ and Ne7+ ions. Requirement values of beam current were 940 μA correspond to He2+, 290 μA to C4+, 330 μA to O6+, and 245 μA to Ne7+, respectively. This value was obtained from the number of particles required for the cancer treatment and the transmission efficiency of the accelerator in the HIMAC. We performed some beam tests for design of a new compact ion source with the existing 18 GHz ECR ion source (NIRS-HEC). From the results of the beam tests, we estimate the mirror magnetic field of NIRS-HEC by using POISSON/SUPERFISH code. Then, the structure of the permanent magnets for new ECR ion source is determined so that they reproduce the values of the upstream mirror peak (Binj), B minimum (Bmin) and the downstream mirror peak (Bext) at the NIRS-HEC. The magnetic field of Binj, Bmin and Bext at NIRS-HEC were 1.14 T, 0.475 T and 0.9 T, respectively.

Several research and developments have been performed at a compact ECR ion source (Kei3) with a fixed magnetic field at HIMAC. The Kei3 is a testing machine for application of Kei series developed for high-energy carbon-ion radiotherapy. It is difficult for Kei3 to produce ions that are heavier than carbon ion because it uses the same magnetic field distribution as the Kei series. In order to improve the beam current of multiply charged ions such as neon and argon, the two-microwave-frequency heating method was tested in the Kei3. Microwaves are introduced into the plasma chamber with a WR-90 rectangular waveguide. A traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifier made by the NEC (LD79X75A1) is used as the microwave source. The frequency band is 9.75-10.25 GHz and the maximum output power is 750 W. The WR-75 waveguide is also introduced from the upper part of the upstream vacuum chamber and installed on top of the existing the WR-90 waveguide. A TWT amplifier manufactured by the Xicom (XTRD-300IJ) was used as a microwave source for the two-microwave-frequency heating. The frequency band is 10-18 GHz and the maximum output power is 300 W. A beam test with oxygen, neon, and argon was performed in order to confirm the effect of two microwave frequency heating. In this test, we focused on O6+, Ne7+, and Ar9+ ions. We measured the dependence of the XTRD-300IJ microwave frequency and the microwave power of the LD79X75A1 on a charge state distributions.

Radiotherapy using high-energy carbon beams from the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba has been carried out at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) since June 1994, and more than 10 000 patients have been treated to date. With the prospective clinical results for the first ten years, we designed a compact accelerator facility for carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT), and performed related Research and Development (RD two of them have both horizontal and vertical fixed-irradiation-ports, and the other is a rotating-gantry port. For all ports, fast three-dimensional raster-scanning irradiation technology is employed. The rotating gantry equips ten combined-function superconducting magnets, and can deliver carbon ions having the energy of between E = 430 and 50 MeV/ u to an isocenter with irradiation angles of over ±180°. Construction as well as installation of the superconducting gantry was completed by the end of September 2015, and treatments using the gantry began since May 2015. Presently, we are further designing a next-generation compact facility as a future project; superconducting and laser technologies are to be used for accelerator design. In this paper, we report development of carbon-ion accelerator facilities as well as the future project.

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences has investigated multiple-ion therapy using energetic beams of helium, carbon, oxygen, and neon ions, to improve treatment outcomes of refractory cancer. For this therapy, it is necessary to ensure the helium-ion beam purity to avoid irradiation by unwanted ions. Here, we develop a measurement method for monitoring beam purity. This method can measure the charge number of the ions in a high-purity beam using an ionization chamber and Faraday cup. In addition, it can be used to detect the contamination of the clinical helium-ion beam. We perform beam experiments to evaluate our beam-purity monitoring method and predict that our method is capable of detecting contamination below 1%.

We here report the production of highly spherical protein nanoparticles based on the domain-swapping oligomerization of a circularly permuted trimeric protein, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II associated chaperonin. The size distribution of the nanoparticles can be adjusted to between 40 and 100 nm in diameter, and thus, these particles are suitable as drug carriers following purification under basic conditions. Our approach involves no harsh treatments and could provide an alternative approach for protein nanoparticle formation.

A new compact electron-beam ion source (EBIS) with a low-energy hollow electron beam has been designed to produce ions for use in heavy-ion therapy. Numerical analyses of the electron beam using the three-dimensional particle-in-cell method determine the appropriate shape of the inner electrodes to realize a compact size and a sufficient number of confined ions for heavy-ion therapy. The analyses also show that the undesirable instability of the hollow electron beam is mitigated by the reflection mode with an electron repeller. Experimental tests were performed on the assembled EBIS to assess the validity of its design. The results of an electron-beam test show that the electrodes have been designed appropriately. Additionally, the results of an ion-beam test show that ions can be produced and confined in the newly developed compact EBIS and the number of extracted ions is just shy of the target value, showing the prospects of modifications aimed at realizing a compact EBIS specialized for the production of ions used in heavy-ion therapy.

Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRISs) are widely used for many practical purposes. We are aiming at synthesizing iron-endohedral fullerene by collision reaction in vapor phase on an ECRIS. We have already succeeded in producing multiply charged fullerene ions by using fullerene evaporator in the ECRIS. In the collision reaction method for fullerene ions and iron ions, other impurities ions must be reduced. In this paper we describe the experimental results that the impurities in ion beams were decreased by using the gettering effect of Ti evaporation. We also investigated the dependence of fullerene ion beam currents on He, Ar, and Xe gas pressures. We are planning to conduct experiments to synthesize iron-endohedral fullerene with these gasses using in the ECR plasma.

An ion source on the basis of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma has been constructed for producing wide-range mass/charge (m/q) ion beams in Osaka Univ. It is considered to be suitable for synthesizing new molecules using a wide operating range. We have already produced and extracted multicharged fullerenes and their compound ion beams with gaseous material, i.e. nitrogen and argon from the second stage using pure C 60 vapor source. We are planning to produce endohedral fullerenes in the ECR ion source (ECRIS) plasma. We describe initial experimental results on producing and optimizing for coexistence of iron and fullerene ions in the ECRIS in order to produce metal endohedral fullerenes, e.g. iron endohedral fullerenes.

Endohedral Fullerene is expected to be utilized for such application as quantum computing or magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, because it has various material characteristics. It is confirmed that multiply charged fullerene ion beams have been produced on the electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) at Osaka Univ. However, it is difficult to identify multiply charged fullerene ions because their spectrums overlap single charged dissociated-fullerene ions. Therefore, production of multiply charged fullerene ions can be confirmed by identifying non-overlapped fullerene ions spectrums. The aim of this paper is to product and identify multiply charged fullerene ions in the ECRIS. As a result, multiply charged fullerene ions have been clearly isolated from dissociated ones and then identified them. Furthermore, we report the result of identifying nitrogen-fullerene compounds produced in the ECRIS.

A prototype compact electron cyclotron resonance ion source with all permanent magnets named Kei3 and based on Kei2, has been developed to produce various ions. Kei3 has an outer diameter of 280 mm and a length of 1120 mm. The magnetic field is formed by the same permanent magnet as Kei2. We investigated the basic performance of the Kei3 source at a previous experiment. The maximum beam current of C4+, N5+, O6+ and Ne7+ were 565 µA, 185 µA, 99 µA and 50.5 µA, respectively. In order to increase the beam current of heavy ions, such as argon, we modified the microwave injection. The rf shield in the plasma chamber was used as a tuner of microwaves. The rf shield was installed at the position of a mirror peak of the injection side, and it can be moved 30 mm to an upstream side from there. As a result, we found optimal position of the rf shield for the production of Ar ions.

The National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) manages various types of ion sources for research and development in the fields of life sciences, medical and industrial applications, and fusion energy science. The QST is currently developing on electron cyclotron resonance ion sources, negative ion sources (ion sources for fusion and for tandem accelerators), ion sources for radioactive beams, laser ion sources, and miscellaneous ion sources. Its intra- and inter-institutional collaborations make QST a promising platform for future ion source technologies.

A compact accelerator for high energy carbon-ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) has been studied at Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) of National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) since 2004. Compact accelerators have already been used for treatments at several C-ion RT facilities. The Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) with all permanent magnets (Kei series) [1] is used at these facilities. The Kei series has a magnetic field structure optimized for the production of C4+ ions. The operating cost can be further reduced by using an ion source optimized for C5+ production. Therefore, we have designed a new compact ECRIS with all permanent magnets to produce C5+ ions. At first, we aimed to determine the optimum mirror magnetic field for the production of a sufficient number of C5+ ions by using the NIRS-HEC [2] ion source. Experiments were performed to measure the beam currents of C5+ ions with various mirror magnetic fields, microwave power and frequency. As a result, we confirmed that the beam currents of C5+ ions could be achieved to more than 0.3mA with the coil currents of the electromagnets being optimized. Based on the parameters obtained from the test results this time, we will design a new ion source.A compact accelerator for high energy carbon-ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) has been studied at Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) of National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) since 2004. Compact accelerators have already been used for treatments at several C-ion RT facilities. The Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) with all permanent magnets (Kei series) [1] is used at these facilities. The Kei series has a magnetic field structure optimized for the production of C4+ ions. The operating cost can be further reduced by using an ion source optimized for C5+ production. Therefore, we have designed a new compact ECRIS with all permanent magnets to produce C5+ ions. At first, we aimed to determine the optimum mirror magnetic field for the production of a sufficient number of C5+ ions by using the NIRS-HEC [2] ion source. Experiments were performed to measure the beam currents of C5+ ions with various mirror magnetic fields, microwave power and frequency. As a result, we confirmed...

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences has investigated multiple-ion therapy using energetic beams of helium, carbon, oxygen, and neon ions, to improve treatment outcomes of refractory cancer. For this therapy, it is necessary to ensure the helium-ion beam purity to avoid irradiation by unwanted ions. Here, we develop a measurement method for monitoring beam purity. This method can measure the charge number of the ions in a high-purity beam using an ionization chamber and Faraday cup. In addition, it can be used to detect the contamination of the clinical helium-ion beam. We perform beam experiments to evaluate our beam-purity monitoring method and predict that our method is capable of detecting contamination below 1%.

Previously reported studies have revealed that the application of a magnetic field longitudinal to a carbon-ion beam enhances its biological effectiveness. Here we investigated how timing of the magnetic field application with respect to beam irradiation influenced this effect. Human cancer cells were exposed to carbon-ion beams with linear energy transfer (LET) of 12 and 50 keV/µm. The longitudinal magnetic field of 0.3 T was applied to the cells just before, during or immediately after the beam irradiation. The effects of the timing on the biological effectiveness were evaluated by cell survival. The biological effectiveness increased only if the magnetic field was applied during beam irradiation for both LETs.

In order to synthesize the Fe@C60 complex, iron ion beam irradiated to C60 thin films. The energy of the irradiated iron ions was controlled from 50 eV to 250 eV. The dose of that was controlled from 6.67 × 1012 to 6.67 × 1014 ions/cm2. By the analysis of the surface of the iron ion irradiated C60 thin films using laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we could confirm the peak with mass/charge of 776. The mass/charge of 776 corresponds to Fe + C60. We obtained the maximum intensity of the peak with mass/charge of 776 under the irradiation iron ion energy and the dose were 50 eV and 3.30 × 1013 ions/cm2, respectively. Then, the separation of the material with mass of 776 was performed by using high performance liquid chromatography. We could separate the Fe + C60 from the iron ion irradiated C60 thin film. As a result, we could synthesize the Fe + C60 complex as a new material.

Because environmental stress can reduce crop growth and yield, the identification of genes that enhance agronomic traits is increasingly important. Previous screening of full-length cDNA overexpressing (FOX) rice lines revealed that OsTIFY11b, one of 20 TIFY proteins in rice, affects plant size, grain weight, and grain size. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of OsTIFY11b and nine other TIFY genes on the growth and yield of corresponding TIFY-FOX lines. Regardless of temperature, grain weight and culm length were enhanced in lines overexpressing TIFY11 subfamily genes, except OsTIFY11e. The TIFY-FOX plants exhibited increased floret number and reduced days to flowering, as well as reduced spikelet fertility, and OsTIFY10b, in particular, enhanced grain yield by minimizing decreases in fertility. We suggest that the enhanced growth of TIFY-transgenic rice is related to regulation of the jasmonate signaling pathway, as in Arabidopsis. Moreover, we discuss the potential application of TIFY overexpression for improving crop yield.

Multicharged metal ion beams are applied in various fields. We are planning synthesis of iron-endohedral fullerene by collision reaction in vapor phase in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma. We have already succeeded in producing multicharged fullerene ions by using fullerene evaporator in ECR ion source (ECRIS). In a vapor phase synthesis, pure iron vapor is required. However, it is difficult to produce and introduce pure iron vapor into the ECRIS, therefore it is key technology for synthesizing iron-endohedral fullerene. We developed pure iron evaporators by ohmic heating method, and produced iron ion beam in the first stage of the tandem-type ECRIS. The aim of this paper is to investigate properties of new evaporators and to compare with previous researches. As a result, we have succeeded in producing large vapor flux and iron ion beam than the previous researches. We are planning synthesizing iron-endohedral fullerene on the tandem-type ECRIS by using these evaporators.

Photosynthetic organisms have evolved various acclimatory responses to high-light (HL) conditions to maintain a balance between energy supply (light harvesting and electron transport) and consumption (cellular metabolism) and to protect the photosynthetic apparatus from photodamage. The molecular mechanism of HL acclimation has been extensively studied in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Whole genome DNA microarray analyses have revealed that the change in gene expression profile under HL is closely correlated with subsequent acclimatory responses such as (1) acceleration in the rate of photosystem II turnover, (2) downregulation of light harvesting capacity, (3) development of a protection mechanism for the photosystems against excess light energy, (4) upregulation of general protection mechanism components, and (5) regulation of carbon and nitrogen assimilation. In this review article, we survey recent progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these acclimatory responses in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We also briefly describe attempts to understand HL acclimation in various cyanobacterial species in their natural environments.

For systematic and genome-wide analyses of rice gene functions, we took advantage of the full-length cDNA overexpresser (FOX) gene-hunting system and generated >12 000 independent FOX-rice lines from >25 000 rice calli treated with the rice-FOX Agrobacterium library. We found two FOX-rice lines generating green calli on a callus-inducing medium containing 2,4-D, on which wild-type rice calli became ivory yellow. In both lines, OsGLK1 cDNA encoding a GARP transcription factor was ectopically overexpressed. Using rice expression-microarray and northern blot analyses, we found that a large number of nucleus-encoded genes involved in chloroplast functions were highly expressed and transcripts of plastid-encoded genes, psaA, psbA and rbcL, increased in the OsGLK1-FOX calli. Transmission electron microscopy showed the existence of differentiated chloroplasts with grana stacks in OsGLK1-FOX calli cells. However, in darkness, OsGLK1-FOX calli did not show a green color or develop grana stacks. Furthermore, we found developed chloroplasts in vascular bundle and bundle sheath cells of coleoptiles and leaves from OsGLK1-FOX seedlings. The OsGLK1-FOX calli exhibited high photosynthetic activity and were able to grow on sucrose-depleted media, indicating that developed chloroplasts in OsGLK1-FOX rice calli are functional and active. We also observed that the endogenous OsGLK1 mRNA level increased synchronously with the greening of wild-type calli after transfer to plantlet regeneration medium. These results strongly suggest that OsGLK1 regulates chloroplast development under the control of light and phytohormones, and that it is a key regulator of chloroplast development.

Downregulation of photosystem I (PSI) content is an essential process for cyanobacteria to grow under high-light (HL) conditions. In a pmgA (sll 968) mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the levels of PSI content, chlorophyll and transcripts of the psaAB genes encoding reaction-centre subunits of PSI could not be maintained low during HL incubation, although the causal relationship among these phenotypes remains unknown. In this study, we modulated the activity of psaAB transcription or that of chlorophyll synthesis to estimate their contribution to the regulation of PSI content under HL conditions. Analysis of the psaAB-OX strain, in which the psaAB genes were overexpressed under HL conditions, revealed that the amount of psaAB transcript could not affect PSI content by itself. Suppression of chlorophyll synthesis by an inhibitor, laevulinic acid, in the pmgA mutant revealed that chlorophyll availability could be a determinant of PSI content under HL. It was also suggested that chlorophyll content under HL conditions is mainly regulated at the level of 5-aminolaevulinic acid synthesis. We conclude that, upon the shift to HL conditions, activities of psaAB transcription and of 5-aminolaevulinic acid synthesis are strictly downregulated by regulatory mechanism(s) independent of PmgA during the first 6 h, and then a PmgA-mediated regulatory mechanism becomes active after 6 h onward of HL incubation to maintain these activities at a low level., This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in MICROBIOLOGY-SGM following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version American Society for Microbiology, MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 155 (2009), 989-996; DOI 10.1099/mic.0.024018-0 online at: http://mic.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/155/3/989

An electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) has been developed for a synthesis of endohedral metallofullerenes. The ECRIS has a traditional minimum-B magnetic field and an 8-10 GHz traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifier as a microwave source. C60 plasmas have been generated at the first experiment. Many broken fullerenes C58 and C56 are observed in fullerene ion beams. We investigated the fullerene ion beams against pressures in the ion source. From the results, these fullerene ion currents increase as the decrease of the pressure and the maximum current is 0.81 μA of C602+.

Heavy-ion therapy is one of the important methods for the cancer treatment. More than 3400 patients were treated between 1994 and 2007 at Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC). For the promotion of carbon-ion therapy, a compact carbon-therapy facility was developed. The size of the new facility is three times smaller, while the accelerator can supply the beams similar to those used at HIMAC. The new irradiation system was developed in order to obtain a precise dose distribution for moving and/or deforming organs.

A compact injector for a heavy-ion medical-accelerator complex was developed. It consists of an electron-cyclotron-resonance ion-source (ECRIS) and two linacs, which are a radio-frequency-quadrupole (RFQ) linac and an Interdigital H-mode drift-tube-linac (IH-DTL). Beam acceleration tests of the compact injector were performed, and the designed beam quality was verified by the measured results, as reported earlier. Because the method of alternating-phase-focusing (APF) was used for beam focusing of the IH-DTL, the motion of beam ions would be sensitive to gap-voltage errors, caused during tuning of the gap-voltage distribution and by automatic-frequency tuning in actual operation. To study the effects of voltage errors to beam quality, further measurements were performed during acceleration tests. In this report, the effects of voltage errors for the APF IH-DTL are discussed.

The plasma potential and its distribution play an important role in the highly-charged ion production and it is an important parameter of the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma. Emitting probes have been successfully used to determine plasma potential distributions in many plasma machines. In the framework of the ATOMKI–ECRIS plasma diagnostics research project, plasma-induced emitting probe was developed. It was proved that in certain conditions such probes could be reliably used without being damaged and without disturbing the plasma. Important observations were made related to the biased-disc effect. In favor of establishing the method of emitting probe usage in ECR plasma, dedicated experiments were performed at the NIRS–Kei2 all permanent compact ECR ion source. Based on the experiences gained after the NIRS experiments, the ATOMKI plasma-induced probe measurements could be interpreted. It was shown that biasing the Disc electrode negatively with respect to the source potential, the plasma potential measured on the resonant zone decreased, while the well-known ion beam current increase was obtained. This result proves the previous assumption [K.E. Stiebing, O. Hohn, S. Runkel, L. Schmidt, H. Schmidt-Bocking, V. Mironov, G. Shirkov, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 2 (1999) 123501], that the biased-disc changes the plasma potential distribution creating favorable conditions for ion beam extraction.

Multicharged metal ion beams are required to be applied in a wide range of fields. We aim at synthesizing iron-endohedral fullerene by transporting iron ion beams from the first stage into the fullerene plasma in the second stage of the tandem-type electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS). We developed new evaporators by using a direct ohmic heating method and a radiation heating method from solid state pure metal materials. We investigate their properties in the test chamber and produce iron ions on the first stage of the tandem-type ECRIS. As a result, we were successful in extracting Fe(+) ion beams from the first stage and introducing Fe(+) ion beams to the second stage. We will try synthesizing iron-endohedral fullerene on the tandem-type ECRIS by using these evaporators.