Thermal neutron flux evaluation by a single crystal CVD diamond detector in LHD deuterium experiment

The single crystal CVD diamond detector (SDD) was installed in the torus hall of the Large Helical Device (LHD) to measure neutrons with high time resolution and neutron energy resolution. The LiF foil with 95.62 % of 6Li isotope enrichment pasted on the detector was used as the thermal neutron convertor as the energetic ions of 2.0 MeV alpha and 2.7 MeV triton particles generated in LiF foil and deposited the energy into SDD. SDD were exposed to the neutron field in the torus hall of the LHD during the 2nd campaign of the deuterium experiment. The total pulse height in SDD was linearly propotional to the neutron yield in a plasma operation in LHD over 4 orders of magnitude. The energetic alpha and triton were separately measured by SDD with LiF with the thickness of 1.9 μm, although SDD with LiF with the thickness of 350 μm showed a broadened peak due to the large energy loss of energetic particles generated in the bulk of LiF. The modeling with MCNP and PHITS codes well interpreted the pulse height spectra for SDD with LiF with different thicknesses. The results above demonstrated the sufficient time resolution and energy discrimination of SDD used in this work

In Vitro Studies to Define the Cell-Surface and Intracellular Targets of Polyarginine-Conjugated Sodium Borocaptate as a Potential Delivery Agent for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) requires pharmaceutical innovations and molecular-based evidence of effectiveness to become a standard cancer therapeutic in the future. Recently, in Japan, 4-borono-L-phenylalanine (BPA) was approved as a boron agent for BNCT against head and neck (H&N) cancers. H&N cancer appears to be a suitable target for BPA-BNCT, because the expression levels of L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), one of the amino acid transporters responsible for BPA uptake, are elevated in most cases of H&N cancer. However, in other types of cancer including malignant brain tumors, LAT1 is not always highly expressed. To expand the possibility of BNCT for these cases, we previously developed poly-arginine peptide (polyR)-conjugated mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH). PolyR confers the cell membrane permeability and tumor selectivity of BSH. However, the molecular determinants for the properties are not fully understood. In this present study, we have identified the cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) protein and translational machinery proteins as a major cell surface target and intracellular targets of BSH-polyR, respectively. CD44, also known as a stem cell-associated maker in various types of cancer, is required for the cellular uptake of polyR-conjugated molecules. We showed that BSH-polyR was predominantly delivered to a CD44(High) cell population of cancer cells. Once delivered, BSH-polyR interacted with the translational machinery components, including the initiation factors, termination factors, and poly(A)-biding protein (PABP). As a proof of principle, we performed BSH-polyR-based BNCT against glioma stem-like cells and revealed that BSH-polyR successfully induced BNCT-dependent cell death specifically in CD44(High) cells. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that BSH-polyR would be suitable for certain types of malignant tumors. Our results shed light on the biochemical properties of BSH-polyR, which may further contribute to the therapeutic optimization of BSH-BNCT in the future

First measurements of thermal neutron distribution in the LHD torus hall generated by deuterium experiments

For the estimation of the neutron field generated by deuterium plasma operation in the Large Helical Device (LHD), the first measurement of the thermal neutron distribution on the floor level of the LHD torus hall was carried out. For the thermal neutron detection, indium was used as activation foils. The radioactivity of these foils were evaluated by a high-purity germanium detector (HPGe) and an imaging plate (IP). The major components of radioactive isotope of indium was 116mIn. The mapping of thermal neutron distribution in the torus hall was performed. The interactions between neutron and components around LHD were observed in the thermal neutron distribution. Also, the borated polyethylene blocks effectively absorbed the thermal neutron. The thermal neutron distribution evaluated in this work can be helpful to predict the amount of radioactive waste in the torus hall proceeding with deuterium experiment in LHD

Benchmark Calculation of d-Li Thick Target Neutron Yield by JENDL/DEU-2020 for IFMIF and Similar Facilities

An accelerator-based neutron source using d-Li reactions is one of the most promising neutron sources for fusion material irradiation facilities such as IFMIF, where 40 MeV deuterons bombard a liquid lithium target. The neutron yield estimation including angular neutron spectra is one of the most important issues in the design of such irradiation facilities. Recently, JAEA released deuteron nuclear data of JENDL/DEU-2020 in ACE format file for Monte Carlo codes such as MCNP, and in Frag-Data format for the PHITS code. We carry out thebenchmark calculations of d-Li neutron yield by using PHITS with Frag-Data, MCNP with JENDL/DEU-2020, and MCNP/PHITS with built-in nuclear reaction models. Those calculation results are compared with experimental data. It is confirmed that PHITS with Frag Data and MCNP with JENDL/DEU-2020 reproduce well the experimental data. Those are useful for the neutron yield estimation and also the irradiation field characterization of IFMIF and similar facilities

Neutron yield calculation of thin and thick d-D targets by using PHITS with frag data table

The D(d, n)3He reaction is one of the common monoenergetic neutron sources. We compile the Frag Data table of D(d, n)3He reaction from the literature as an external cross-section data for PHITS. We confirm the validity of the Frag Data table by the calculation of the total and angular neutron yield calculations for an ideal deuterium thin target. Finally, PHITS with the Frag Data table is applied to the angular neutron yield and spectrum calculations of the gas target and the deuterium-loaded titanium target of the Tohoku University Fast Neutron Laboratory

Basic evaluation of the Eu:BaFBr and Ce:CaF2 hybrid type optical fiber based dosimeter system for correction of quenching effect under carbon ion irradiation

We fabricated the hybrid type optical fiber based dosimeter system using Eu:BaFBr and Ce:CaF2 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) materials in order to correct the quenching effect under high LET particle irradiation. The fabricated dosimeter probe can obtain signals from both OSL materials through one optical fiber. We investigated the probe response by irradiating it with mono-energetic carbon ions and broad-spectrum ones making the spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP). We demonstrated that the SOBP shape can be improved by correction of the quenching effect using the relationship between the luminescence efficiency and the signal intensity ratio of both OSL materials

Design of Neutron Spectrum-Shaping Assembly Around the Pneumatic Tube-End in the LHD Torus Hall for the Medical Research Application

The designs of neutron spectrum-shaping assembly (NSSA) composed with various shielding materials with natural isotopic abundance were evaluated to construct the neutron field dominated with thermal neutron or epi-thermal neutron for the application of neutron filed in the torus hall of LHD toward the BNCT research. According to the neutron transport calculation by MCNP6, the fast neutron moderation efficiency was higher in polyethylene (PE) compared to lithium fluoride (LiF) and magnesium fluoride (MF), although LiF showed relatively large epi-thermal and thermal neutron absorption. This comparison showed that the thermal neutron field can be effectively achieved with using PE. For constructing the NSSA which can provide the neutron field dominated with epi-thermal neutron, several NSSA designs were evaluated with respect to fast neutron flux, epi-thermal neutron flux, and gamma-ray dose. The combination of MF, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) can provide the good epi-thermal neutron field with the mitigations of fast neutron flux and gamma-ray dose, which is also suitable for BNCT research in the torus hall of LHD

Observation of neutron emission anisotropy by neutron activation measurement in beam-injected LHD deuterium plasmas

Neutron emission anisotropy caused by neutral beam injection was observed by the neutronactivation measurement in deuterium plasmas confined in the Large Helical Device. Theshot-integrated fast neutron flux was measured by the irradiation of activation foils at twoirradiation ends located at different ports. The ratio of the flux at the outside horizontal port tothat at the lower port was used as an index of neutron emission anisotropy. The dependence ofthe ratio on the direction of the neutral beam injection was confirmed by comparing cases oftangential, perpendicular and both tangential and perpendicular neutral beam injections.Neutron emission anisotropy was numerically evaluated assuming these three cases of neutralbeam injection. The analysis of neutron emission anisotropy comprises the evaluation of thevelocity distribution function of energetic deuterons following guiding-centre orbits, calculationof the double-differential emission spectrum of neutrons produced by the D(d, n)3He reactionand neutron transport calculation. The obtained numerical results are qualitatively consistent inthe dependence of neutron emission anisotropy on the neutral-beam-injection direction with theobserved experimental data