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Abstract: Biometals such as iron, copper, potassium, and zinc are essential regulatory elements of several biological processes. The homeostasis of biometals is often affected in age-related pathologies. Notably, impaired iron metabolism has been linked to several neurodegenerative disorders. Autophagy, an intracellular degradative process dependent on the lysosomes, is involved in the regulation of ferritin and iron levels. Impaired autophagy has been associated with normal pathological aging, and neurodegeneration. Non-mammalian model organisms such as Drosophila have proven to be appropriate for the investigation of age-related pathologies. Here, we show that ferritin is expressed in adult Drosophila brain and that iron and holoferritin accumulate with aging. At whole-brain level we found no direct relationship between the accumulation of holoferritin and a deficit in autophagy in aged Drosophila brain. However, synchrotron X-ray spectromicroscopy revealed an additional spectral feature in the iron-richest region of autophagy-deficient fly brains, consistent with iron–sulfur. This potentially arises from iron–sulfur clusters associated with altered mitochondrial iron homeostasis.

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Abstract: It is well established that oxygen fugacity, fO₂ , is one of the key parameters that needs to be quantified in order to understand igneous processes, model the geophysical behaviour of the core and mantle, to understand the exchange of C-O-H-S gases between the atmosphere and the interior of the Earth, and to further our understanding of other terrestrial planets. Despite this it remains one of the most poorly constrained geochemical variables, limiting our understanding of terrestrial systems. Recent work has focused on using accessory minerals for determining magmatic fO₂ , as a probe to constraining conditions in planetary interiors. Accessory minerals are already important petrological tools for providing insight into magmatic conditions. These minerals may concentrate a variety of trace elements, and hence are crucial in understanding the elemental budget of magmas. Accessory minerals such as zircon and apatite are also some of the hardier minerals found in igneous rocks and are, therefore, less likely to be altered by processes such as chemical weathering, metasomatism or crustal anatexis. Furthermore, study of detrital accessory minerals in ancient sedimentary rocks could provide much needed insight into the evolution of the oxidation state of the early Earth. This work aims to assess how the compositions and structures of two accessory minerals, spinel and apatite, respond to variations in magmatic fO₂ and to determine whether these minerals could act as probes of fO₂ in planetary interiors. Focus has been concentrated on the element manganese, as (1) it is a relatively abundant trace element, (2) it can exist in valence states from Mn²⁺ to Mn⁵⁺ in nature, and (3) recent work has suggested that Mn may become preferentially concentrated in apatite under reduced conditions. In an initial investigation, large single crystals of Mn-rich spinel were synthesised under a variety of fO₂ conditions. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and structural refinements of single crystal X-ray diffraction data were used to determine Mn valence state and coordination. Results show that Mn is present in spinel as both Mn²⁺ and Mn³⁺, distributed over both octahedral and tetrahedral cation sites. However, in contrast to the Fe⁺²/Fe³⁺ ratio, little variation in Mn valence as a function of fO₂ was observed. Results were, however, useful in testing and refining protocols for modelling Mn XANES data in a simple, model system. In contrast to results from spinel, previous studies have indicated that Mn valence may change significantly in the accessory mineral apatite due to variations in magmatic fO₂ .

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Abstract: Structural and associated biomechanical gradients within biological tissues are important for tissue functionality and preventing damaging interfacial stress concentrations. Articular cartilage possesses an inhomogeneous structure throughout its thickness, driving the associated variation in the biomechanical strain profile within the tissue under physiological compressive loading. However, little is known experimentally about the nanostructural mechanical role of the collagen fibrils and how this varies with depth. Utilising a high-brilliance synchrotron X-ray source, we have measured the depth-wise nanostructural parameters of the collagen network in terms of the periodic fibrillar banding (D-period) and associated parameters. We show that there is a depth dependent variation in D-period reflecting the pre-strain and concurrent with changes in the level of intrafibrillar order. Further, prolonged static compression leads to fibrillar changes mirroring those caused by removal of extrafibrillar proteoglycans (as may occur in aging or disease). We suggest that fibrillar D-period is a sensitive indicator of localised changes to the mechanical environment at the nanoscale in soft connective tissues.

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Abstract: Here we report the results of multiple analytical techniques on sub-mm particulate material derived from Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to provide a better understanding of the events that occurred and the environmental legacy. Through combined x-ray fluorescence and absorption contrast micro-focused x-ray tomography, entrapped U particulate are observed to exist around the exterior circumference of the highly porous Si-based particle. Further synchrotron radiation analysis of a number of these entrapped particles shows them to exist as UO2—identical to reactor fuel, with confirmation of their nuclear origin shown via mass spectrometry analysis. While unlikely to represent an environmental or health hazard, such assertions would likely change should break-up of the Si-containing bulk particle occur. However, more important to the long-term decommissioning of the reactors at the FDNPP (and environmental clean-upon), is the knowledge that core integrity of reactor Unit 1 was compromised with nuclear material existing outside of the reactors primary containment.

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Abstract: Synchrotron nanoprobe X-ray absorption (XAS) studies of a potent organo-osmium arene anticancer complex in ovarian cancer cells at subcellular resolution allow detection and quantification of both OsII and OsIII species, which are distributed heterogeneously in different areas of the cells.