Single,double, and multiple double strand breaks induced in DNA by 3-100 eV electrons

Nonthermal secondary electrons with initial kinetic energies below 100 eV are an abundant transient species created in irradiated cells and thermalize within picoseconds through successive multiple energy loss events. Here we show that below 15 eV such low-energy electrons induce single (SSB) and double (DSB) strand breaks in plasmid DNA exclusively via formation and decay of molecular resonances involving DNA components (base, sugar, hydration water, etc.). Furthermore, the strand break quantum yields (per incident electron) due to resonances occur with intensities similar to those that appear between 25 and 100 eV electron energy, where nonresonant mechanisms related to excitation/ionizations/dissociations are shown to dominate the yields, although with some contribution from multiple scattering electron energy loss events. We also present the first measurements of the electron energy dependence of multiple double strand breaks (MDSB) induced in DNA by electrons with energies below 100 eV. Unlike the SSB and DSB yields, which remain relatively constant above 25 eV, the MDSB yields show a strong monotonic increase above 30 eV, however with intensities at least 1 order of magnitude smaller than the combined SSB and DSB yields. The observation of MDSB above 30 eV is attributed to strand break clusters (nano-tracks) involving multiple successive interactions of one single electron at sites that are distant in primary sequence along the DNA double strand, but are in close contact; such regions exist in supercoiled DNA (as well as cellular DNA) where the double helix crosses itself or is in close proximity to another part of the same DNA molecule.     

Coordination networks with flexible ligands based on silver(I) salts: complexes of 1,3-bis(phenylthio)propane with silver(I) salts of PF6-, CF3COO-, CF3CF2COO-, CF3CF2)CF2COO-, p-TsO-, and CF3SO3-

The synthesis and characterization of nine coordination networks based on 1,3-bis(phenylthio)propane, L(3), and silver(I) salts of PF(6)(-) (1), CF(3)COO(-) (2), CF(3)CF(2)COO(-) (3), CF(3)CF(2)CF(2)COO(-) (4), p-TsO(-) (5, 6), and CF(3)SO(3)(-) (7-9) are reported. Only 1 and other "isostructural" complexes with weakly coordinating anions such as ClO(4)(-) and SbF(6)(-) are of the host-guest type. In all the other complexes, the anions and the acetone molecules, when present, are coordinated to the metal. Most of the complexes studied here form a 2D-coordination network. Only 4 and 5 adopt a polymer-like chain structure. The packing of the chains of 4 is pseudohexagonal compact, while that of 5 is of the centered type. In complex 1, the silver atom is tetrahedrally coordinated to the sulfur atoms of four different ligands. The PF(6)(-) anions and acetone molecules, sandwiched between silver-ligand cationic sheets, are held through van der Waals interactions. In each of the three perfluorocarboxylates (2-4), two silver atoms are joined by the anions in a diatomic bridging mode. The Ag...Ag distances are sufficiently short to indicate weak metal...metal interactions. The dimeric units in 2 and 3 are interconnected through the ligands, thereby generating a 2D-network of neutral sheets, while, in 4, the dimeric units are bound to four ligands and a 1D-coordination polymer is generated. In the case of the sulfonate anions (p-TsO(-) and CF(3)SO(3)(-)), the crystallization solvent influences the structure adopted. Thus, in 5, 7, and 9 obtained from petroleum ether, or other nonpolar solvents, two silver atoms are bound in a double-bridge fashion, while a monobridge mode is noted for 6 and 8, both recrystallized from diethyl ether. In 8, both bridging types are observed. The thermogravimetric investigation, in the room temperature-450 degrees C interval, of complexes 1, 3, and 7, which incorporate acetone molecules in their crystal structures, reveals a two-step weight loss for 1 (the acetone molecules are lost first followed by the ligands, leaving behind the silver salt), while complexes 3 and 7 decompose in a single step to metallic silver.     

Asymmetric synthesis of beta-amino esters by aza-Michael reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides using (S,S)-(+)-pseudoephedrine as chiral auxiliary

Chiral nonracemic beta-amino esters were prepared in good yields and enantioselectivities using the diastereoselective conjugate addition of nitrogen nucleophiles to alpha,beta-unsaturated amides derived from (S,S)-(+)-pseudoephedrine as the key step. In this way, several beta-amino amide adducts were prepared using different conjugate acceptors and two different lithium benzylamides as nucleophiles. These adducts were easily converted in only one step, into the final, highly enantioenriched beta-amino esters     

Energy barrier distributions in magnetic systems from the Tln(t/τ0) scaling

A method based in the Tln(t/τ₀) scaling is proposed to obtain the energy barrier distribution of a randomly oriented assembly of magnetic entities. It essentially consists on performing the logarithmic time derivative of the master relaxation curve. The method has been applied to two small particle systems and the obtained distributions are in good agreement with the ones used to fit the master curves to the magnetization decay of a system following the Arrhenius law. The effect of the specific shape of the distribution functions on the low temperature behaviour of the relaxation rate and the possibility to erroneously attribute this behaviour to non-thermal processes is also discussed.     

Unimolecular reactivity of strong metal-cation complexes in the gas phase: ethylenediamine-Cu(+)

The gas-phase reactions between ethylenediamine (en) and Cu(+) have been investigated by means of mass spectrometry techniques. The MIKE spectrum reveals that the adduct ions [Cu(+)(H(2)NCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))] spontaneously decompose by loosing H(2), NH(3) and HCu, the loss of hydrogen being clearly dominant. The spectra of the fully C-deuterated species show the loss of HD, NH(3) and CuD but no losses of H(2), D(2), NH(2)D, NHD(2), ND(3) or CuH are observed. This clearly excludes hydrogen exchange between the methylene and the amino groups as possible mechanisms for the loss of ammonia. Conversely, methylene hydrogen atoms are clearly involved in the loss of molecular hydrogen. The structures and bonding characteristics of the Cu(+)(en) complexes as well as the different stationary points of the corresponding potential energy surface (PES) have been theoretically studied by DFT calculations carried out at B3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. Based on the topology of this PES the most plausible mechanisms for the aforementioned unimolecular fragmentations are proposed. Our theoretical estimates indicate that Cu(+) strongly binds to en, by forming a chelated structure in which Cu(+) is bridging between both amino groups. The binding energy is quite high (84 kcal mol(-1)), but also the products of the unimolecular decomposition of Cu(+)(en) complexes are strongly bound Cu(+)-complexes.     

Hölder stability estimates for some inverse pointwise source problems

In this Note we establish a Hölder stability estimate for an inverse pointwise source elliptic problem.     

Pressure-induced order transition in nanodot-forming diblock copolymers at the air/water interface

Understanding and controlling the processes in block copolymer (BC) monolayers at the air/water interface during surface area compression is a key issue for producing ultrathin films of predetermined morphology with well-defined order and known dimensions. Langmuir isotherms of nanodot-forming BC monolayers generally display a plateau indicative of a 2D phase transition, which has been the subject of various interpretations in the literature. Here, based on investigations of Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer nanodot films of PS-P4VP mixed with 3-n-pentadecylphenol (PDP), we show by atomic force microscopy (AFM) that it involves a change in nanodot packing order (from quasi-hexagonal to quasi-square), argued to be a general phenomenon for nanodot BC monolayers. It is accompanied by system-specific conformational changes (as discussed in previous literature), which, in the present case, implicate PDP alkyl chain ordering, as deduced previously from in situ infrared data and indirectly supported here by AFM imaging.     

Stoichiometries and thermodynamic stabilities for aqueous sulfate complexes of U(VI)

The formation constants of UO2SO4 (aq), UO2(SO4)2(2-), and UO2(SO4)3(4-) were measured in aqueous solutions from 10 to 75 degrees C by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). A constant enthalpy of reaction approach was satisfactorily used to fit the thermodynamic parameters of stepwise complex formation reactions in a 0.1 M Na(+) ionic medium: log 10 K 1(25 degrees C) = 2.45 +/- 0.05, Delta r H1 = 29.1 +/- 4.0 kJ x mol(-1), log10 K2(25 degrees C) = 1.03 +/- 0.04, and Delta r H2 = 16.6 +/- 4.5 kJ x mol(-1). While the enthalpy of the UO2(SO4)2(2-) formation reaction is in good agreement with calorimetric data, that for UO2SO4 (aq) is higher than other values by a few kilojoules per mole. Incomplete knowledge of the speciation may have led to an underestimation of Delta r H1 in previous calorimetric studies. In fact, one of the published calorimetric determinations of Delta r H1 is here supported by the TRLFS results only when reinterpreted with a more correct equilibrium constant value, which shifts the fitted Delta r H1 value up by 9 kJ x mol(-1). UO2(SO 4) 3 (4-) was evidenced in a 3 M Na (+) ionic medium: log10 K3(25 degrees C) = 0.76 +/- 0.20 and Delta r H3 = 11 +/- 8 kJ x mol(-1) were obtained. The fluorescence features of the sulfate complexes were observed to depend on the ionic conditions. Changes in the coordination mode (mono- and bidentate) of the sulfate ligands may explain these observations, in line with recent structural data.