Electron-recoil ion and recoil ion-projectile coincidence techniques applied to obtain absolute partial collision cross sections

We present in detail an alternative experimental set-up and data analysis, based on the electron-recoil ion and recoil ion-projectile coincidence techniques, that enable the measurement of partial pure ionization and partial charge exchange cross sections for an effusive gas jet set-up, where the absolute target density and recoil ion efficiency cannot be measured directly. The method is applied to the ionization of helium atoms due to collision with partially stripped C(3 +) projectiles. In order to check the method, the results are compared to data available in the literature where the target density and recoil ion detection efficiency were measured directly. The pure ionization channel is compared to the electron capture channel.

Microbial oxidation of aromatics in enantiocontrolled synthesis. 2. Rational design of aza sugars (endo-nitrogenous). Total synthesis of +-kifunensine, mannojirimycin, and other glycosidase inhibitors

A general method of synthesis for lactones and lactams related to carbohydrates has been developed that relies on the biocatalyticgeneration of 1-chloro-2,3-dihydroxycyclohexa-4,6-diene (l), obtained in excellent yield by fermentation of chlorobenzene with Pseudomonasputida 39D, followed by further functionalization to nitrogen-substituted cyclitols. These amino or azido cyclitols of type 15 are then subjected to controlled ozonolysis, which yields either lactones such as 27 or lactams containing five-membered (28) or six-membered (20 and 23) rings. Such compounds are useful intermediates for the preparation of aza sugars. Mannojirimycin (84 has been synthesized in seven steps from chlorobenzene. Kifunensine (7) has been prepared in 11 steps from chlorobenzene following an intersection with Hashimoto's procedure. Full experimental and spectral details are provided for all compounds. The potential of this general method and implications of the disclosed design features in the field of amino sugar and aza sugar synthesis are indicated.

Water fragmentation and energy loss by carbon ions at the distal region of the Bragg peak

Time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to investigate fragmentation and energy transfer processes in water by C ions at the distal part of the Bragg peak. Measurements of the positive ion fragments from ionization, electron capture, electron loss, transfer-loss and loss-ionization channels have allowed us for the first time (a) to obtain a quantitative determination of the energy lost by C ions in water and (b) to show that total water fragment ion production has a much flatter profile with projectile energy than would be expected if the water radical formation was assumed to follow the energy-loss profile obtained from available stopping power models.

Spectroscopic characterization of vacuum ultraviolet free electron laser pulses

Because of the stochastic nature of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE), it is crucial to measure for single pulses the spectral characteristics of ultrashort pulses from the vacuum ultraviolet free electron laser (FLASH) at DESY, Germany. To meet this particular challenge, we have employed both photon and photoelectron spectroscopy. Each FEL pulse is composed of an intense and spectrally complex fundamental, centered at a photon energy of about 38.5 eV, with a bandwidth of 0.5% accompanied by higher harmonics, each carrying an intensity of typically 0.3 to 0.6% of that of the fundamental. The correlation between the harmonics and the fundamental is in remarkable agreement with a simple statistical model of SASE FEL radiation.

Chromosomal aberration analysis in workers exposed to chemical and biological hazards in research laboratories

Cytogenetic monitoring of individuals occupationally exposed to chemical and biological hazards has found increased frequencies of cells with chromosomal aberrations. During the present study we analyzed the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in cells from individuals working in various chemistry and biology research laboratories of the University of Brasilia, Brazil. When evaluated jointly and compared to a control group there was no significant increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in the laboratory personnel. However, a group constituted of individuals of the Genetics Laboratory showed a statistically significant increase in the frequency of structural chromosomal aberrations of the chromatid gap type.

Fragmentation of water by heavy ions

Absolute cross sections for fragmentation of water molecules by C3+ and O5+ ions over an energy region where the Bragg peak maximizes were measured for ionization, electron capture, and electron loss channels. A collision regime where sigmaSigmaOq+> or =sigmaH2O+ was reached for the first time, producing large abundances of H+ and O+ fragments in comparison to proton impact. Our findings have straightforward implications in the subsequent fast chemistry at the ionization site and on the O production in the first stages of water radiolysis. An unexpected channel-independent relationship between the cross sections for the fragmentation products, which is also approximately independent of the particle type, energy, and charge state, is found. A model is presented to explain such behavior allowing the cross sections of all fragmentation products to be obtained from single and double electron removal cross sections.

Event-by-event analysis of collision-induced cluster-ion fragmentation: sequential monomer evaporation versus fission reactions

The most abundant decay channels have been studied quantitatively for high-energy (60 keV/amu) cluster ions H (3) (+)(H (2))(m = 1-14) colliding with He atoms employing a recently developed multicoincidence technique for the simultaneous detection of the correlated fragments on an event-by-event basis. This allows us to identify decay reactions and their underlying decay mechanisms responsible for the occurrence of the U-shaped fragmentation pattern.

The anticlastogenic effect of tocopherol in peritoneal macrophages of benznidazole-treated and ovariectomized mice

Cytogenetic studies revealed a significant increase in the frequency of structural chromosome aberrations of peritoneal macrophages from hyperimmune Swiss mice after ovariectomy. The administration of the nitroarene benznidazole caused a large number of chromosomal deletions in peritoneal macrophages of sham-ovariectomized animals. The clastogenic effect of benznidazole was much greater in peritoneal macrophages of ovariectomized mice. The anti-oxidant alpha-tocopherol protected the peritoneal macrophages from developing ovariectomy- or benznidazole-induced chromosomal aberrations, thus suggesting free radical damage in these processes.

Possible integration of Trypanosoma cruzi kDNA minicircles into the host cell genome by infection

Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi is known to induce the division of peritoneal macrophages in BALB/c mice. We have demonstrated, by cytogenetic analysis, that accessory DNA elements are associated with the metaphase macrophage chromosomes of such infected macrophages. The identification of these accessory DNA elements with T. cruzi DNA is strongly supported by the association of 3H-label with some chromatids in macrophages previously infected with T. cruzi which had been labelled with 3H-methyl-thymidine. The karyotyping consistently showed preferential associations of T. cruzi DNA with chromosomes 3, 6 and 11. A conclusive demonstration of the parasite origin of the integrated DNA came from fluorescein in situ hybridization studies using specific parasite DNAs as probes. In order to determine the identity of the inserted DNA and to investigate the nature of the integration mechanism, Southern blot analyses were performed on DNA extracted from both uninfected and infected (but parasite-free) macrophages. Hybridizations of BamHI, EcoRI and TaqI digests of DNA from T. cruzi-infected host cells all revealed the presence of a 1.7-kb DNA fragment when probed with kDNA. The covalent association of kDNA with that of the host was confirmed by the fact that AluI and Hinf-I digests of DNA from infected host cells produced a number of bands, in a size range of 0.8-3.6 kb, which hybridized with kDNA minicircles. None of these bands was found in DNA purified from cell-free preparations of the parasite and thus it must be concluded that they represent insertion fragments between parasite and host cell DNA. These results strongly suggest that kDNA minicircles from T. cruzi have been integrated into the genome of the host cell following infection.

Hyperdiploidy and trisomy of chromosome 15 in peritoneal macrophages of hyperimmune, older Swiss mice

Chromosome analysis was carried out in resident and exudate peritoneal macrophages and, also, in bone marrow cells of groups of mice either immunized with ovalbumin in complete Freund's adjuvant and challenged with the antigen, or stimulated with the irritant thioglycollic acid. Labeling of the phagocytic cells with colloidal carbon showed that dividing cells in the peritoneal cavity of experimental mice are resident macrophages. Also shown was an increase in number of hyperdiploid metaphases in hyperimmune, older mice but not in the young ones. Statistical analysis showed these differences to be significant. G-banding of hyperdiploid cells of hyperimmune older mice showed trisomy of chromosome 15 in several metaphases analyzed. The absence of hyperdiploid metaphases in the bone marrow cells of hyperimmune mice and in exudate macrophages of mice that received the irritant thioglycollic acid suggests that hyperdiploidy occurs in resident macrophages in the peritoneal cavity but not in their precursors in the bone marrow. These results raise some questions such as, hyperimmune older mice resident macrophages being prone to hyperdiploidy and trisomy of chromosome 15.

[Insertion of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in the genome of mammal host cell through infection]

Trypanosoma cruzi chromatin was observed in macrophage chromosome spreads obtained at different periods of infections in BALB/c mice. Immunofluorescent studies showed that genetic materials associated with the chromosomes were T. cruzi products. In situ hybridization showed the protozoon DNA insertion in the host cell genome. In addition, selective 3H-DNA insertion in chromosomes 3, 6 and 11 was observed, which suggested that transxenogene rearrangement may take place in T. cruzi infections of mammals.