Spectroscopic and theoretical approaches for studying radical reactions in class I ribonucleotide reductase

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the production of deoxyribonucleotides, which are essential for DNA synthesis and repair in all organisms. The three currently known classes of RNRs are postulated to utilize a similar mechanism for ribonucleotide reduction via a transient thiyl radical, but they differ in the way this radical is generated. Class I RNR, found in all eukaryotic organisms and in some eubacteria and viruses, employs a diferric iron center and a stable tyrosyl radical in a second protein subunit, R2, to drive thiyl radical generation near the substrate binding site in subunit R1. From extensive experimental and theoretical research during the last decades, a general mechanistic model for class I RNR has emerged, showing three major mechanistic steps: generation of the tyrosyl radical by the diiron center in subunit R2, radical transfer to generate the proposed thiyl radical near the substrate bound in subunit R1, and finally catalytic reduction of the bound ribonucleotide. Amino acid- or substrate-derived radicals are involved in all three major reactions. This article summarizes the present mechanistic picture of class I RNR and highlights experimental and theoretical approaches that have contributed to our current understanding of this important class of radical enzymes

Member state's lawlessness and European law – the case of Poland

Since 2015 the Polish authorities have undertaken numerous actions subordinating the country's judiciary to political influence. These steps met resistance from the European Union (EU), including proceedings by the European Commission and at the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ). The judgement of the ECJ in the case A.K. and Others v Sąd Najwyższy (2019) brought the situation to another level by empowering national courts to verify the independence of other domestic judicial bodies. While the ECJ empowered Polish judges to reject the domestic court-packing, the Polish state countered this with internal disciplinary sanctions. I discuss this tension and consider the upcoming conflict between the ECJ and the Polish Constitutional Tribunal (‘CT’). I conclude by highlighting the fact that whereas Poland breaches European law, the breach will be hard to rectify due to the lack of independent enforcement mechanisms on the side of the EU

Orphan Benefactors and Orphan Innocence in Charles Dickens and Helen Hunt Jackson

This thesis examines the role of the orphan benefactor relationship in Oliver Twist (1838), Great Expectations (1861), and Helen Hunt Jackson\u27s Ramona (1884). This thesis looks at the conflict between the orphan benefactor and the orphan, which is an important link between Ramona and Hard Times. In this respect, my thesis addresses the larger construction of childhood in nineteenth-century Victorian culture. Grounded in common Victorian ideas of the deserving poor, the construction of the deserving orphan in these novels shows how orphan innocence is the center of major problems that these novels try to solve. One of the main arguments in this thesis is that not all orphans are considered morally equal and thus ostensibly good orphans are sometimes considered more worth saving than others. The element of sympathy is an essential ingredient in the creation of paternal bonds. As I explain, the idea of sympathy is related to the idea of innocence. They occur together in Ramona somewhat differently than in Dickens novels due to racial difference, and there is a tension between the benefactor\u27s financial ability and their capacity for sympathy. As I explain, the idea of sympathy here is related to Robin Bernstein\u27s idea of radicalized critique of the white child as a special character in nineteenth-century culture and literature

Radiation chemistry in solvent etxraction: FY2011 research

This report summarizes work accomplished under the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D) program in the area of radiation chemistry during FY 2011. The tasks assigned during FY 2011 included: (1) Continue measurements free radical reaction kinetics in the organic phase; (2) Continue development of an alpha-radiolysis program and compare alpha and gamma radiolysis for CMPO; (3) Initiate an effort to understand dose rate effects in radiation chemistry; and (4) Continued work to characterize TALSPEAK radiation chemistry, including the examination of metal complexed ligand kinetics. Progress made on each of these tasks is reported here. Briefly, the method developed to measure the kinetics of the reactions of the NO3 radical with solvent extraction ligands in organic solution during FY10 was extended here to a number of compounds to better understand the differences between radical reactions in the organic versus aqueous phases. The alpha-radiolysis program in FY11 included irradiations of CMPO solutions with 244Cm, 211At and the He ion beam, for comparison to gamma irradiations, and a comparison of the gamma irradiation results for CMPO at three different gamma dose rates. Finally, recent results for TALSPEAK radiolysis are reported, summarizing the latest in an effort to understand how metal complexation to ligands affects their reaction kinetics with free radicals

Isotope dependence and quantum effects on atomic hydrogen diffusion in liquid water

Relative diffusion coefficients were determined in water for the D, H, and Mu isotopes of atomic hydrogen by measuring their diffusion-limited spin-exchange rate constants with Ni2+ as a function of temperature. H and D atoms were generated by pulse radiolysis of water and measured by time-resolved pulsed EPR. Mu atoms are detected by muonium spin resonance. To isolate the atomic mass effect from solvent isotope effect, we measured all three spin-exchange rates in 90% D2O. The diffusion depends on the atomic mass, demonstrating breakdown of Stokes−Einstein behavior. The diffusion can be understood using a combination of water “cavity diffusion” and “hopping” mechanisms, as has been proposed in the literature. The H/D isotope effect agrees with previous modeling using ring polymer molecular dynamics. The “quantum swelling” effect on muonium due to its larger de Broglie wavelength does not seem to slow its “hopping” diffusion as much as predicted in previous work. Quantum effects of both the atom mass and the water librations have been modeled using RPMD and a qTIP4P/f quantized flexible water model. These results suggest that the muonium diffusion is very sensitive to the Mu versus water potential used.Division of Chemical Sciences,Geosciences, and Biosciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy through award DE-FC02-04ER15533.http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jpcafh2016-12-30hb201

Kinetics of the Autoreduction of Hexavalent Americium in Aqueous Nitric Acid

The rate of reduction of hexavalent 243Am due to self-radiolysis was measured across a range of total americium and nitric acid concentrations. These so-called autoreduction rates exhibited zero-order kinetics with respect to the concentration of hexavalent americium, and pseudo-first-order kinetics with respect to the total concentration of americium. However, the rate constants did vary with nitric acid concentration, resulting in values of 0.0048 ± 0.0003, 0.0075 ± 0.0005, and 0.0054 ± 0.0003 h-1 for 1.0, 3.0, and 6.5 M HNO3, respectively. This indicates that reduction is due to reaction of hexavalent americium with the radiolysis products of total americium decay. The concentration changes of Am(III), Am(V), and Am(VI) were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. The Am(III) molar extinction coefficients are known; however, the unknown values for the Am(V) and Am(VI) absorbances across the studied range of nitric acid concentrations were determined by sensitivity analysis in which a mass balance with the known total americium concentration was obtained. The new extinction coefficients and reduction rate constants have been tabulated here. Multiscale radiation chemical modeling using a reaction set with both known and optimized rate coefficients was employed to achieve excellent agreement with the experimental results, and indicates that radiolytically produced nitrous acid from nitric acid radiolysis and hydrogen peroxide from water radiolysis are the important reducing agents. Since these species also react with each other, modeling indicated that the highest concentrations of these species available for Am(VI) reduction occurred at 3.0 M HNO3. This is in agreement with the empirical finding that the highest rate constant for autoreduction occurred at the intermediate acid concentration.</p

Gamma Ray Radiolysis of the FPEX Solvent

Slide presentation. FPEX contains a calixarene for Cs extraction, a crown ether for Sr extraction, Cs7SB modifier, and TOA to aid in stripping, in Isopar L diluent. The radiation stability FPEX must be evaluated prior to process use. Radiolytic degradation of species in solution are due to reaction with the direct radiolysis products of the diluent. In Isopar L, the reactive species produced include e-, •H and alkane radicals, resulting in a reducing environment. However, in nitric acid, oxidizing hydroxyl (•OH) and nitro (•NO2) radicals dominate system chemistry. Thus, the nature of diluent and the presence of radical scavengers affect the results of irradiation. We report the preliminary results of a new program to investigate the radiolysis of FPEX using the 60Co irradiation of FPEX neat solvent, acid pre-equilibrated solvent and mixed aerated phases. The Cs and Sr distribution ratios were used as metrics

Radiation chemistry in solvent etxraction: FY2011 research

This report summarizes work accomplished under the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&amp;D) program in the area of radiation chemistry during FY 2011. The tasks assigned during FY 2011 included: (1) Continue measurements free radical reaction kinetics in the organic phase; (2) Continue development of an alpha-radiolysis program and compare alpha and gamma radiolysis for CMPO; (3) Initiate an effort to understand dose rate effects in radiation chemistry; and (4) Continued work to characterize TALSPEAK radiation chemistry, including the examination of metal complexed ligand kinetics. Progress made on each of these tasks is reported here. Briefly, the method developed to measure the kinetics of the reactions of the NO3 radical with solvent extraction ligands in organic solution during FY10 was extended here to a number of compounds to better understand the differences between radical reactions in the organic versus aqueous phases. The alpha-radiolysis program in FY11 included irradiations of CMPO solutions with 244Cm, 211At and the He ion beam, for comparison to gamma irradiations, and a comparison of the gamma irradiation results for CMPO at three different gamma dose rates. Finally, recent results for TALSPEAK radiolysis are reported, summarizing the latest in an effort to understand how metal complexation to ligands affects their reaction kinetics with free radicals

A comparison of the alpha and gamma radiolysis of CMPO

The radiation chemistry of CMPO has been investigated using a combination of irradiation and analytical techniques. The {alpha}-, and {gamma}-irradiation of CMPO resulted in identical degradation rates (G-value, in {mu}mol Gy{sup -1}) for both radiation types, despite the difference in their linear energy transfer (LET). Similarly, variations in {gamma}-ray dose rates did not affect the degradation rate of CMPO. The solvent extraction behavior was different for the two radiation types, however. Gamma-irradiation resulted in steadily increasing distribution ratios for both forward and stripping extractions, with respect to increasing absorbed radiation dose. This was true for samples irradiated as a neat organic solution, or irradiated in contact with the acidic aqueous phase. In contrast, {alpha}-irradiated samples showed a rapid drop in distribution ratios for forward and stripping extractions, followed by essentially constant distribution ratios at higher absorbed doses. These differences in extraction behavior are reconciled by mass spectrometric examination of CMPO decomposition products under the different irradiation sources. Irradiation by {gamma}-rays resulted in the rupture of phosphoryl-methylene bonds with the production of phosphinic acid products. These species are expected to be complexing agents for americium that would result in higher distribution ratios. Irradiation by {alpha}-sources appeared to favor rupture of carbamoyl-methylene bonds with the production of less deleterious acetamide products