Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Electrons”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Density-matrix renormalization group study of pairing when electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions coexist: effect of the electronic band structure.

The density-matrix renormalization group is used to study the pairing when both electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions are strong in the Holstein-Hubbard model at half filling in a region intermediate between the adiabatic (Migdal's) and antiadiabatic limits. We have found (i) the pairing correlation obtained for a one-dimensional system is nearly degenerate with the charge density-wave correlation in a region where the phonon-induced attraction is comparable with the electron-electron repulsion, but (ii) pairing becomes dominant when we destroy the electron-hole symmetry in a trestle lattice. This provides an instance in which pairing can arise, in a lattice-structure dependent manner, from coexisting electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions.

Journal Article↗

One-electron versus electron-electron interaction contributions to the spin-spin coupling mechanism in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: analysis of basic electronic effects.

For the first time, the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin-spin coupling mechanism is decomposed into one-electron and electron-electron interaction contributions to demonstrate that spin-information transport between different orbitals is not exclusively an electron-exchange phenomenon. This is done using coupled perturbed density-functional theory in conjunction with the recently developed J-OC-PSP [=J-OC-OC-PSP: Decomposition of J into orbital contributions using orbital currents and partial spin polarization)] method. One-orbital contributions comprise Ramsey response and self-exchange effects and the two-orbital contributions describe first-order delocalization and steric exchange. The two-orbital effects can be characterized as external orbital, echo, and spin transport contributions. A relationship of these electronic effects to zeroth-order orbital theory is demonstrated and their sign and magnitude predicted using simple models and graphical representations of first order orbitals. In the case of methane the two NMR spin-spin coupling constants result from totally different Fermi contact coupling mechanisms. (1)J(C,H) is the result of the Ramsey response and the self-exchange of the bond orbital diminished by external first-order delocalization external one-orbital effects whereas (2)J(H,H) spin-spin coupling is almost exclusively mitigated by a two-orbital steric exchange effect. From this analysis, a series of prediction can be made how geometrical deformations, electron lone pairs, and substituent effects lead to a change in the values of (1)J(C,H) and (2)J(H,H), respectively, for hydrocarbons.

Journal Article↗

Electron transfer from nucleobase electron adducts to 5-bromouracil. Is guanine an ultimate sink for the electron in irradiated DNA?

Electron transfer to 5-bromouracil (5-BrU) from nucleobase (N) electron adducts (and their protonated forms) has been studied by product analysis and pulse radiolysis. When an electron is transferred to 5-BrU, the ensuing 5-BrU radical anion rapidly loses a bromide ion; the uracilyl radical thus formed reacts with added t-butanol, yielding uracil. From the uracil yields measured as the function of [N]/[5-BrU] after gamma-radiolysis of Ar-saturated solutions it is concluded that thymine and adenine electron adducts and their heteroatomprotonated forms transfer electrons quantitatively to 5-BrU. Like the electron adduct of adenine, those of cytosine and guanine are rapidly protonated by water. The (protonated) electron adduct of guanine does not transfer an electron to 5-BrU, and in the case of the (protonated) cytosine electron adduct only partial electron transfer is observed. The results can be modelled if the protonated electron adduct (protonated at N(3) or at the amino group) of cytosine, CH., which can transfer its electron to 5-BrU (k approximately 2 x 10(7) dm3 mol-1 s-1) is transformed in a slow tautomerization reaction (k approximately 2.5 x +/- 10(3) s-1) into another form C'H. (possibly protonated at C(6) or C(5)) which does not transfer an electron to 5-BrU. There is also electron transfer from the electron adduct of thymine to cytosine and guanine which serve as electron sinks. The rate constant of electron transfer from the thymine electron adduct to cytosine is about 250 times greater than that of the reverse reaction. The heteroatom-protonated electron-adduct of thymidine transfers an electron to 5-BrU more slowly (k = 2.3 x 10(7) dm3 mol-1 s-1) than the electron-adduct itself (k = 7.2 x 10(8) dm3 mol-1 s-1). Phosphate buffer-induced protonation of the electron-adduct of thymine at carbon (C(6)) prevents electron transfer to 5-BrU. Such phosphate catalysis is also observed as an intramolecular process (k approximately 2 x 10(4) s-1) with thymidine-5'-phosphate but not with the 3'-phosphate. Phosphate-induced protonation at carbon also reduces transfer efficiency for the electron adducts of dinucleoside phosphates such as dTpdT and dTpdA. The data raise the question whether in DNA the guanine moiety may act as the ultimate sink of the electron in competition with other processes such as protonation at C(6) of the thymine electron adduct.

Adenine↗

A review of US EPA and FDA requirements for electronic records, electronic signatures, and electronic submissions.

Both the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued regulatory documents that address the issues and requirements concerning electronic reporting to the Agencies. EPA has published two comprehensive and useful electronic data interchange (EDI) guidelines: 1) the EPA Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Implementation Guideline, Draft of September 23, 1994 and October 18, 1994 that is available at the following EPA web site address: www.epa.gov/oppeedi1/guidelines/general.pdf and 2) the Interim Final Notice, Filing of Electronic Reports via Electronic Data Interchange, September 4, 1996, Federal Register Notice [FRL-5601-4, Volume 61, Number 172, page 46684], also available at: www.epa.gov/oppeedi1/edipoli.htm. The FDA has published a guidance document titled, "Guidance for Industry, Computerized Systems Used in Clinical Trials, April 1999" that is available at FDA's web site: www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/bimo/ffinalcct.++ +htm. FDA's guidance document addresses a number of issues for electronic records that are applicable to all areas of GLP compliance. Another FDA document presently under development is titled, "Electronic Standards for the Transmission of Regulatory Information (ESTRI) Gateway." The ESTRI document defines strategic plans for electronic submissions to FDA. FDA has published a guidance document in this area titled, "Guidance for Industry: Providing Regulatory Submissions in Electronic Format--General Considerations, January 1999." This guidance document is available at: www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/index.htm. FDA has also published an important final rule applicable to all electronic records and signatures that is part of the U.S. Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 11, titled, "FDA's Final Rule, Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures, effective August 20, 1997." This FDA ruling is discussed below and is available at: www.fda.gov/cder/esig/index.htm.

Authorship↗

Electronic structure contributions to electron-transfer reactivity in iron-sulfur active sites: 3. Kinetics of electron transfer.

The kinetics of electron transfer for rubredoxins are examined using density functional methods to determine the electronic structure characteristics that influence and allow for fast electron self-exchange in these electron-transport proteins. Potential energy surfaces for [FeX(4)](2-,1-) models confirm that the inner-sphere reorganization energy is inherently small for tetrathiolates ( approximately 0.1 eV), as evidenced by the only small changes in the equilibrium Fe-S bond distance during redox (Deltar(redox) approximately 0.05 A). It is concluded that electronic relaxation and covalency in the reduced state allow for this small in this case relative to other redox couples, such as the tetrachloride. Using a large computational model to include the protein medium surrounding the [Fe(SCys)(4)](2-,1-) active site in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Rubredoxin, the electronic coupling matrix element for electron self-exchange is defined for direct active-site contact (H0(DA)). Simple Beratan-Onuchic model is used to extend coupling over the complete surface of the protein to provide an understanding of probable electron-transfer pathways. Regions of similar coupling properties are grouped together to define a surface coupling map, which reveals that very efficient self-exchange occurs only within 4 sigma-bonds of the active site. Longer-range electron transfer cannot support the fast rates of electron self-exchange observed experimentally. Pathways directly through the two surface cysteinate ligands dominate, but surface-accessible amides hydrogen-bonded to the cysteinates also contribute significantly to the rate of electron self-exchange.

Journal Article↗

Photon and electron collimator effects on electron output and abutting segments in energy modulated electron therapy.

In energy modulated electron therapy a large fraction of the segments will be arranged as abutting segments where inhomogeneities in segment matching regions must be kept as small as possible. Furthermore, the output variation between different segments should be minimized and must in all cases be well predicted. For electron therapy with add-on collimators, both the electron MLC (eMLC) and the photon MLC (xMLC) contribute to these effects when an xMLC tracking technique is utilized to reduce the x-ray induced leakage. Two add-on electron collimator geometries have been analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations: One isocentric eMLC geometry with an isocentric clearance of 35 cm and air or helium in the treatment head, and one conventional proximity geometry with a clearance of 5 cm and air in the treatment head. The electron fluence output for 22.5 MeV electrons is not significantly affected by the xMLC if the shielding margins are larger than 2-3 cm. For small field sizes and 9.6 MeV electrons, the isocentric design with helium in the treatment head or shielding margins larger than 3 cm is needed to avoid a reduced electron output. Dose inhomogeneity in the matching region of electron segments is, in general, small when collimator positions are adjusted to account for divergence in the field. The effect of xMLC tracking on the electron output can be made negligible while still obtaining a substantially reduced x-ray leakage contribution. Collimator scattering effects do not interfere significantly when abutting beam techniques are properly applied.

Artifacts↗

Electronic structure contributions to electron-transfer reactivity in iron-sulfur active sites: 1. Photoelectron spectroscopic determination of electronic relaxation.

Electronic relaxation, the change in molecular electronic structure as a response to oxidation, is investigated in [FeX(4)](2)(-)(,1)(-) (X = Cl, SR) model complexes. Photoelectron spectroscopy, in conjunction with density functional methods, is used to define and evaluate the core and valence electronic relaxation upon ionization of [FeX(4)](2)(-). The presence of intense yet formally forbidden charge-transfer satellite peaks in the PES data is a direct reflection of electronic relaxation. The phenomenon is evaluated as a function of charge redistribution at the metal center (Deltaq(rlx)) resulting from changes in the electronic structure. This charge redistribution is calculated from experimental core and valence PES data using a valence bond configuration interaction (VBCI) model. It is found that electronic relaxation is very large for both core (Fe 2p) and valence (Fe 3d) ionization processes and that it is greater in [Fe(SR)(4)](2)(-) than in [FeCl(4)](2)(-). Similar results are obtained from DFT calculations. The results suggest that, although the lowest-energy valence ionization (from the redox-active molecular orbital) is metal-based, electronic relaxation causes a dramatic redistribution of electron density ( approximately 0.7ē) from the ligands to the metal center corresponding to a generalized increase in covalency over all M-L bonds. The more covalent tetrathiolate achieves a larger Deltaq(rlx) because the LMCT states responsible for relaxation are significantly lower in energy than those in the tetrachloride. The large observed electronic relaxation can make significant contributions to the thermodynamics and kinetics of electron transfer in inorganic systems.

Journal Article↗

Theoretical studies of the modulation of polymer electronic and optical properties through the introduction of the electron-donating 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene or electron-accepting pyridine and 1,3,4-oxadiazole moieties.

One serious problem associated with polyfluorene and derivatives (PFs) as blue luminescent polymers is the significant energy barrier for hole or electron injections; thus they usually face charge injection and transport difficulties with the currently available cathode and anode materials. The incorporation of an electron-donating or -accepting unit is expected to improve the recombination of the charge carriers. In this paper, we apply quantum-chemical techniques to investigate three fluorene-based copolymers, copoly(2,5-ethylenedioxythiophene-alt-9,9'-dimethylfluorene) (PEF), copoly(2,5-pyridine-alt-9,9'-dimethylfluorene) (PPyF), and poly[(fluorene-2,7-diyl)-alt-(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2,5-diyl)] (PFO), in which Delta(H)(-)(L) [the energy difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), when n = infinity], the lowest excitation energies (E(g)), ionization potentials (IP), electron affinities (EA), and lambda(abs) and lambda(em) are fine-tuned by the regular insertion of electron-donating unit 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) or electron-withdrawing units pyridine and 1,3,4-oxadiazole. The results show that the alternate incorporation of electron-donating moiety EDOT increases the HOMO energy and thus reduces the IPs, and consequently the hole injection was greatly improved. On the other hand, even though both kinds of charge carriers will improve the electron-accepting ability, the results show that electron-withdrawing moieties greatly facilitate the electron-transporting. Especially in PFO, the highly planar structural character resulted from the strong push-pull effect between the fluorene ring and the 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring and a weak interaction between the nitrogen and oxygen atoms in 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring and the hydrogen atom of the fluorene ring, significantly lowering the LUMO energy levels and thus improve the electron-accepting and transporting properties by the low LUMO energy levels.

Journal Article↗

Monte Carlo simulation of secondary electron and backscattered electron images in scanning electron microscopy for specimen with complex geometric structure.

A new Monte Carlo technique for the simulation of secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electron (BSE) of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images for an inhomogeneous specimen with a complex geometric structure has been developed. The simulation is based on structure construction modeling with simple geometric structures, as well as on the ray-tracing technique for correction of electron flight-step-length sampling when an electron trajectory crosses the interface of the inhomogeneous structures. This correction is important for the simulation of nanoscale structures of a size comparable with or even less than the electron scattering mean free paths. The physical model for electron transport in solids combines the use of the Mott cross section for electron elastic scattering and a dielectric function approach for electron inelastic scattering, and the cascade SE production is also included.

Journal Article↗

Electron attachment to POCl3: measurement and theoretical analysis of rate constants and branching ratios as a function of gas pressure and temperature, electron temperature, and electron energy.

Two experimental techniques, electron swarm and electron beam, have been applied to the problem of electron attachment to POCl3, with results indicating that there is a competition between dissociation of the resonant POCl3-* state and collisional stabilization of the parent anion. In the electron beam experiment at zero electron energy, the fragment ion POCl2- is the dominant ion product of attachment (96%), under single-collision conditions. Small amounts (approximately 2% each) of POCl3- and Cl- were observed. POCl3- and POCl2- ion products were observed only at zero electron energy, but higher-energy resonances were recorded for POCl-, Cl-, and Cl2- ion products. In the electron swarm experiment, which was carried out in 0.4-7 Torr of He buffer gas, the parent anion branching ratio increased significantly with pressure and decreased with temperature. The electron attachment rate constant at 297 K was measured to be (2.5+/-0.6)x10(-7) cm3 s(-1), with ion products POCl2- (71%) and POCl3- (29%) in 1 Torr of He gas. The rate constant decreased as the electron temperature was increased above 1500 K. Theory is developed for (a) the unimolecular dissociation of the nascent POCl3-* and (b) a stepladder collisional stabilization mechanism using the average energy transferred per collision as a parameter. These ideas were then used to model the experimental data. The modeling showed that D0 o(Cl-POCl2-) and EA(POCl3) must be the same within +/-0.03 eV.

Journal Article↗

Backscattered electron imaging of cultured cells: application to electron probe X-ray microanalysis using a scanning electron microscope.

We report a simple method to study the elemental content in cultured human adherent cells by electron probe X-ray microanalysis with scanning electron microscopy. Cells were adapted to grow on polycarbonate tissue culture cell inserts, washed with distilled water, plunge-frozen with liquid nitrogen and freeze-dried. Unstained, freeze-dried cultured cells were visualized in the secondary and backscattered electron imaging modes of scanning electron microscopy. With backscattered electron imaging it was possible to identify unequivocally major subcellular compartments, i.e. the nucleus, nucleoli and cytoplasm. X-ray microanalysis was used simultaneously to determine the elemental content in cultured cells at the cellular level. In addition, we propose some improvements to optimize backscattered electron and X-ray signal collection. Our findings demonstrate that backscattered electron imaging offers a powerful method to examine whole, freeze-dried cultured cells for scanning electron probe X-ray microanalysis.

Animals↗

New constraints upon the electron-electron repulsion energy functional of the one-electron reduced density matrix.

Three strict constraints upon the electron-electron repulsion energy functional of the one-electron reduced density matrix (the 1-matrix) are obtained by combining its invariance and stationary properties with the extended Koopmans' theorem. The constraints relate the quantities derived from the functional pertaining to an N-electron system with those of its (N-1)-electron congener. Together with the N-representability requirement for the 1-matrix of the congener, identities involving the electron-electron repulsion energies of the two systems and their derivatives with respect to the 1-matrices seriously narrow down the choices for potential approximate density-matrix functionals. This fact is well illustrated in the case of two-electron systems, where the validity of the new constraints is confirmed and found to originate from a nontrivial cancellation among different terms. Thus, the constraints provide a new tool for the construction and testing of new functionals that complements the previously known conditions such as the reproduction of the homogeneous gas energies and momentum distributions, convexity, and the N-representability of the associated 2-matrices.

Journal Article↗

Electron attachment step in electron capture dissociation (ECD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD).

We have made use of classical dynamics trajectory simultions and ab initio electronic structure calculations to estimate the cross sections with which electrons are attached (in electron capture dissociation (ECD)) or transferred (in electron transfer dissociation (ETD)) to a model system that contained both an S-S bond that is cleaved and a -NH(3)(+) positively charged site. We used a Landau-Zener-Stueckelberg curve-crossing approximation to estimate the ETD rates for electron transfer from a CH(3)(-) anion to the -NH(3)(+) Rydberg orbital or the S-S sigma* orbital. We draw conclusions about ECD from our ETD results and from known experimental electron-attachment cross sections for cations and sigma-bonds. We predict the cross section for ETD at the positive site of our model compound to be an order of magnitude larger than that for transfer to the Coulomb-stabilized S-S bond site. We also predict that, in ECD, the cross section for electron capture at the positive site will be up to 3 orders of magnitude larger than that for capture at the S-S bond site. These results seem to suggest that attachment to such positive sites should dominate in producing S-S bond cleavage in our compound. However, we also note that cleavage induced by capture at the positive site will be diminished by an amount that is related to the distance from the positive site to the S-S bond. This dimunition can render cleavage through Coulomb-assisted S-S sigma* attachment competitive for our model compound. Implications for ECD and ETD of peptides and proteins in which SS or N-C(alpha) bonds are cleaved are also discussed, and we explain that such events are most likely susceptible to Coulomb-assisted attachment, because the S-S sigma* and C=O pi* orbitals are the lowest-lying antibonding orbitals in most peptides and proteins.

Algorithms↗

Asymmetric electron transfer in cyanobacterial Photosystem I: charge separation and secondary electron transfer dynamics of mutations near the primary electron acceptor A0.

Point mutations were introduced near the primary electron acceptor sites assigned to A0 in both the PsaA and PsaB branches of Photosystem I in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The residues Met688PsaA and Met668PsaB, which provide the axial ligands to the Mg2+ of the eC-A3 and eC-B3 chlorophylls, were changed to leucine and asparagine (chlorophyll notation follows Jordan et al., 2001). The removal of the ligand is expected to alter the midpoint potential of the A0/A0- redox pair and result in a change in the intrinsic charge separation rate and secondary electron transfer kinetics from A0- to A1. The dynamics of primary charge separation and secondary electron transfer were studied at 690 nm and 390 nm in these mutants by ultrafast optical pump-probe spectroscopy. The data reveal that mutations in the PsaB branch do not alter electron transfer dynamics, whereas mutations in the PsaA branch have a distinct effect on electron transfer, slowing down both the primary charge separation and the secondary electron transfer step (the latter by a factor of 3-10). These results suggest that electron transfer in cyanobacterial Photosystem I is asymmetric and occurs primarily along the PsaA branch of cofactors.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Electron transfer in cyanobacterial photosystem I: II. Determination of forward electron transfer rates of site-directed mutants in a putative electron transfer pathway from A0 through A1 to FX.

The directionality of electron transfer in Photosystem I (PS I) is investigated using site-directed mutations in the phylloquinone (QK) and FX binding regions of Synnechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The kinetics of forward electron transfer from the secondary acceptor A1 (phylloquinone) were measured in mutants using time-resolved optical difference spectroscopy and transient EPR spectroscopy. In whole cells and PS I complexes of the wild-type both techniques reveal a major, slow kinetic component of tau approximately 300 ns while optical data resolve an additional minor kinetic component of tau approximately 10 ns. Whole cells and PS I complexes from the W697FPsaA and S692CPsaA mutants show a significant slowing of the slow kinetic component, whereas the W677FPsaB and S672CPsaB mutants show a less significant slowing of the fast kinetic component. Transient EPR measurements at 260 K show that the slow phase is approximately 3 times slower than at room temperature. Simulations of the early time behavior of the spin polarization pattern of P700+A1-, in which the decay rate of the pattern is assumed to be negligibly small, reproduce the observed EPR spectra at 260 K during the first 100 ns following laser excitation. Thus any spin polarization from P700+FX- in this time window is very weak. From this it is concluded that the relative amplitude of the fast phase is negligible at 260 K or its rate is much less temperature-dependent than that of the slow component. Together, the results demonstrate that the slow kinetic phase results from electron transfer from QK-A to FX and that this accounts for at least 70% of the electrons. Although the assignment of the fast kinetic phase remains uncertain, it is not strongly temperature dependent and it represents a minor fraction of the electrons being transferred. All of the results point toward asymmetry in electron transfer, and indicate that forward transfer in cyanobacterial PS I is predominantly along the PsaA branch.

Binding Sites↗

Energy distribution of electron backscattering from crystals and relation to electron backscattering patterns and electron channeling patterns.

This paper reports on the influence of the channeling effect on the energy distribution of electrons backscattered from crystals with different atomic numbers Z. These results can be used for the optimization of the contrast of electron backscattering and electron channeling patterns. Energy and angular resolved electron scattering distributions are obtained using a 4-axial experimental setup with a moveable high-resolution spherical spectrometer. Special care is taken to suppress undesired reflections of electrons inside the spectrometer. This experimental setup allows the direct observation of the excitation of different Bloch waves (anomalous absorption and transmission) within the crystal for different electron incidence angles and the observation of angular distributions of elastically scattered electrons. Results are presented for Si and Au monocrystals, showing that the influence of the channeling effect is more distinct for low atomic numbers.

Journal Article↗