Many experimental and theoretical advances have recently allowed the study of direct and indirect effects of low-energy electrons (LEEs) on DNA damage. In an effort to explain how LEEs damage the human genome, researchers have focused efforts on LEE interactions with bacterial plasmids, DNA bases, sugar analogs, phosphate groups, and longer DNA moieties. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the fundamental mechanisms involved in LEE-induced damage of DNA and complex biomolecule films. Results obtained by several laboratories on films prepared and analyzed by different methods and irradiated with different electron-beam current densities and fluencies are presented. Despite varied conditions (e.g., film thicknesses and morphologies, intrinsic water content, substrate interactions, and extrinsic atmospheric compositions), comparisons show a striking resemblance in the types of damage produced and their yield functions. The potential of controlling this damage using molecular and nanoparticle targets with high LEE yields in targeted radiation-based cancer therapies is also discussed.

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Relaxed requirements: We demonstrate the formation of adenine, hypoxanthine, and guanine from heated (130 °C), UV-irradiated formamide solutions in the absence of an inorganic catalyst. Evidence is also provided that "classical" HCN pathways for purine nucleobase production are also active in heated and UV-irradiated formamide reactions. (Chemical Equation Presented) © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH& Co. KGaA

Graphene features are produced via continuous-wave (532 nm) or pulsed (532 and 355 nm) laser excitation of graphite oxide. Micro-Raman spectroscopy of these laser-irradiated areas reveals D and G bands on the edges and the 2D band characteristic of graphene in the central laser-irradiated zones. I D /I 2D ratios vary with laser power and background gas. An I D /I 2D ratio of ∼0.17 is obtained using continuous-wave excitation in a N 2 background, indicating a dominance of graphene optical signatures. The I D /I G ratio obtained for the same region indicates a particle size or interdefect distance of ∼40 nm. This technique could be useful for laser or lithographic patterning of graphene features.

The chemical transformations of formamide (NH(2)CHO), a molecule of prebiotic interest as a precursor for biomolecules, are investigated using methods of electronic structure computations and Rice-Rampserger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory. Specifically, quantum chemical calculations applying the coupled-cluster theory CCSD(T), whose energies are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit (CBS), are carried out to construct the [CH(3)NO] potential energy surface. RRKM theory is then used to systematically examine decomposition channels leading to the formation of small molecules including CO, NH(3), H(2)O, HCN, HNC, H(2), HNCO, and HOCN. The energy barriers for the decarboxylation, dehydrogenation, and dehydration processes are found to be in the range of 73-78 kcal/mol. H(2) loss is predicted to be a one-step process although a two-step process is competitive. CO elimination is found to prefer a two-step pathway involving the carbene isomer NH(2)CHO (aminohydroxymethylene) as an intermediate. This CO-elimination channel is also favored over the one-step H(2) loss, in agreement with experiment. The H(2)O loss is a multistep process passing through a formimic acid conformer, which subsequently undergoes a rate-limiting dehydration. The dehydration appears to be particularly favored in the low-temperature regime. The new feature identifies aminohydroxymethylene as a transient but crucial intermediate in the decarboxylation of formamide.