TY - JOUR A1 - Füllbrandt, Marieke A1 - Ermilova, E. A1 - Asadujjaman, Asad A1 - Hölzel, R. A1 - Bier, F.F. A1 - Von Klitzing, R. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Dynamics of linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in water around the phase transition investigated by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy N2 - The molecular dynamics of linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) in aqueous media at temperatures below and above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are investigated using broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy in a frequency range from 10–1 to 1011 Hz. Below the LCST, two relaxation processes are observed in the megahertz and gigahertz region assigned to the reorientation of dipoles of the solvated polymer segments (p-process) and water molecules (w-process), respectively. Both relaxation processes are analyzed using the Havriliak–Negami (HN) function, taking special attention to the w-process. Above the LCST, the dielectric spectra of the pNIPAM solutions resemble that of pure water, showing only the high frequency relaxation process of the water molecules with a more or less Debye-type behavior. The non-Debye behavior of the w-process below the LCST is mainly induced by the interactions between water and pNIPAM chains via hydrogen bonding. The relaxation time and strength of the w-process is studied with dependence on the concentration, temperature, and the polymer chain length (molecular weight). The information obtained is useful for a deeper understanding of the dehydration behavior at the phase transition. The suggestion of dehydration of the pNIPAM chains at the LCST is confirmed by calculating a dehydration number. PY - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/jp501325x SN - 1520-6106 SN - 1520-5207 SN - 1089-5647 VL - 118 IS - 13 SP - 3750 EP - 3759 PB - Soc. CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-30578 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Linck, Lena A1 - Reiß, E. A1 - Bier, F. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Direct labeling rolling circle amplification as a straightforward signal amplification technique for biodetection formats N2 - Biodetection formats, such as DNA and antibody microarrays, are valuable tools in the life sciences, but for some applications, the detection limits are insufficient. A straightforward strategy to obtain signal amplification is the rolling circle amplification (RCA), an easy, isothermal, and enzymatic nucleic acid synthesis that has already been employed successfully to increase the signal yield for several single-analyte and multiplexing assays in conjunction with hybridization probes. Here, we systematically investigated the parameters responsible for the RCA driven signal amplification with fluorescent labels, such as the type of fluorophore chosen, labeling strategy, composition of reaction solution, and number of handling steps. In labeling strategies, post-synthetic labeling via a Cy3-hybridization probe was compared to the direct incorporation of fluorescent Cy3–dUTP and DY-555–dUTP into the nascent strand during synthesis. With our direct labeling protocol, the assay's runtime and handling steps could be reduced while the signal yield was increased. These features are very attractive for many detection formats but especially for point-of-care diagnostic kits that need to be simple enough to be performed by scientifically untrained personnel. KW - Method KW - Label KW - Fluorescence KW - RCA KW - Amplification KW - Oligonucleotide KW - DNA KW - Assay KW - Fluorophore KW - Dye content KW - Surface PY - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c2ay05760c SN - 1759-9660 SN - 1759-9679 VL - 4 IS - 5 SP - 1215 EP - 1220 PB - RSC Publ. CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-25839 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ocker, L. A1 - Lisec, Jan A1 - Seitz, G. A1 - Adamus, A. A1 - Hempfling, L. A1 - Wagner, B. A1 - Vahdad, R. A1 - Verburg, F. A. A1 - Luster, M. A1 - Schurrat, T. A1 - Bier, D. A1 - Frank, M. A1 - Engel, N. T1 - Hypericin and its radio iodinated derivatives – A novel combined approach for the treatment of pediatric alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells in vitro N2 - In this in vitro study, we got a first insight of a possible potential of Hypericin for the treatment of pediatric soft tissue sarcoma. By coupling with radioiodine, we developed a novel approach for a combined anti-tumor treatment. The in vitro experiments lay the foundation for further in vivo experiments, which are needed to study the effects of a sequential administration of 131I-HYP and HYP. KW - Mass-Spectrometry KW - Cancer PY - 2020 VL - 29 SP - 101588 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-49601 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Hahn, Marc Benjamin A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Bier, F A1 - Solomun, Tihomir T1 - Biologische Konsequenzen einer nanoskaligen Energiedeposition: Fokussierung auf die Rolle niederenergetischer Elektronen T1 - Biological Consequence of Nanoscale Energy Deposition: Focusing on the Role of Low-Energy Electrons N2 - Bei der Behandlung von Krebs mittels Strahlentherapie sollen Tumorzellen abgetötet werden ohne das umliegende gesunde Gewebe zu zerstören. Um Strahlentherapien für Patienten verträglicher zu machen, ist ein besseres Verständnis der zugrundeliegenden Prozesse auf der molekularen Ebene nötig. Dabei sind der Energieeintrag und die Streuprozesse der Strahlung in der Umgebung der DNA von besonderem Interesse. Durch Streuung von hochenergetischer Strahlung in Wasser werden besonders viele Sekundärelektronen mit niedriger Energie erzeugt. Zur Untersuchung der Schädigungseffizienz dieser Elektronen wurde ein Verfahren zur direkten Bestrahlung von Lösungen mittels Elektronen variabler Energien enwtickelt. Dies wurde durch einen neu entwickelten Probenhalter mit einer für Elektronen durchlässigen Nanomembran ermöglicht. Mit diesem können Bestrahlungen an DNA, Proteinen, und Zellen bei verschiedenen pH-Werten oder Salzkonzentrationen durchgeführt werden. Parallel dazu wurde der ortsabhängige Energieeintrag innerhalb des Wassers durch Elektronenstreusimulationen bestimmt. Diese neuartige Kombination von Experiment und Simulation ermöglicht die Bestimmung der Schaden-Dosis-Relation für Elektronenbestrahlung von biologischen Systemen unter realistischen physiologischen Bedingungen. So konnten für die genutzten Primärelektronen wie die mittlere letale Dosis, bei der 50 Prozent der DNA geschädigt sind, mit 1,7 Gy bestimmt. Ebenfalls wurde das für mikrodosimetrische Modellierungen und Betrachtungen der sogenannten Linear energy transfer (LET) Effekte, wichtige Verhältnis von DNA Einzelstrangbrüchen (SSB) zu Doppelstrangbrüchen (DSB) als SSB/DSB = 12/1 bestimmt. Mit Hilfe eines Modells für das Targetvolumen der DNA wurde der mittlere mikroskopische letale Energieeintrag berechnet als E1/2 = 6 ± 4 eV . Es wurde gefolgert, dass weniger als zwei Ionisationsprozesse im sensitiven Targetvolumen der DNA im Mittel zu einem Einzelstrangbruch führen. Diese Methode ist unabhängig von den Primärpartikel und geometrischen Bedingungen. Deshalb ermöglicht sie die Vergleichbarkeit experimenteller Systeme mit inhomogenen Energieverteilungen, welches sonst nicht gegeben ist. Des weiteren wurden die Strahlenschutzfunktionen des Zellschutzmoleküls Ectoines und sein Einfluss auf Wasser und Biomoleküle untersucht. Seine Schutzfunktion gegen ionisierende Strahlung wurde auf die Erhöhung des Streuquerschnitts niederenergetischer Elektronen und seine Eigenschaft als OH-Radikalfänger zurückgeführt. Aufbauend auf unseren Erkenntnissen finden in klinischen Arbeitsgruppen Untersuchungen zu Einsatzmöglichkeiten im Umfeld der Strahlentherapie statt. Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 245767821 N2 - To cure cancer radiation therapy is used to kill tumor cells. It is based on radiation induced damage to biomolecules. Here DNA damage is of key interest due to its central role in apoptosis and mutation. Because of the high amount of water in biological tissue, most of the damage is caused by the secondary particles produced by the inelastic scattering of ionizing radiation and water. A detailed understanding of the underlying molecular processes under physiological conditions is the prerequisite to develop more efficient the-rapies. Therefore irradiations have to be performed in liquid, under consideration of the chemical environment. To make it possible to irradiate liquids with electrons within scanning electron microscopes a new sample holder was constructed incorporating an electron transparent nanomembrane. It makes it possible to irradiate DNA, proteins or cells at different pH and salinity. The median lethal dose for a model system of plasmid DNA and water was determined by the combination of experimental data, particle scattering simulations (Geant4-DNA) and diffusion calculations as D1/2 = 1.7 ± 0.3 Gy. From the convolution of plasmid positions and the spatially resolved energy deposit, as determined by electron scattering simulations, the histogram of the energy deposit within the target volume of the plasmids and the microscopic median lethal energy deposit was calculated as E1/2 = 6 ± 4 eV . It could be deduced, that on average less than two ionization Events are sufficient to cause a single-strand-break. The relation of single-strand-breaks (SSB) to double-strand-breaks (DSB), which is of importance for microdosimetric modeling, was determined as SSB : DSB = 12 : 1. The presented method for the Determination of microscopic dose-damage relations was further extended to be applicable for General irradiation experiments. It is independent of the type of primary radiation used, the experimental geometry, and the diffusional properties of the molecules under investigation. This way different experimental systems with varying, inhomogeneous energy deposit characteristics become comparable with each other, which is not possible when only macroscopic averaged values are taken into account. In addition, the radiation protection properties of the compatible solute Ectoine was investigated. The protective properties of ectoine result from the increase of the inelastic scattering probabilities of low Energy electrons at the acoustic vibrational modes of water and its properties as OH-radical scavenger. Based on our results, further investigations are conducted to evaluate the application of Ectoine in the context of radiation therapy. Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 245767821 KW - Ectoin KW - Ectoine KW - DNS KW - DNA KW - Cancer therapy KW - DNA damage KW - DNA radiation damage KW - Dosimetry KW - DFG KW - Electron irradiation KW - Ectoine DNA interaction KW - Ectoine radiation protection KW - Hydroxyl radicals KW - OH radicals KW - LEE KW - Low energy electrons KW - Microdosimetry KW - Radiation KW - Geant4 KW - Geant4-DNA KW - Radiation therapy KW - LET PY - 2021 UR - https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/245767821/ergebnisse?context=projekt&task=showDetail&id=245767821&selectedSubTab=2& SP - 1 EP - 14 AN - OPUS4-52389 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -