RESUMEN
Biomolecular radiation damage is largely mediated by radicals and low-energy electrons formed by water ionization rather than by direct ionization of biomolecules. It was speculated that such an extensive, localized water ionization can be caused by ultrafast processes following excitation by core-level ionization of hydrated metal ions. In this model, ions relax via a cascade of local Auger-Meitner and, importantly, non-local charge- and energy-transfer processes involving the water environment. Here, we experimentally and theoretically show that, for solvated paradigmatic intermediate-mass Al3+ ions, electronic relaxation involves two sequential solute-solvent electron transfer-mediated decay processes. The electron transfer-mediated decay steps correspond to sequential relaxation from Al5+ to Al3+ accompanied by formation of four ionized water molecules and two low-energy electrons. Such charge multiplication and the generated highly reactive species are expected to initiate cascades of radical reactions.
RESUMEN
The authors examined in 1987 and 1988 in January to March a total of 1272 6-14-year-old school children from two primary schools for positivity of skin tests to pollen allergens. The group comprised 813 urban children and 459 children from rural areas. A significant difference between the incidence of pollen allergy in urban and rural children was found. In town 11.8% school children suffered from pollinosis, incl. 29% from the latent form; in the rural area 4.8% school children suffered from pollinosis incl. 45.4% from the latent form. The authors compare various factors in children with pollinosis and in children without pollen allergy (atopy in the family, education of parents, breastfeeding, attendance of preschool facilities, i.e. nurseries, kindergartens, other atopic diseases, school progress, leisure time activities, etc.).