Posted on behalf of JP Moniz Barreto by John Woods:
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With all the problems of connection and subscription solved I can
finally make my initial contribution to the group.
As my interest is centerd at the moment on the research of free radicals,
my post is the abstract of the contribution made to the 2nd Gauss Symposium,
that took place in Munich from 2-7 August 1993.
SIMULATION OF DIOXYGEN FREE RADICAL REACTIONS: THEIR IMPORTANCE IN THE
INITIATION OF LIPID PEROXIDATION
P. Moniz-Barreto and D. A. Fell, School of Biological and
Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington,
Oxford, OX3 0BP.
Dioxygen is an essential compound for most living organisms, the
formation of reactive dioxygen intermediates appears to be commonplace
in aerobically metabolizing cells and the free radicals that are produced
are damaging to biological materials. There are indications that this damage
may play a part in several human diseases (including cancer, multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson's disease) and ageing. On the other hand, the damage
can be used for beneficial purposes as part of the body mechanisms for
killing foreign or abnormal cells.
Understanding the processes involved is difficult because the concentrations
of the free radicals species are very low, but the range of their potential
reactions is very wide. A program implementing an appropriate form of
stochastic simulation has been developed.
Models were devised to account for the importance of the Haber-Weiss and
Fenton type reactions on the production of Hydroxyl radical and the role of
this species in the initiation of chain processes studied.
Two sets of reactions were chosen; the first includes nine reactions and
represents the production and interconversion of radical species and the
second the initiation, propagation and termination reactions for general
lipid peroxidation. The simulation results will be presented.
Joao Pedro
(pedro at uk.ac.brookes.bms)
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--
"
Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit (Virgil)
[approx] Tr: The time may come when we will look back on these days and laugh
"
