Publications by authors named "Largo A"

The exploration of phosphorus-bearing species stands as a prolific field in current astrochemical research, particularly within the context of prebiotic chemistry. Herein, we have employed high-level quantum chemistry methodologies to predict the structure and spectroscopic properties of isomers composed of a methyl group and three P, C, and O atoms. We have computed relative and dissociation energies, as well as rotational, rovibrational, and torsional parameters using the B2PLYPD3 functional and the explicitly correlated coupled cluster CCSD(T)-F12b method.

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Herein, we report a computational investigation of the binding affinity of dexamethasone, betamethasone, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to SARS-CoV-2 main protease using molecular and quantum mechanics as well as molecular docking methodologies. We aim to provide information on the anti-COVID-19 mechanism of the abovementioned potential drugs against SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Hence, the 6w63 structure of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease was selected as potential target site for the docking analysis.

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Introduction: Local control in sarcoma is rarely achieved with exclusive radiotherapy (RT). We aim to assess the feasibility and safety of sunitinib continuously administrated with concomitant RT in inoperable non-GIST sarcomas patients.

Methods: This multicentric French 3 + 3 dose escalation study included patients with inoperable locally advanced or recurrent sarcoma, ECOG-PS <2, ≤2 metastatic sites and no brain metastases, adequate organ functions and absence of uncontrolled hypertension, who had never received sunitinib or radiotherapy.

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Purpose: Growing data supports the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Brachytherapy has been used for decades in the management of STS and can be utilized as monotherapy or as a boost to external beam radiation. We present updated guidelines from the American Brachytherapy Society regarding the utilization of brachytherapy in the management of STS.

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Context: Cyanoacetamide is a -CN bearing molecule that is also an amide derivative target molecule in the interstellar medium.

Aims: The aim of our investigation is to analyze the feasibility of a plausible formation process of protonated cyanoacetamide under interstellar conditions and to provide direct experimental frequencies of the ground vibrational state of the neutral form in the microwave region in order to enable its eventual identification in the interstellar medium.

Methods: We used high-level theoretical computations to study the formation process of protonated cyanoacetamide.

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A novel approach has been developed to synthesize complex organic molecules (COMs) relevant to prebiotic chemistry, using infrared (IR) radiation to trigger the reaction. An original laboratory reactor working at low gas density and using IR irradiation was developed. In this way, glycine, the simplest brick of life, has been synthesized by assisting ion-molecule reaction with IR laser light.

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The metallic cyanoacetylides LiCN, NaCN, MgCN and CaCN have been investigated by combined spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations. The theoretical calculations predict for the four species that the linear isomer with formula MCCCN (M= Li, Na, Mg and Ca) is the most stable one. We used the laser ablation molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy to synthesize these species by the reaction of metal vapors, produced by laser ablation, and the 3-bromo-2-propynenitrile (BrCCCN).

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A computational kinetics study of the antioxidant activity of tryptamine toward HO and HOO radicals in water at 298 K has been carried out. Density functional methods have been employed for the quantum chemical calculations, and the conventional transition state theory was used for rate constant evaluation. Different mechanisms have been considered: radical adduct formation (RAF), single electron transfer (SET), and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT).

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In the present work, we investigated the reaction dynamics that will possibly lead to the formation of protonated glycine by an ion-molecule collision. In particular, two analogous reactions were studied: NHOH + CHCOOH and NHOH + CHCOOH that were suggested by previous experiments to be able to form protonated glycine loosing a neutral water molecule. Chemical dynamics simulations show that both reactants can form a molecule with the mass of the protonated glycine but with different structures, if some translational energy is given to the system.

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A theoretical study of the monoboronyl compounds of second-row elements, [XBO] (X = Na, Si, P, S, Cl), has been carried out. It is observed that the preference for the XBO arrangement is higher when moving to the right of the period. In the case of sodium monoboronyl three minima were characterized, all lying rather close in energy: linear NaBO, linear NaOB, and an L-shaped structure.

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A theoretical study of monoboronyls of different metals has been carried out. We have chosen Mg as representative of s-block elements, Al for the p-block, and Group 11 metals (Cu, Ag, and Au) for the d-block. Different behaviors are observed: bonding through the oxygen atom is preferred in the case of Al, for all Group 11 monoboronyls bonding through the boron atom prevails and both interactions give rise to almost isoenergetic compounds in the case of Mg.

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The metallic cyanoacetylides CuCCCN, AgCCCN, and AuCCCN have been synthesized in the throat of a pulsed supersonic expansion by reaction of metal vapors, produced by laser ablation, and BrCCCN. Their pure rotational spectra in the (XΣ) electronic ground state were observed by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in the 2-10 GHz frequency region. Importantly, the rotational spectroscopy constants determined from the analysis of the rotational spectra clearly established the existence of metal-CCCN arrangements for all the mentioned cyanoacetylides.

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The most relevant species of plutonium tricarbide were characterized using theoretical methods. The global minimum is predicted to be a fan structure where the plutonium atom is bonded to a quasi-linear C3 unit. A rhombic isomer, shown to be a bicyclic species with transannular C-C bonding, lies about 39 kJ/mol above the fan isomer.

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The structure and spectroscopic parameters of the most relevant [C,H,N,Zn] isomers have been studied employing high-level quantum chemical methods. For each isomer, we provide predictions for their molecular structure, thermodynamic stabilities as well as vibrational and rotational spectroscopic parameters which could eventually help in their experimental detection. In addition, we have carried out a detailed study of the bonding situations by means of a topological analysis of the electron density in the framework of the Bader's quantum theory of atoms in molecules.

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Combined spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations bring to light a first investigation of a metallic cyanoacetylide, AlC3N, using laser ablation molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. This molecule was synthesized in a supersonic expansion by the reaction of aluminum vapour with C3N, produced from solid aluminum rods and BrCCCN in a newly constructed ablation-heating nozzle device. A set of accurate rotational and (27)Al and (14)N nuclear quadrupole coupling constants have been determined from the analysis of the rotational spectrum and compared with those predicted in a high-level ab initio study, conducting to the assignment of the observed species to linear AlCCCN.

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The reactions, in the gas phase, between alkali-earth monocations (Mg(+), Ca(+), Sr(+), Ba(+)) and CH3X (X = Cl, Br) have been theoretically studied. The stationary points on the potential energy surfaces were characterized at the Density Functional Theory level on the framework of the mPW1K functional with the QZVPP Ahlrichs's basis sets. A complementary kinetics study has also been performed using conventional/variational microcanonical transition state theory.

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The levels of abscisic acid (ABA), its conjugate ABA-GE, and IAA were determined in embryogenic calli of Vitis vinifera L. (cv. Mencía) cultured in DM1 differentiation medium, to relate them to the maturation process of somatic embryos.

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Thermodynamics and kinetics theoretical studies on the gas-phase reactions of fluoromethane with main fourth-period monocations (Ga(+), Ge(+), As(+), and Se(+)) have been carried out. Density functional theory (in particular mPW1K functional) was employed in the description of the potential energy surfaces, and refinement of the energies were done at the CCSD(T) level. The reaction rate constants were estimated using variational/conventional microcanonical transition state theory.

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A computational study of peptide bond formation from gas-phase ion-molecule reactions has been carried out. We have considered the reaction between protonated glycine and neutral glycine, as well as the reaction between two neutral glycine molecules for comparison purposes. Two different mechanisms, concerted and stepwise, were studied.

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In this article, the most relevant isomers of uranium tricarbide are studied through quantum chemical methods. It is found that the most stable isomer has a fan geometry in which the uranium atom is bonded to a quasilinear C3 unit. Both, a rhombic and a ring CU(C2) structures are found about 104-125 kJ/mol higher in energy.

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The gas-phase reactivity of methyl fluoride with selected first-row transition metal monocations (Sc(+), Ti(+), V(+), and Zn(+)) has been theoretically investigated. Our thermochemical and kinetics study shows that early transition-metal cations exhibit a much more active chemistry than the latest transition metal monocation Zn(+). The strong C-F bond in methyl fluorine can be activated by scandium, titanium, and vanadium monocations yielding the metal fluorine cation, MF(+).

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The molecular structures of third-row main group tricarbides C(3)X (X = K-Br) have been studied by quantum chemical methods. It is found that less electronegative elements (K, Ca, Ga, Ge) favor either fan or rhombic structures (resulting from side interactions with either linear or triangular C(3) units), whereas the more electronegative elements (As, Se, Br) favor linear or three-membered ring structures (resulting from σ-type interactions with either linear or triangular C(3) units). The predicted global minima are of fan type for C(3)K, rhombic for C(3)Ca, C(3)Ga, and C(3)Ge, linear for C(3)As and C(3)Se, and a three-membered ring for C(3)Br.

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A theoretical study of the molecular structure of uranium dicarbide has been carried out employing DFT, coupled cluster, and multiconfigurational methods. A triangular species, corresponding to a (5)A(2) electronic state, has been found to be the most stable UC(2) species. A triplet linear CUC species, which has been observed in recent infrared spectroscopy experiments, lies much higher in energy.

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A computational study of the reaction of P(+)((3)P) with acetylene has been carried out. The only exothermic products correlating with the reactants are PCCH(+)((2)Π) + H((2)S). Two different pathways leading to these products that are apparently barrier-free have been found.

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