The Femtosecond X-ray Experiments (FXE) instrument at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (EuXFEL) provides an optimized platform for investigations of ultrafast physical, chemical and biological ...processes. It operates in the energy range 4.7–20 keV accommodating flexible and versatile environments for a wide range of samples using diverse ultrafast X-ray spectroscopic, scattering and diffraction techniques. FXE is particularly suitable for experiments taking advantage of the sub-MHz repetition rates provided by the EuXFEL. In this paper a dedicated setup for studies on ultrafast biological and chemical dynamics in solution phase at sub-MHz rates at FXE is presented. Particular emphasis on the different liquid jet sample delivery options and their performance is given. Our portfolio of high-speed jets compatible with sub-MHz experiments includes cylindrical jets, gas dynamic virtual nozzles and flat jets. The capability to perform multi-color X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) experiments is illustrated by a set of measurements using the dispersive X-ray spectrometer in von Hamos geometry. Static XES data collected using a multi-crystal scanning Johann-type spectrometer are also presented. A few examples of experimental results on ultrafast time-resolved X-ray emission spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray scattering at sub-MHz pulse repetition rates are given.
Highly charged iron (Fe super(16+), here referred to as Fexvii) produces some of the brightest X-ray emission lines from hot astrophysical objects, including galaxy clusters and stellar coronae, and ...it dominates the emission of the Sun at wavelengths near 15 angstroms. The Fexvii spectrum is, however, poorly fitted by even the best astrophysical models. A particular problem has been that the intensity of the strongest Fexvii line is generally weaker than predicted. This has affected the interpretation of observations by the Chandra and XMM-Newton orbiting X-ray missions, fuelling a continuing controversy over whether this discrepancy is caused by incomplete modelling of the plasma environment in these objects or by shortcomings in the treatment of the underlying atomic physics. Here we report the results of an experiment in which a target of iron ions was induced to fluoresce by subjecting it to femtosecond X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser; our aim was to isolate a key aspect of the quantum mechanical description of the line emission. Surprisingly, we find a relative oscillator strength that is unexpectedly low, differing by 3.6 sigma from the best quantum mechanical calculations. Our measurements suggest that the poor agreement is rooted in the quality of the underlying atomic wavefunctions rather than in insufficient modelling of collisional processes.
We report wavelength measurements of H-like and He-like ions obtained with a novel x-ray spectrometer at the Heidelberg Electron Beam Ion Trap. The experimental uncertainty for the Lyman-alpha1 ...wavelength in Cl16+ is reduced by a factor of 3 and, as expected, excellent agreement with theory is maintained. For the resonance line in He-like Ar16+, an uncertainty of only deltalambda/lambda=2x10(-6) was achieved. This is the most precise x-ray wavelength reported for highly charged ions to date, and allows to test recent predictions on QED two-electron and two-photon radiative corrections for He-like ions. The results also point to the advantages of establishing absolute x-ray wavelength standards using Lyman-alpha transitions (in the present case Ar17+ Lyman-alpha1) to supersede the current ones.
Highly charged iron (Fe(16+), here referred to as Fe XVII) produces some of the brightest X-ray emission lines from hot astrophysical objects, including galaxy clusters and stellar coronae, and it ...dominates the emission of the Sun at wavelengths near 15 ångströms. The Fe XVII spectrum is, however, poorly fitted by even the best astrophysical models. A particular problem has been that the intensity of the strongest Fe XVII line is generally weaker than predicted. This has affected the interpretation of observations by the Chandra and XMM-Newton orbiting X-ray missions, fuelling a continuing controversy over whether this discrepancy is caused by incomplete modelling of the plasma environment in these objects or by shortcomings in the treatment of the underlying atomic physics. Here we report the results of an experiment in which a target of iron ions was induced to fluoresce by subjecting it to femtosecond X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser; our aim was to isolate a key aspect of the quantum mechanical description of the line emission. Surprisingly, we find a relative oscillator strength that is unexpectedly low, differing by 3.6σ from the best quantum mechanical calculations. Our measurements suggest that the poor agreement is rooted in the quality of the underlying atomic wavefunctions rather than in insufficient modelling of collisional processes.
On the Transition Rate of the Fe X Red Coronal Line Brenner, G; Crespo López-Urrutia, J. R; Bernitt, S ...
Astrophysical journal/The Astrophysical journal,
09/2009, Volume:
703, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
We present a lifetime measurement of the 3s 23p 5 2 Po 1/2 first excited fine-structure level of the ground state configuration in chlorine-like Fe X, which relaxes to the ground state through a ...magnetic dipole (M1) transition (the so-called red coronal line) with a wavelength accurately determined to 637.454(1) nm. Moreover, the Zeeman splitting of line was observed. The lifetime of 14.2(2) ms is the most precise one measured in the red wavelength region and agrees well with advanced theoretical predictions and an empirically scaled interpolation based on experimental values from the same isoelectronic sequence.
Necroptosis is a form of regulated necrotic cell death mediated by receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) and RIPK3. Necroptotic cell death contributes to the pathophysiology ...of several disorders involving tissue damage, including myocardial infarction, stroke and ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, no inhibitors of necroptosis are currently in clinical use. Here we performed a phenotypic screen for small-molecule inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced necroptosis in Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD)-deficient Jurkat cells using a representative panel of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs. We identified two anti-cancer agents, ponatinib and pazopanib, as submicromolar inhibitors of necroptosis. Both compounds inhibited necroptotic cell death induced by various cell death receptor ligands in human cells, while not protecting from apoptosis. Ponatinib and pazopanib abrogated phosphorylation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) upon TNF-α-induced necroptosis, indicating that both agents target a component upstream of MLKL. An unbiased chemical proteomic approach determined the cellular target spectrum of ponatinib, revealing key members of the necroptosis signaling pathway. We validated RIPK1, RIPK3 and transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) as novel, direct targets of ponatinib by using competitive binding, cellular thermal shift and recombinant kinase assays. Ponatinib inhibited both RIPK1 and RIPK3, while pazopanib preferentially targeted RIPK1. The identification of the FDA-approved drugs ponatinib and pazopanib as cellular inhibitors of necroptosis highlights them as potentially interesting for the treatment of pathologies caused or aggravated by necroptotic cell death.
Photoionization (PI) of Fe14+ in the range from 450 to 1100 eV was measured at the BESSY II storage ring using an electron beam ion trap achieving high target-ion area densities of 10(10) cm(-2). ...Photoabsorption by this ion is observed in astrophysical spectra and plasmas, but until now cross sections and resonance energies could only be provided by calculations. We reach a resolving power E/ΔE of at least 6500, outstanding in the present energy range, which enables benchmarking and improving the most advanced theories for PI of ions in high charge states.
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