66 L. A. BLUMENFELD AND A. E. KALMANSON 



that, without takmg into consideration the influence of short-hved 

 radicals, the mechanism of the initial action of ionizing radiations on 

 biological structures does not depend on their state of aggregation. 



Some papers have recently been published, testifying to the specific 

 role of molecular and supra-molecular order in the peculiar properties 

 of biological structures, for example the work of Arnold and Sherwood 

 (1957) on the semi-conductive properties of biological structures, as 

 shown in particular by photosynthetic properties ; our work on abnormal 

 magnetic properties of nucleic acids and nucleoproteins (Blumenfeld 

 et al., 1959; Blumenfeld, 1959); and the work of Polonsky et al. (1960) 

 and Duchesne and Monfils (1955) on the magneto-electrical properties 

 of nucleic acids. 



We believe that all these phenomena are due to the high degree of 

 order of these materials. Evidently this high degree of order in 

 biological structures conditions the peculiarity of their radiolysis, 

 and is responsible for the characteristics of their ESR spectra. 



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