Can a fourth lepton family exist without its quark counterpart?

Solely within the minimal standard model, we show that it is possible to have a fourth lepton familywithout its quark counterpart provided the Higgs sector is strongly coupled and can accommodate Skyrmion solutions. The triangle and Witten anomalies of the fourth lepton family are cancelled by those of the “weak” Skyrmions if the latter are quantized as fermions. Thus a fourth quark family is not needed to cancel the anomalies of the new leptons. If indeed such a family is discovered in the near future bye ⁺ e ⁻ machines and if no Higgs boson nor new quarks of masses less than 1TeV are found, this intriguing scenario can be a very viable one. Arguments are presented to show that if such a scheme is realized, it also implies that the Higgs fields are composite. work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY-83-01 186 work supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy under Grant No. DE-AS05-80ER10713     

A simple approach toward low‐dielectric polyimide nanocomposites: Blending the polyimide precursor with a fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

This article describes a new and simple method for preparing polyimide nanocomposites that have very low dielectric constants and good thermal properties: simply through blending the polyimide precursor with a fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane derivative, octakis(dimethylsiloxyhexafluoropropyl) silsesquioxane (OF). The low polarizability of OF is compatible with polyimide matrices, such that it can improve the dispersion and free volume of the resulting composites. Together, the higher free volume and lower polarizability of OF are responsible for the lower dielectric constants of the PI‐OF nanocomposites. This simple method for enhancing the properties of polyimides might have potential applicability in the electronics industry. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6296–6304, 2008     

An efficient curvilinear non‐hydrostatic model for simulating surface water waves

An efficient curvilinear non‐hydrostatic free surface model is developed to simulate surface water waves in horizontally curved boundaries. The generalized curvilinear governing equations are solved by a fractional step method on a rectangular transformed domain. Of importance is to employ a higher order (either quadratic or cubic spline function) integral method for the top‐layer non‐hydrostatic pressure under a staggered grid framework. Model accuracy and efficiency, in terms of required vertical layers, are critically examined on a linear progressive wave case. The model is then applied to simulate waves propagating in a canal with variable widths, cnoidal wave runup around a circular cylinder, and three‐dimensional wave transformation in a circular channel. Overall the results show that the curvilinear non‐hydrostatic model using a few, e.g. 2–4, vertical layers is capable of simulating wave dispersion, diffraction, and reflection due to curved sidewalls. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of 2,2′‐Biflavanones from Flavone via Electrolytic Reductive Coupling

Flavone ( 1 ) was easily reduced by using the electrochemical method to give two hydrodimers of 2,2′‐biflavanone(racemate) ( 5a ) and 2,2′‐biflavanone(meso) ( 5b ) and one reductive product of flavanone ( 6 ). Their yields were dependent on the nature of electrodes, the kinds of supporting electrolytes and the reaction temperature. They were found to afford higher yields of 2,2′‐biflavanone(racemate) ( 5a ) and 2,2′‐biflavanone (meso) ( 5b ) (32.4% and 24.8%, 35.8% and 13.4%, respectively,) in the reaction conditions of Pb(‐)/C(+)‐H₂SO₄‐7F/mol and C(‐)/C(+)‐H₂SO₄‐5F/mol.     

Relative Stability of Multiple Bonds between Germanium and Stibium. A Theoretical Study

Substituent effects on the potential energy surface of XGeSb (X=H, Li, Na, BeH, MgH, BH₂, AlH₂, CH₃, SiH₃, NH₂, PH₂, OH, SH, F, and Cl) were investigated by using B3LYP/Def2‐TZVP, B3PW91/Def2‐ TZVPP CCSD (T)//B3LYP/Def2‐TZVP methods. The isomers include structures with formal double (Ge=SbX) and triple (Xge=Sb) bonds to germanium‐stibium, so a direct comparison of these types of species is possible. Our model calculations indicate that electropositively substituted Ge=SbX species are thermodynamically and kinetically more stable than their isomeric Xge=Sb molecules. Moreover, the theoretical findings suggest that only the organic substitutions (such as CH₃) can make triply bonded Xge=Sb molecule more stable than the doubly bonded Ge=SbX species.     

Influence of bromoalkyloxy side chain on mesomorphic behavior in heterocyclic 7-(4-bromoalkyloxy)-3-(4′-decyloxyphenyl)-4H- 1-benzopyran-4-ones

A new homologous series of isoflavone-based ethers,7-(4-bromoalkyloxy)-3-(4’-decyloxyprienyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-ones were synthesized and characterized.The mesomorphic properties of all homologues were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy(POM).Enantiotropic smectic A(SmA) phase was observed for all homologues.The structure-property study was carried out by comparing the mesomorphic behavior of the homologues with those previously reported analogues.The bromine atom from the alkyloxy side chain of the benzene ring fused to the heterocyclic moiety was found to be capable of changing the mesomorphic properties.     

Enantioselective de novo synthesis of 4-deoxy-D-hexopyranoses via hetero-Diels-Alder cycloadditions: total synthesis of ezoaminuroic acid and neosidomycin

The de novo synthesis of carbohydrates constitutes an important aspect of organic chemistry, and its application toward deoxy sugars is particularly noteworthy in targeting biologically active compounds. The enantioselective preparation of 4-deoxy-D-ribo-, 4-deoxy-D-lyxo-, and 4-deoxy-D-xylo-hexopyranosides, along with their uronate counterparts has been successfully accomplished using hetero-Diels-Alder reactions as the key step. Jacobsen chromium(III) catalyst and a titanium-binaphthol complex have been used to successfully catalyze diene and aldehyde cycloadditions, leading to optically active dihydropyran templates. 6-Hydroxydesosamine, orthogonally protected ezoaminuroic acid, and neosidomycin were synthesized using a comparative study. Also, a novel chiron approach to 4-deoxy-lyxo-hexopyranosiduronic acid methyl ester derivatives was efficiently accomplished starting from readily accessible starting materials. This work represents a systematic and comprehensive study toward a de novo synthesis of 4-deoxy-hexopyranoses via enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reactions.     

Effect of Polydispersity on the Phase Behavior of Polymer Blends

Summary: The effect of polydispersity on polymer blend phase behavior is studied by in situ small‐angle X‐ray scattering. In a polydisperse polyethylene (PE)/isotactic poly(propylene) (iPP) blend, the enthalpic portion of the interaction parameter is greater than that of a corresponding blend with lower polydispersity. This is attributed to the presence of long chains, which provide a higher interaction energy and packing constraint, reducing the system miscibility. As expected, the radius of gyration is higher in the system with higher polydispersity.

Comparison of phase diagrams of the iPP/PE system used in this study (thin lines) with that obtained from the literature (thick lines). The solid lines represent binodals and the dashed lines are spinodals.     

Choosing a Spin-Lock Transmitter Position Which Minimizes HOHAHA Distortions of ROESY Spectra. Observation of a Correlation-Time Dependence of Frequency Offset

A technique for reliably selecting a transmitter position for rotating-frame NOE experiments which minimize scalar coupling artifacts is described. The technique makes use of the COSY spectrum of the molecule in question. The method is illustrated by application to thiostrepton, an antibiotic of molecular weight 1665. For an individual compound, the range of transmitter settings over which HOHAHA distortions are observed is found to depend on the molecular correlation time of the compound under study. The origin of this effect is discussed in terms of rotating-frame relaxation during the spin-lock period.