Lepton flavour symmetry and the neutrino magnetic moment

With the standard model gauge group and the three standard left-handed Weyl neutrinos, two minimal scenarios are investigated where an arbitrary non-Abelian lepton flavour symmetry groupG _H is responsible for a light neutrino with a large magnetic moment. In the first case, with scalar fields carrying lepton flavour, some finetuning is necessary to get a small enough neutrino mass for _v =O(10)^–11 _B. In the second scenario, the introduction of heavy charged gauge singlet fermions with lepton flavour allows for a strictly massless neutrino to one-loop order. In both cases, the interference mechanism for smallm and large _v is unique, independently ofG _H . In explicit realizations of the two scenarios, the horizontal groups are found to be non-Abelian extensions of a Zeldovich-Konopinski-Mahmoud lepton number symmetry. Only a discrete part ofG _H is spontaneously broken leading to a light Dirac neutrino with a large magnetic moment.     

K → πππγ in chiral perturbation theory

We present a complete analysis K → 3ππγ decays to (p ⁴) in the low-energy expansion of the Standard Model. We employ the notion of “generalized bremsstrahlung” to take full advantage of experimental information on the corresponding non-radiative K → 3π decays     

On-line coupling of packed column supercritical fluid chromatography with multiple wavelength detector and radioactivity flow-through detector

Summary The coupling of packed column supercritical fluid chromatography with a commercial Radioactivity Flow-Through Detector for the sensitive and highly selective detection of radioactive nuclides (e.g.¹⁴C is described. The radioactivity flow-through detector showed no baseline shift when pressure or modifier (methanol) gradients were applied. The detector cell was pressure resistant even at high flow rates, over a period of approx. 100 hours and showed no leakage problems even at 40°C, 340 bar, 4.0 ml/min and a modifier content up to 20%.     

Application of direct on-line coupling of HPLC and SFC with 1HNMR spectroscopy for the investigation of monomeric acrylates

The separation of monomeric acrylates was performed with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC). A direct on-line structural assignment of all compounds by continuous-flow ¹HNMR spectroscopy is possible with both separation techniques. The direct SFC-NMR coupling offers the advantage that the recorded continuous-flow ¹HNMR spectrum is not obscured by solvent signals.     

Mass mixing,CP violation and left-right symmetry for heavy neutral mesons

We investigate \(M^0 - \bar M^0 \) mixing and CP violation in the minimal left-right symmetric gauge model with spontaneous P and CP violation. The dominant contributions to the mixing amplitude including QCD corrections are calculated explicitly for \(B^0 - \bar B^0 \) . While the amount of mixing is not much changed with respect to the standard model leftright symmetry can give rise to significantly larger CP violation in the \(B_s^0 - \bar B_s^0 \) system (up to two orders of magnitude for the dilepton charge asymmetry). Sizable CP violating effects require that the left-right contribution to theK _L K _S mass difference has the same sign as the standard model contribution. We also comment on \(D^0 - \bar D^0 \) mixing including a careful discussion of the standard model prediction for the short distance part.     

Insights into phenylalanine derivatives recognition of VLA-4 integrin: from a pharmacophoric study to 3D-QSAR and molecular docking analyses

The very late antigen-4 (VLA-4), also known as integrin alpha4beta1, is expressed on monocytes, T- and B-lympohocytes, basophils, and eosinophils and is involved in the massive recruitment of granulocytes in different pathological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and asthma. VLA-4 interacts with its endogenous ligand VCAM-1 during chronic inflammation, and blockade of VLA-4 /VCAM-1 interaction is a potential target for immunosuppression. Two classes of VLA-4 antagonists have so far been reported: beta-amino acid derivatives containing a diaryl urea moiety (BIO-1211) and phenylalanine derivatives (TR-14035). With the aim of clarifying the structural basis responsible for VLA-4 recognition by phenylalanine derivatives, we developed a combined computational study on a set of 128 antagonists available through the literature. Our computational approach is composed of three parts. (i) A VCAM-1 based pharmacophore was constructed with a restricted number of phenylalanine derivatives to identify the region of the protein that resembles synthetic antagonists. The pharmacophore was instrumental in constructing an alignment of a set of 128 compounds. This alignment was exploited to build a pseudoreceptor model with the RECEPTOR program. (ii) 3D-QSAR analysis was carried out on the computed electrostatic and steric interaction energies with the pseudoreceptor surface. The 3D-QSAR analysis yielded a predictive model able to explain much of the variance of the 128 antagonists. (iii) A homology modeling study of the headpiece of VLA-4 based on the crystal structure of alphavbeta3 was performed. Docking experiments of TR-14035 into the binding site of VLA-4 aided the interpretation of the 3D-QSAR model. The obtained results will be fruitful for the design of new potent and selective antagonists of VLA-4.     

Improved synthesis of the enantiomers of propafenone using chiral building blocks

Summary A short and efficient synthesis of the enantiomers of the antiarrhythmic drug propafenone (1) is described using both (R)-isopropylideneglycerol tosylate and (S)-glycidyl tosylate as chiral building blocks. The key step of the high yield synthesis is the acetalization of the carbonyl group in 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-1-propanone (2) which allows application of mild reaction conditions in the subsequent alkylation of the phenolic hydroxy group.With our best wishes dedicated to Prof. Dr.H. Achenbach on the occasion of his 65^th birthday     

Supramolecular Organization of Dye Molecules in Zeolite L Channels: Synthesis,Properties, and Composite Materials

Sequential insertion of different dyes into the 1D channels of zeolite L (ZL) leads to supramolecular sandwich structures and allows the formation of sophisticated antenna composites for light harvesting, transport, and trapping. The synthesis and properties of dye molecules, host materials, composites, and composites embedded in polymer matrices, including two‐ and three‐color antenna systems, are described. Perylene diimide (PDI) dyes are an important class of chromophores and are of great interest for the synthesis of artificial antenna systems. They are especially well suited to advancing our understanding of the structure–transport relationship in ZL because their core fits tightly through the 12‐ring channel opening. The substituents at both ends of the PDIs can be varied to a large extent without influencing their electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra. The intercalation/insertion of 17 PDIs, 2 terrylenes, and 1 quaterrylene into ZL are compared and their interactions with the inner surface of the ZL nanochannels discussed. ZL crystals of about 500 nm in size have been used because they meet the criteria that must be respected for the preparation of antenna composites for light harvesting, transport, and trapping. The photostability of dyes is considerably improved by inserting them into the ZL channels because the guests are protected by being confined. Plugging the channel entrances, so that the guests cannot escape into the environment is a prerequisite for achieving long‐term stability of composites embedded in an organic matrix. Successful methods to achieve this goal are described. Finally, the embedding of dye–ZL composites in polymer matrices, while maintaining optical transparency, is reported. These results facilitate the rational design of advanced dye–zeolite composite materials and provide powerful tools for further developing and understanding artificial antenna systems, which are among the most fascinating subjects of current photochemistry and photophysics.     

Broad band application of combined instrumental photon and neutron activation analysis

The use of INAA and IPAA is illustrated by several applications (Zn-traces in Cu, neutron doping of Zn in copper, implanted Sb in silicon, trace elements in sediment material and polyethylene). The two methods are used to complement or to cross-check each other. Validation by IDA-TIMS was performed in the case of neutron doping and turned out to be a valuable support. Even developed routines of activation analysis need improvement. Two technical solutions, the high energy photon screen (HEPS) and a twin detector assembly, are dealt with in detail.