Limits on spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon cross sections from the XENON10 experiment

XENON10 is an experiment to directly detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which may comprise the bulk of the nonbaryonic dark matter in our Universe. We report new results for spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon interactions with 129Xe and 131Xe from 58.6 live days of operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. Based on the nonobservation of a WIMP signal in 5.4 kg of fiducial liquid xenon mass, we exclude previously unexplored regions in the theoretically allowed parameter space for neutralinos. We also exclude a heavy Majorana neutrino with a mass in the range of approximately 10 GeV/c2-2 TeV/c2 as a dark matter candidate under standard assumptions for its density and distribution in the galactic halo.     

A simple method for the synthesis of substituted benzylic ketones: homologation of aldehydes via the in situ generation of aryldiazomethanes from aromatic aldehydes

A general method for the homologation of aldehydes to benzylic ketones has been developed. Aryldiazomethanes were generated in situ in the presence of an aldehyde by simply heating the tosylhydrazones of aromatic aldehydes in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of base in polar protic solvents. The resulting polar protic solvent promoted homologation afforded benzylic ketones in moderate to excellent yields with a variety of aldehydes. Isolation of the tosylhydrazones was not necessary; they could be prepared in ethanol and carried through the sequence without isolation. This methodology allows easy access to a wide variety of substituted aryldiazomethanes that would be difficult, or even impossible, to prepare via conventional methods and circumvents the toxicity and stability problems associated with the isolation and/or handling solutions of aryldiazomethanes.     

怀孕期头发中一些元素含量的变化趋势

用同步辐射激发X射线荧光分析,对11个产妇怀孕期间头发内一些元素含量的变化趋势进行了测量,在各自对比的基础上,得到了一些结果。     

Osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells by various intensities of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound

Bone growth and repair are under the control of biochemical and mechanical signals. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation at 30 mW/cm² is an established, widely used and FDA approved intervention for accelerating bone healing in fractures and non-unions. Although this LIPUS signal accelerates mineralization and bone regeneration, the actual intensity experienced by the cells at the target site might be lower, due to the possible attenuation caused by the overlying soft tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate whether LIPUS intensities below 30 mW/cm² are able to provoke phenotypic responses in bone cells. Rat bone marrow stromal cells were cultured under defined conditions and the effect of 2, 15, 30 mW/cm² and sham treatments were studied at early (cell activation), middle (differentiation into osteogenic cells) and late (biological mineralization) stages of osteogenic differentiation. We observed that not only 30 mW/cm² but also 2 and 15 mW/cm², modulated ERK1/2 and p38 intracellular signaling pathways as compared to the sham treatment. After 5 days with daily treatments of 2, 15 and 30 mW/cm², alkaline phosphatase activity, an early indicator of osteoblast differentiation, increased by 79%, 147% and 209%, respectively, compared to sham, indicating that various intensities of LIPUS were able to initiate osteogenic differentiation. While all LIPUS treatments showed higher mineralization, interestingly, the highest increase of 225% was observed in cells treated with 2 mW/cm². As the intensity increased to 15 and 30 mW/cm², the increase in the level of mineralization dropped to 120% and 82%. Our data show that LIPUS intensities lower than the current clinical standard have a positive effect on osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells. Although Exogen™ at 30 mW/cm² continues to be effective and should be used as a clinical therapy for fracture healing, if confirmed in vivo, the increased mineralization at lower intensities might be the first step towards redefining the most effective LIPUS intensity for clinical use.     

Science Teacher Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy as Predictors of Students' End‐of‐Instruction (EOI) Biology I Test Scores

The purpose of this study was to compare teacher efficacy beliefs of secondary Biology I teachers whose students' mean scores on the statewide End‐of‐Instruction (EOI) Biology I test met or exceeded the state academic proficiency level (Proficient Group) to teacher efficacy beliefs of secondary Biology I teachers whose students' mean scores on the EOI Biology I test fell below the state academic proficiency level (Non‐proficient Group). The mean difference on the Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PSTE) subscale scores between the two groups was not statistically significant. This indicates that personal science teaching efficacy was not statistically related to how a teacher s students scored on the EOI Biology I test. The mean difference on the Science Teaching Outcome Expectancy (STOE) subscale scores demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the science teaching outcome expectancy of the Non‐proficient Group and Proficient Group teachers. Proficient Group teachers had significantly higher STOE scores than teachers Non‐proficient Group teachers. This finding suggests that End‐of‐Instruction Biology I test scores were related to the expectations that a teacher held for his/her students to learn biology regardless of student home environment, availability of classroom materials, or student motivation.     

First results from the XENON10 dark matter experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory

The XENON10 experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory uses a 15 kg xenon dual phase time projection chamber to search for dark matter weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). The detector measures simultaneously the scintillation and the ionization produced by radiation in pure liquid xenon to discriminate signal from background down to 4.5 keV nuclear-recoil energy. A blind analysis of 58.6 live days of data, acquired between October 6, 2006, and February 14, 2007, and using a fiducial mass of 5.4 kg, excludes previously unexplored parameter space, setting a new 90% C.L. upper limit for the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section of 8.8x10(-44) cm2 for a WIMP mass of 100 GeV/c2, and 4.5x10(-44) cm2 for a WIMP mass of 30 GeV/c2. This result further constrains predictions of supersymmetric models.     

Stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydropyrans via formal [4 + 2]-cycloaddition: a comparison of allylsilane and crotylsilane

The reaction of a series of beta-(triethylsilyloxy)aldehydes with several allylsilanes and crotyldimethylphenylsilane is described. Aldehydes possessing an alpha-stereocenter afforded tetrahydropyrans as mixtures of two diastereomers with allylsilane, but only a single diastereomer was observed in the case of crotylsilanes. The reaction time for crotylsilanes was longer than that for allylsilanes likely due to the increased steric hindrance. Allylsilanes afforded tetrahydropyrans in 34-67% yields, and crotylsilanes provided products in 0-62% yields.     

Red and yellow solvates of chloro­(2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine)platinum(II) chloride and Pt⋯Pt inter­actions

Crystallization of chloro­(2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine)platinum(II) chloride from dimethyl sulfoxide yields a red polymorph, [PtCl(C₁₅H₁₁N₃)]Cl·C₂H₆OS, (I), which exhibits stacking along the a axis through pairs of Pt⋯Pt(−x, −y, −z) inter­actions of 3.3155 (8) Å. The cations are further associated through close Pt⋯Pt(1 − x, −y, −z) distances of 3.4360 (8) Å. Recrystallization from water gives a mero­hedrally twinned yellow–orange dihydrate form, [PtCl(C₁₅H₁₁N₃)]Cl·2H₂O, (II), with pairwise short Pt⋯Pt(1 − x, 2 − y, −z) contacts of 3.3903 (5) Å but no long‐range stacking through the crystals. Inter­pair Pt⋯Pt(−x, 2 − y, −z) distances between cation pairs in the hydrate are 4.3269 (5) Å.     

Metallophilic interactions in iodido(2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine)platinum(II) diiodidoaurate(I)

In the title compound, [PtI(C₁₅H₁₁N₃)][AuI₂], the [PtI(terpy)]⁺ cations (terpy is 2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine) stack in pairs about inversion centers through Pt...Pt interactions of 3.5279 (5) Å. The [AuI₂]⁻ anions also exhibit pairwise stacking, with Au...I distances of 3.7713 (5) Å. The [PtI(terpy)]⁺ cations and [AuI₂]⁻ anions aggregate forming infinite arrays of stacked ...({[PtI(terpy)]⁺...[PtI(terpy)]⁺}...{[AuI₂]⁻...[AuI₂]⁻})... units.