A determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa parameter |V us| using KL decays

We present a determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa parameter |V(us)| based on new measurements of the six largest K(L) branching fractions and semileptonic form factors by the KTeV (E832) experiment at Fermilab. We find |V(us)|=0.2252+/-0.0008(KTeV)+/-0.0021(ext), where the errors are from KTeV measurements and from external sources. We also use the measured branching fractions to determine the CP violation parameter |eta(+-)|=(2.228+/-0.005(KTeV)+/-0.009(ext))x10(-3).     

Measurements of the Decay KL-->e+ e- mu+ mu-

The KTeV experiment at Fermilab has isolated a total of 132 events from the rare decay K(L)-->e+ e- mu+ mu-, with an estimated background of 0.8 events. The branching ratio of this mode is determined to be [2.69+/-0.24(stat)+/-0.12(syst)]x10(-9), with a radiative cutoff of M(2)(ee mu mu)/M(2)(K)>0.95. The first measurement using this mode of the parameter alpha from the D'Ambrosio-Isidori-Portolès (DIP) model of the K(L)gamma*gamma* vertex yields a result of -1.59+/-0.37, consistent with values obtained from other decay modes. Because of the limited statistics, no sensitivity is found to the DIP parameter beta. We use this decay mode to set limits on CP and lepton violation.     

Difluoromethylene analogues of aspartyl phosphate: the first synthetic inhibitors of aspartate semi-aldehyde dehydrogenase

The difluoromethylene analogue of aspartyl phosphate 6 has been prepared by the fluoride catalysed coupling of diethyl trimethylsilyldifluoromethyl phosphonate with an appropriate aldehyde followed by Dess-Martin oxidation and deprotection; the deprotected compound inhibited (KI 95 microM) aspartate semi-aldehyde dehydrogenase, a key enzyme involved in bacterial amino acid and peptidoglycan biosynthesis.     

Local complete intersections in and Koszul syzygies

We study the syzygies of a codimension two ideal . Our main result is that the module of syzygies vanishing (scheme-theoretically) at the zero locus is generated by the Koszul syzygies iff is a local complete intersection. The proof uses a characterization of complete intersections due to Herzog. When is saturated, we relate our theorem to results of Weyman and Simis and Vasconcelos. We conclude with an example of how our theorem fails for four generated local complete intersections in and we discuss generalizations to higher dimensions.

     

Origin of the high piezoelectric response in PbZr1-xTixO3

High resolution x-ray powder diffraction measurements on poled PbZr1-xTixO3 (PZT) ceramic samples close to the rhombohedral-tetragonal phase boundary (the so-called morphotropic phase boundary) have shown that for both rhombohedral and tetragonal compositions the piezoelectric elongation of the unit cell does not occur along the polar directions but along those directions associated with the monoclinic distortion. This work provides the first direct evidence for the origin of the very high piezoelectricity in PZT.     

Coordination complexes bearing potentially tetradentate phenoxyamine ligands

A series of metal complexes containing potentially tetradentate phenoxyamine ligands is described. The ligands are found to bind to main-group metals and first-row transition-metal centres with variable denticity depending upon the requirements of the particular metal centre. Bidentate [Al(III)], tridentate [Mg(II), Ca(II), Zn(II)] and tetradentate [K(I), Cr(III), Fe(II), Co(II)] binding modes have been established unambiguously through single-crystal X-ray structure determinations.     

Measurement of the total active 8B solar neutrino flux at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory with enhanced neutral current sensitivity

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory has precisely determined the total active (nu(x)) 8B solar neutrino flux without assumptions about the energy dependence of the nu(e) survival probability. The measurements were made with dissolved NaCl in heavy water to enhance the sensitivity and signature for neutral-current interactions. The flux is found to be 5.21 +/- 0.27(stat)+/-0.38(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), in agreement with previous measurements and standard solar models. A global analysis of these and other solar and reactor neutrino results yields Deltam(2)=7.1(+1.2)(-0.6) x 10(-5) eV(2) and theta=32.5(+2.4)(-2.3) degrees. Maximal mixing is rejected at the equivalent of 5.4 standard deviations.     

The synthesis of some substituted macrocyclic ether-ester compounds

A series of macrocyclic ether-esters has been prepared by treating various glycols with adipoyl chloride and various substituted malonyl, succinyl and glutaryl chlorides. The prepared compounds include: 15-ethyl- and 15-phenyl-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclohexadecane-14,16-dione (5 and 6); 15-methyl-, 15-phenyl-, cis-cyclohexo-[o]-and benzo-[o]-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacycloheptadecane-14,17-dione (7–10); trans,trans-1,4,7,10,13,18,21,24,27,30-de-caoxacyclotetratriacontane-15, 32-diene-14,17,31,34-tetraone (11); 1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclooctadecane-14,18-dione (12); 15,15,16,16,17,17-hexafluoro- and 16-methyl-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclooctadecane-14,18-dione (13 and 14); 1,4,7,10-tetraoxacyclohexadecane-11,16-dione (15); and 1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclononadecane-14,19-dione (16).     

Metalloidalmethyl substituent effects by 13C and 19F NMR : electron release in the neutral ground state.

¹³C and ¹⁹F chemical shift studies of a series of CH₂M(CH₃)₃ and CH₂M(C₆H₅)₃ (M  Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) - substituted aryl derivatives (phenyl; 1-naphthyl; 2-naphthyl) have established unambiguously that the order of hyperconjugative electron release in the neutral ground state is Pb>Sn>Ge>Si. This order is clearly at variance with the commonly accepted order(Pb>Sn>Ge>Si) based on studies of electron deficient substrates. The phenomenon is discussed in terms of current theories on σ-π interactions. In addition, substituent parameters (σ_I and σ_R^o) for the PB(CH₃)₃ group have been derived utilizing new data from the fluorophenyl tag. These new constants are compared with those previously reported.