Working group report: Flavor physics and model building

This is the report of flavor physics and model building working group at WHEPP-9. While activites in flavor physics have been mainly focused on B-physics, those in model building have been primarily devoted to neutrino physics. We present summary of working group discussions carried out during the workshop in the above fields, and also briefly review the progress made in some projects subsequently.     

Development of a pH titration method for the simultaneous determination of uranium,nitrate and free-acid in the feed solution of the sol-gel process of nuclear fuel fabrication

pH titration curves generated by slow addition of alkali to solutions containing varying concentrations of uranyl nitrate and nitric acid were studied using an autotitrator linked to a personal computer. A procedure with multiple choice of equations has been developed for the estimation of free acid, nitrate and uranium in pure uranyl nitrate solution by a single titration. The technique provides a simple single-step method with required accuracy and precision for the simultaneous estimation of the three quantities in the uranyl nitrate feed solution of the sol-gel process for making UO₃ microspheres. The relative standard deviations in the determination of uranium and nitrate were ±0.82% and ±1.52%, respectively, in 15 determinations.     

An Einstein-Gödel universe

The metric for the standard static Einstein model of the universe can be expressed in coordinates for which a congruence of spacelike world lines of the model will be twisting. A method of shifting the twist has been devised by which the twist on spacelike world lines is shifted onto the timelike world lines. The model universe then becomes Gödel's model. A combined Einstein-Gödel model containing a parameter is obtained. Switching from +1 to –1 will effect the shift of twist in the world lines and lead from the Einstein model to the Gödel model.     

Heat transfer errors in quantitative differential thermal analysis

A DTA apparatus has been built to examine some of the errors neglected in present quantitative DTA. The heat transfer characteristics within DTA systems were found to limit in situ measurements of powder thermal conductivity. It was also demonstrated that the negligence of heat lost to the DTA block from the sample cell during an exothermic reaction and heat gained from the DTA block by the sample cell during endothermic reactions lead to large errors in quantitative estimations. A modified double differential thermocouple DTA was designed to take these heat losses into account. The apparatus was calibrated with CaCO₃ and kaolinite endotherms and the kaolinite exotherm and tested on the SrCO₃ rhombic trigonal inversion endotherm. The result was found to be in good agreement with accepted literature values.

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Zusammenfassung Ein DTA-Apparatur wurde gebaut um einige in der gegenwärtig üblichen quantitativen DTA vernachlässigte Fehler zu prüfen. Es wurde gefunden, daß die Wärmeübertragungscharakteristika in DTA-Systemen die in situ Messungen der Wärmeleitfähigkeit von Pulvern begrenzen. Es wurde ebenfalls gezeigt, daß die Vernachlässigung von Wärmeverlusten der Probezelle an den DTA-Block bei exothermen Reaktionen und vom Wärmegewinn der Probezelle vom DTA-Block bei endothermen Reaktionen zu bedeutenden Fehlern in den quantitativen Bestimmungen führt. Ein DTA-Gerät mit doppeltem Differentialthermoelement wurde entworfen um diese Wärmeverluste zu berücksichtigen. Der Apparat wurde mittels der endothermen Reaktionen von CaCO₃ und Kaolinit, bzw. mittels der exothermen Reaktion von Kaolinit geeicht und an der Inversion von rhombischem zu trigonalem SrCO₃ erprobt.

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Résumé On a réalisé un appareil ATD pour étudier certaines erreurs négligées jusqu'à présent en ATD quantitative. On a trouvé ainsi que les caractéristiques du transfert de chaleur limitent la mesure in situ de la conductivité thermique des poudres. On montre également que le fait de négliger les échanges de chaleur entre la cellule renfermant l'échantillon et le bloc ATD (pertes ou gains de chaleur suivant que les réactions sont exothermiques ou endothermiques) conduit à des erreurs considérables dans les dosages. Un double thermocouple différentiel a été conçu pour tenir compte de ces pertes. L'étalonnage de l'appareil a été ré alisé à l'aide des réactions endothermiques de CaCO₃ et de la kaolinite et contrôlé avec la transition endothermique de SrCO₃ (rhomboédrique-trigonal).

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DTA , DTA. , DTA . , , DTA DTA . , . CaCO₃ SrCO₃.

     

Recycling of Informational Units Leads to Selection of Replicators in a Prebiotic Soup

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Highlights? Recycling of genetic material is important for the origins of life ? Simulation studies show recycling leads to the selection of genotypes from a pool ? Recycling can lead to the sudden emergence of a high-fitness RNA genotype ? Experimental studies with the Azoarcus ribozyme show fragment recycling     

A parallel synthesis demonstration library of tri-substituted indazoles containing new antimutagenic/antioxidant hits related to benzydamine

A solution phase strategy for the multiple parallel synthesis of a demonstration library of indazoles is described by which regio-selectivity problems inherent to previous syntheses of this nucleus are largely overcome. Synthesis of selected components proceeded satisfactorily indicating that a fully realized library of indazole analogs could readily be produced using this methodology. Simple modifications of the basic nucleophilic aromatic substitution route unambiguously produce a range of N-1 substitutions (alkyl, aryl and aralkyl) in 50-75% yields. Next a range of substituents was introduced at the C-3 position in 50-80% yields by O-alkylation. Careful choice of reagents and reaction conditions were required to prevent by-product formation due to competing alkylation at N-2 (trace to 15% yields). When present, these contaminants were readily removed by chromofiltration. A third diversity site was sketched in at C-5 in 75-90% yield by reductive alkylation or acylation. Screening of some of the demonstration library members in vitro revealed highly active antioxidants suggesting that producing a full library would be worthwhile.     

Simulation of spray combustion in a lean-direct injection combustor

Large-eddy simulation (LES) of a liquid-fueled lean-direct injection (LDI) combustor is carried out by resolving the entire inlet flow path through the swirl vanes and the combustor. A localized dynamic subgrid closure is combined with a subgrid mixing and combustion model so that no adjustable parameters are required for both non-reacting and reacting LES. Time-averaged velocity predictions compare well with the measured data. The unsteady flow features that play a major role in spray dispersion, fuel–air mixing and flame stabilization are identified from the simulation data. It is shown that the vortex breakdown bubble (VBB) is smaller with more intense reverse flow when there is heat release. The swirling shear layer plays a major role in spray dispersion and the VBB provides an efficient flameholding mechanism to stabilize the flame.     

An Efficient Synthesis of 1,5-Thiadiazepines and 1,5-Benzodiazepines by Microwave-Assisted Heterocyclization

A novel and efficient method for the synthesis of substituted thiazepines and diazepines has been developed. A simple one-pot reaction of chalcones 1a–f with 1-amino-2-mercapto-5-phenyl-1,3,4-triazole and o-phenylenediamine in the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium acetate under microwave irradiation gave 2-(3,8-diphenyl-7,8-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazepin-6-yl)phenoles 2a–f and 2-(2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepin-4-yl)phenoles 3a–f, respectively. The structure of all the synthesized compounds was elucidated on the basis of elemental analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and mass spectral data.     

LC-MS–MS Determination of Pregabalin in Human Plasma

A rapid, sensitive and specific method to quantify pregabalin in human plasma using metaxalone as the internal standard is described. Sample preparation involved simple protein precipitation by using acetronitrile as solvent. The extract was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS–MS). Chromatography was performed isocratically on Thermo Hypurity C₁₈ 5 μm analytical column, (50 mm × 4.6 mm i.d.). The assay of pegabalin was linear calibration curve over the range 10.000–10000.000 ng mL^?1. The lower limit of quantification was 10.000 ng mL^?1 in plasma. The method was successfully applied to the bioequivalence study of pregabalin capsules (150.0 mg) administered as a single oral dose.