Results from the UA 2 experiment at the CERN p¯p Collider

This paper presents results on the production and decay properties of the Intermediate Vector Bosons (IVB)W and Z⁰ and on the search of the top quark in the upgraded UA 2 detector at the CERNp¯p Collider. The analysed data have been taken in the 1988 and 1989 Collider running periods at the centre of mass energy of 630 GeV, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 7·4 pb^–1.     

Colourants and opacifiers in seventh and eighth century glass investigated by spectroscopic techniques

Glass fragments dating from the seventh and eighth century AD were excavated in the Crypta Balbi in Rome. They were studied to detect agents involved in colour development and opacification. Reflectance spectra recorded on powdered samples revealed the contribution of Fe(II), Fe(III), Mn(III), Cu(II), and Co(II) ions in determining colour hues. The effect of the Mn/Fe atomic ratio on glass colour is discussed. It is apparent that medieval glassmakers in Italy could obtain a wide range of colours by exploiting the presence of iron and manganese as contaminants of sand and flux and controlling the amount of oxygen let into the furnace. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis were used to study opaque fragments. The presence of calcium antimonate was detected in white, blue, and blue-green fragments, and elemental copper was detected in a red glass.     

A synthetic alternative to the type-II intramolecular 4 + 3 cycloaddition reaction

Oxyallyl cations generated in situ from dihaloketones have been found to undergo the Favorskii rearrangement in preference to an intramolecular Type-II 4 + 3 cycloaddition reaction in trifluoroethanol and hexafluoropropan-2-ol solvents, generating acrylate esters with high cis selectivity. A synthetic alternative to the intramolecular Type-II 4 + 3 cycloaddition has been developed on the basis of intramolecular enolate alkylation to close a 7-membered ring with an exocyclic double bond.     

Convenient procedure of Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination for the synthesis of simple and functionalized α,β-unsaturated nitriles

A mild and practical procedure of Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination promoted by lithium hydroxide and α-cyano phosphonates has been set up for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated nitriles. The reaction conditions are tolerated by functionalized ketones and the exclusive formation of E-γ-hydroxy α,β-unsaturated nitriles has been observed.     

Protective effects of cyanidin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside against UVA-induced oxidative stress in human keratinocytes

Ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation causes significant oxidative stress because it leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to extensive cellular damage and eventual cell death either by apoptosis or necrosis. We evaluated the protective effects of cyanidin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside (C-3-G) against UVA-induced apoptosis and DNA fragmentation in a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Treatment of HaCaT cells with C-3-G before UVA irradiation inhibited the formation of apoptotic cells (61%) and DNA fragmentation (54%). We also investigated antioxidant properties of C-3-G in HaCaT cells against ROS formation at apoptotic doses of UVA; C-3-G inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) release (an indicator of cellular ROS formation) after UVA irradiation. Further confirmation of the potential of C-3-G to counteract UVA-induced ROS formation comes from our demonstration of its ability to enhance the resistance of HaCaT cells to the apoptotic effects of both H2O2 and the superoxide anion (O2*-), two ROS involved in UVA-oxidative stress. Furthermore, in terms of Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Activity, C-3-G treatment led to a greater increase in antioxidant activity in the membrane-enriched fraction than in the cytosol (55% vs 19%). The protective effects against UVA-induced ROS formation can be attributed to the higher membrane levels of C-3-G incorporation. These encouraging in vitro results support further research into C-3-G (and other anthocyanins) as novel agents for skin photoprotection.     

A guest-induced assembly of a molecular box from methylcobaloxime and 1, 4-phenylenebisboronic acid

The guest-induced synthesis of a molecular box from methylaquacobaloxime and 1,4-phenylenebisboronic acid, with pyrazine (pz) as guest, is described. The resulting supramolecular species was characterized by X-ray structural analysis, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and low-resolution electrospray ionization (ES) mass spectrometry. The assembly was monitored by a time dependent 1H NMR experiment, which showed that the guest thermodynamically drives the assembly of the host. The effectiveness of pyrazine in this role arises from its having both the correct geometry and a sufficiently low pKa value. Several other ditopic ligands were tested, but none led to formation of an analogous product. However, a second supramolecular species was formed in the case of ethylenediamine (en). X-ray structural analysis and 1H and 13C spectroscopy revealed that this is closely related to the first, with a phenyl side removed and the pz bridge substituted by the en bridge.     

A survey on high-concentration-capability headspace sampling techniques in the analysis of flavors and fragrances

This survey critically discusses high-concentration-capacity (HCC) headspace (HS) techniques applied to sample the volatile fraction of matrices of interest in the flavors and fragrance fields. In particular, the advantages, limits, and fields of application of HS solid-phase microextraction (SPME), high-capacity HS sorptive extraction (HSSE) and HS solid-phase dynamic extraction (SPDE) are evaluated. These techniques are discussed in view of the peculiar characteristic of HCC-HS techniques, from the standpoint that these techniques are a bridge between static (S-HS) and dynamic HS (D-HS) because they are as simple, fast, easy to automate, and reliable as S-HS, yet afford analyte concentration factors comparable to those of D-HS. Moreover, the different degree of their development is a consequence of the different times in which they were introduced into the market, because the potential of HS-SPME is now well known, having been introduced approximately 12 years ago, but that of HSSE has still to be fully explored, and HS-SPDE still has to be investigated because it is very recent.     

Spectrophotometric, EPR and kinetic characterisation of the >N-O* radical from 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, a key reactive species in mediated enzymatic oxidations

Characterisation of the aminoxyl (>N-O*) radical BTNO, generated from 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) by the one-electron oxidant CAN (a Ce(IV) salt), confirms BTNO as the reactive intermediate in oxidations run with the laccase/HBT system.