Measuring the Higgs branching fraction into two photons at future linear {\mathrm e}^+{\mathrm e}^- colliders

We examine the prospects for a measurement of the branching fraction of the decay mode of a Standard Model-like Higgs boson with a mass of 120 GeV at the future TESLA linear collider, assuming an integrated luminosity of 1 ab and centre-of-mass energies of 350 GeV and 500 GeV. A relative uncertainty on BF(\hgg) of 16% can be achieved in unpolarised collisions at = 500 GeV, while for = 350 GeV the expected precision is slightly poorer. With appropriate initial state polarisations the uncertainty can be improved to 10%. If this measurement is combined with a measurement of the total Higgs width, a precision of 10% on the Higgs boson partial width for the decay mode appears feasible. Received: 6 December 2000 / Revised version: 19 February 2001 / Published online: 23 March 2001     

Determination of lipids in infant formula powder by direct extraction methylation of lipids and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) analysis by gas chromatography.

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) of pure triglyceride standards, oils, and fat from dry matrixes were formed by transesterification using sodium methoxide in methanol-hexane. FAMEs were produced by direct addition of sodium methoxide-hexane to samples and heating to simultaneously extract and transesterify acyl lipids. FAMEs were quantitated by capillary gas chromatography (GC) over a fatty acid concentration range of 0 to 1.7 mg/mL (r > or = 0.9997). Total fat was calculated as the sum of individual fatty acids expressed as triglyceride equivalents, in accordance with nutrition labeling guidelines. Saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats were calculated as sums of individual free fatty acids. Absolute recoveries determined from individual fatty acids in test samples ranged from 69.7 to 106%. Recoveries (relative to the C13:0 internal standard) for individual fatty acids in test samples ranged from 95 to 106%. Reproducibility was constant at each fatty acid level in the reaction mixture (n = 5, coefficient of variation [CV] < 2%). Absolute recovery determined from the sum of total fatty acids in standard reference material (SRM) 1846 (powdered infant formula) was 96.4%. Analysis of SRM 1846 gave results that agreed closely with the certified fat and fatty acid values. Analysis of commercial infant formula gave results that were comparable to those obtained with AOAC Method 996.01. The direct extraction methylation procedure is rapid, and the transesterification of acyl lipids to form FAMEs is complete within 15 min. Classical saponification and refluxing are not required. This method provides FAMEs free of interferences and easily quantitated by GC or confirmed by GC/mass spectrometry (MS). Unambiguous MS identification of individual FAMEs derived from pure standards, SRM 1846, and powdered infant formula product was obtained.     

High-energy collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry of synthetic mannose-6-phosphate oligosaccharides

The high-energy collision-induced dissociation spectra of a series of linear and branched synthetic mannosyl oligosaccharides that contain 6-phosphate substituents on either or both non-reducing terminal or penultimate residues have been studied. These phosphorylated structures were designed to mimic those of naturally derived N-glycans (Man-6-PO₄) on lysosomal enzymes and to probe the minimally required binding motif for the Man-6-PO₄ receptors. When a phosphate group was present, the spectra were dominated by ions that arise from cleavages at the glycosidic bonds (single and double) with charge retention on the phosphate-containing fragments. The spectra of linear structures that bear the nonreducing terminal Man-6-phosphate residues were devoid of Y-type ions, unlike those with similar phosphorylation at the penultimate residue. The location of the phosphorylated residue was deduced from the presence or absence of unique B and Y ions. In neutral branched structures, the ions were formed by cleavage at the glycosidic bond at either one or both of the branch points and the aglycon, which was attached to the disubstituted mannosyl residue. Branched oligosaccharides that contained one or two terminal Man-6-PO₄ residues also showed double cleavages with charge retention on the phosphate-containing fragment. Our investigation shows that positive mode high energy collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry can determine the location—terminal or penultimate—of Man-6-PO₄ residues in N-linked type oligosaccharides.     

Gas phase ion–molecule reactions in a modified ion trap: H/D exchange of non-covalent complexes and coordinatively unsaturated platinum complexes

A commercially available electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometer has been modified to carry out gas phase ion–molecule reactions. The ability to study gas phase ion–molecule reactions in conjunction with collision induced dissociation (CID) based methods and the multistage trapping capabilities of the ion trap have been exploited in two ways: (i) gas phase H/D exchange reactions inside the ion trap, coupled with CID tandem mass spectrometry have been used to provide insights into the reactivity of non covalent complexes of amino acids and simple peptides, and (ii) CID prior to performing ion–molecule reactions has been used to synthesize and examine the reactivity of coordinatively unsaturated platinum complexes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phase behaviour of SMA/PMMA blends: the influence of processing at low and high deformation rates

The influence of processing parameters (deformations) on SMA/PMMA blend phase behaviour is studied. It is found that injection moulding does change polymer blend phase behaviour. Phase separation kinetics are important to understand the injection moulding experiments and the kinetics are probably influenced by the deformations caused by the injection moulding proces. Capillary flow causes a complex change of polymer blend phase behaviour showing both deformation induced mixing and redemixing. Short capillaries, causing almost only uniaxial elongation in combination with pressure, cause no change to polymer blend phase behaviour. This is probably due to the short time the deformation is imposed to the material: it is expected that elongation is a main parameter causing changes in polymer blend phase behaviour. Parallel plate rheometer experiments show that applying only shear causes a complex change of phase behaviour showing both shear induced mixing and redemixing.     

Vinyl Halide-Modified Unsaturated Cyclitols are Mechanism-Based Glycosidase Inhibitors

Suitably configured allyl ethers of unsaturated cyclitols act as substrates of β-glycosidases, reacting via allylic cation transition states. Incorporation of halogens at the vinylic position of these carbasugars, along with an activated leaving group, generates potent inactivators of β-glycosidases. Enzymatic turnover of these halogenated cyclitols (F, Cl, Br) displayed a counter-intuitive trend wherein the most electronegative substituents yielded the most labile pseudo-glycosidic linkages. Structures of complexes with the Sulfolobus β-glucosidase revealed similar enzyme-ligand interactions to those seen in complexes with a 2-fluorosugar inhibitor, the lone exception being displacement of tyrosine 322 from the active site by the halogen. Mutation of Y322 to Y322F largely abolished glycosidase activity, consistent with lost interactions at O5, but minimally affected (7-fold) rates of carbasugar hydrolysis, yielding a more selective enzyme for unsaturated cyclitol ether hydrolysis.