5,691 research outputs found
Mars spacecraft power system development Interim report
Modified Mariner power system design for Mars mission
Structure of Mandelate Racemase with Bound Intermediate Analogues Benzohydroxamate and Cupferron
Mandelate racemase (MR, EC 5.1.2.2) from Pseudomonas putida catalyzes the Mg2+-dependent interconversion of the enantiomers of mandelate, stabilizing the altered substrate in the transition state by 26 kcal/mol relative to the substrate in the ground state. To understand the origins of this binding discrimination, we determined the X-ray crystal structures of wild-type MR complexed with two analogues of the putative aci-carboxylate intermediate, benzohydroxamate and Cupferron, to 2.2-Å resolution. Benzohydroxamate is shown to be a reasonable mimic of the transition state and/or intermediate because its binding affinity for 21 MR variants correlates well with changes in the free energy of transition state stabilization afforded by these variants. Both benzohydroxamate and Cupferron chelate the active site divalent metal ion and are bound in a conformation with the phenyl ring coplanar with the hydroxamate and diazeniumdiolate moieties, respectively. Structural overlays of MR complexed with benzohydroxamate, Cupferron, and the ground state analogue (S)-atrolactate reveal that the para carbon of the substrate phenyl ring moves by 0.8−1.2 Å between the ground state and intermediate state, consistent with the proposal that the phenyl ring moves during MR catalysis while the polar groups remain relatively fixed. Although the overall protein structure of MR with bound intermediate analogues is very similar to that of MR with bound (S)-atrolactate, the intermediate−Mg2+ distance becomes shorter, suggesting a tighter complex with the catalytic Mg2+. In addition, Tyr 54 moves closer to the phenyl ring of the bound intermediate analogues, contributing to an overall constriction of the active site cavity. However, site-directed mutagenesis experiments revealed that the role of Tyr 54 in MR catalysis is relatively minor, suggesting that alterations in enzyme structure that contribute to discrimination between the altered substrate in the transition state and the ground state by this proficient enzyme are extremely subtle
Heavy Scalar Top Quark Decays in the Complex MSSM: A Full One-Loop Analysis
We evaluate all two-body decay modes of the heavy scalar top quark in the
Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with complex parameters (cMSSM) and no
generation mixing. The evaluation is based on a full one-loop calculation of
all decay channels, also including hard QED and QCD radiation. The
renormalization of the complex parameters is described in detail. The
dependence of the heavy scalar top quark decay on the relevant cMSSM parameters
is analyzed numerically, including also the decay to Higgs bosons and another
scalar quark or to a top quark and the lightest neutralino. We find sizable
contributions to many partial decay widths and branching ratios. They are
roughly of O(10%) of the tree-level results, but can go up to 30% or higher.
These contributions are important for the correct interpretation of scalar top
quark decays at the LHC and, if kinematically allowed, at the ILC. The
evaluation of the branching ratios of the heavy scalar top quark will be
implemented into the Fortran code FeynHiggs.Comment: 86 pages, 38 figures; minor changes, version published as Phys. Rev.
D86 (2012) 03501
Low-Energy \Lambda-\p Scattering Parameters from the Reaction
Constraints on the spin-averaged scattering length and effective
range have been obtained from measurements of the reaction
close to the production threshold by comparing model phase-space Dalitz plot
occupations with experimental ones. The data fix well the position of the
virtual bound state in the system. Combining this with information
from elastic scattering measurements at slightly higher energies,
together with the fact that the hyperdeuteron is not bound, leads to a new
determination of the low energy scattering parameters.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure
Measurement of the branching ratios of the decays Xi0 --> Sigma+ e- nubar and anti-Xi0 --> anti-Sigma+ e+ nu
From 56 days of data taking in 2002, the NA48/1 experiment observed 6316 Xi0
--> Sigma+ e- nubar candidates (with the subsequent Sigma+ --> p pi0 decay) and
555 anti-Xi0 --> anti-Sigma+ e+ nu candidates with background contamination of
215+-44 and 136+-8 events, respectively. From these samples, the branching
ratios BR(Xi0 --> Sigma+ e- nubar)= (2.51+-0.03stat+-0.09syst)E(-4) and
BR(anti-Xi0 --> anti-Sigma+ e+ nu)= (2.55+-0.14stat+-0.10syst)E(-4) were
measured allowing the determination of the CKM matrix element |Vus| =
0.209+0.023-0.028. Using the Particle Data Group average for |Vus| obtained in
semileptonic kaon decays, we measured the ratio g1/f1 = 1.20+-0.05 of the
axial-vector to vector form factors.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures Submitted to Phys.Lett.
Measurement of the Ratio Gamma(KL -> pi+ pi-)/Gamma(KL -> pi e nu) and Extraction of the CP Violation Parameter |eta+-|
We present a measurement of the ratio of the decay rates Gamma(KL -> pi+
pi-)/Gamma(KL -> pi e nu), denoted as Gamma(K2pi)/Gamma(Ke3). The analysis is
based on data taken during a dedicated run in 1999 by the NA48 experiment at
the CERN SPS. Using a sample of 47000 K2pi and five million Ke3 decays, we find
Gamma(K2pi)/Gamma(Ke3) = (4.835 +- 0.022(stat) +- 0.016(syst)) x 10^-3. From
this we derive the branching ratio of the CP violating decay KL -> pi+ pi- and
the CP violation parameter |eta+-|. Excluding the CP conserving direct photon
emission component KL -> pi+ pi- gamma, we obtain the results BR(KL -> pi+ pi-)
= (1.941 +- 0.019) x 10^-3 and |eta+-| = (2.223 +- 0.012) x 10^-3.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, accepted by Phys. Lett.
First observation of the KS->pi0 gamma gamma decay
Using the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS, 31 KS->pi0 gamma gamma candidates
with an estimated background of 13.7 +- 3.2 events have been observed. This
first observation leads to a branching ratio of BR(KS->pi0 gamma gamma) = (4.9
+- 1.6(stat) +- 0.9(syst)) x 10^-8 in agreement with Chiral Perturbation theory
predictions.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures submitted to Phys. Lett.
Search for CP violation in K0 -> 3 pi0 decays
Using data taken during the year 2000 with the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS,
a search for the CP violating decay K_S -> 3 pi0 has been performed. From a fit
to the lifetime distribution of about 4.9 million reconstructed K0/K0bar -> 3
pi0 decays, the CP violating amplitude eta_000 = A(K_S -> 3 pi0)/A(K_L -> 3
pi0) has been found to be Re(eta_000) = -0.002 +- 0.011 +- 0.015 and
Im(eta_000) = -0.003 +- 0.013 +- 0.017. This corresponds to an upper limit on
the branching fraction of Br(K_S -> 3 pi0) < 7.4 x 10^-7 at 90% confidence
level. The result is used to improve knowledge of Re(epsilon) and the CPT
violating quantity Im(delta) via the Bell-Steinberger relation.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.
A precision measurement of direct CP violation in the decay of neutral kaons into two pions
The direct CP violation parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) has been measured from
the decay rates of neutral kaons into two pions using the NA48 detector at the
CERN SPS. The 2001 running period was devoted to collecting additional data
under varied conditions compared to earlier years (1997-99). The new data yield
the result: Re(epsilon'/epsilon) = (13.7 +/- 3.1) times 10^{-4}. Combining this
result with that published from the 1997, 98 and 99 data, an overall value of
Re(epsilon'/epsilon) = (14.7 +/- 2.2) times 10^{-4} is obtained from the NA48
experiment.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Physics Letters
Measurement of the branching ratio of the decay KL -> pi e nu and extraction of the CKM parameter |Vus|
We present a new measurement of the branching ratio R of the decay KL -> pi e
nu (Ke3), relative to all charged KL decays with two tracks, based on data
taken with the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. We measure R = 0.4978 +- 0.0035.
From this we derive the Ke3 branching fraction and the weak coupling
parameter |Vus| in the CKM matrix. We obtain |Vus|f+(0) = 0.2146 +- 0.0016,
where f+(0) is the vector form factor in the Ke3 decay.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures. accepted by Phys Lett.
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