The Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Extension of the Standard Model (NMSSM) with a Higgs sector containing five neutral and two charged Higgs bosons allows for a rich phenomenology. In addition, the plethora of parameters provides many sources of CP violation. In contrast to the Minimal Supersymmetric Extension, CP violation in the Higgs sector is already possible at tree-level. For a reliable understanding and interpretation of the experimental results of the Higgs boson search, and for a proper distinction of Higgs sectors provided by the Standard Model or possible extensions, the Higgs boson masses have to be known as precisely as possible including higher-order corrections. In this paper we calculate the one-loop corrections to the neutral Higgs boson masses in the complex NMSSM in a Feynman diagrammatic approach adopting a mixed renormalization scheme based on on-shell and DR conditions. We study various scenarios where we allow for tree-level CP-violating phases in the Higgs sector and where we also study radiatively induced CP violation due to a non-vanishing phase of the trilinear coupling A t in the stop sector. The effects on the Higgs boson phenomenology are found to be significant. We furthermore estimate the theoretical error due to unknown higherorder corrections by both varying the renormalization scheme of the top and bottom quark masses and by adopting different renormalization scales. The residual theoretical error can be estimated to about 10%.

For a reliable prediction of the NMSSM Higgs boson signatures at present and future high-energy colliders and a proper distinction of the NMSSM and MSSM Higgs sector the precise knowledge of the Higgs boson masses including higher-order corrections is indispensable. In this paper, the one-loop corrections to the neutral NMSSM Higgs boson masses and mixings are calculated in three different renormalisation schemes. In addition to the DR renormalisation scheme, existing in the literature, two other schemes are adopted. Furthermore, the dependence on the value of the top quark mass is investigated. The resulting Higgs mass corrections have been compared and the residual theory error due to missing higher-order corrections can be estimated to be of the order of 10%.

Coenzyme B(12)-dependent glycerol dehydratase is a radical enzyme that catalyses the conversion of glycerol into 3-hydroxypropanal and propane-1,2-diol into propanal via enzyme-bound intermediate radicals. The substrate analogue but-3-ene-1,2-diol was studied in the expectation that it would lead to the 4,4-dihydroxylbut-2-en-1-yl radical, which is stabilised (allylic) and not reactive enough to retrieve a hydrogen atom from 5'-deoxyadenosine, thereby interrupting the catalytic cycle. Racemic and enantiomerically pure but-3-ene-1,2-diols and their [1,1-(2)H(2)], [2-(2)H] and [4,4-(2)H(2)] isotopomers were synthesised and characterised by NMR spectroscopy. (S)-[4-(14)C]but-3-ene-1,2-diol was also prepared. Kinetic measurements showed but-3-ene-1,2-diol to be a competitive inhibitor of glycerol dehydratase (K(i)=0.21 mM, k(i)=5.0x10(-2) s(-1)). With [4-(14)C]but-3-ene-1,2-diol it was demonstrated that species derived from the diol become tightly bound to the enzyme's active site, but not covalently bound, because the radioactivity could be removed upon denaturation of the enzyme. EPR measurements with propane-1,2-diol as substrate generated sharp signals after 10 s that disappeared after about 1 min. In contrast, EPR resonances appeared and disappeared more slowly when but-3-ene-1,2-diol was incubated with the enzyme. Among the deuterated isotopomers, only [1,1-(2)H(2)]but-3-ene-1,2-diol showed a significantly different EPR spectrum from that of the unlabelled diol; this indicated that coupling between the unpaired electron and a deuterium at C-1 was stronger than with deuterium at C-2 or C-4. The experiments suggest the formation of the 1,2-dihydroxybut-3-en-1-yl radical, which decomposes to unidentified product(s).

Intensively managed open croplands are highly productive but often have deleterious environmental impacts. Temperate agroforestry potentially improves ecosystem functions, although comprehensive analysis is lacking. Here, we measured primary data on 47 indicators of seven ecosystem functions in croplands and 16 indicators of four ecosystem functions in grasslands to assess how alley-cropping agroforestry performs compared to open cropland and grassland. Carbon sequestration, habitat for soil biological activity, and wind erosion resistance improved for cropland agroforestry (P ≤ 0.03) whereas only carbon sequestration improved for grassland agroforestry (P < 0.01). In cropland agroforestry, soil nutrient cycling, soil greenhouse gas abatement, and water regulation did not improve, due to customary high fertilization rates. Alley-cropping agroforestry increased multifunctionality, compared to open croplands. To ameliorate the environmental benefits of agroforestry, more efficient use of nutrients is required. Financial incentives should focus on conversion of open croplands to alley-cropping agroforestry and incorporate fertilizer management.

In this article, we diff erentiate leadership in the dimensions of a directive, of a dis cursive or of a delegative leadership practice. Th is diff erentiation is the starting point of an explorative examination regarding the correlation between leadership dimensions and the use of performance feedback from state-wide tests (VERA 8). Bivariate correlation analyses based on a questionnaire survey with school leaders indicate that particular leadership dimensions correlate with a varied degree of use of performance feedback with diff erent school representatives (e. g., department leaders, teachers). A "directive" or "discursive" leader can support the use of VERA, whereas a "delegative" leader can inhibit these processes.