Consequence for Wavefunction Collapse Model of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Experiment

It is shown that data on the dissociation rate of deuterium obtained in an experiment at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory provides evidence that the Continuous Spontaneous Localization wavefunction collapse model should have mass–proportional coupling to be viable.     

The pyrolysis of trimethylgermane and trimethylsilane

The number of products and the H₂/CH₄ ratio obtained from the flow pyrolyses of (CH₃)₃GeH and (CH₃)₃SiH were very different. The (CH₃)₃GeH decomposition is consistent with the following mechanism:

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The pyrolysis of (CH₃)₃SiH was found to be much more complex, presumably due to the formation of silicon-carbon double bonded intermediates and the (CH₃)₂Si(H)CH₂ radical. We also present data which supports the presence of a H atom chain sequence during this pyrolysis.     

Influence of mechanical properties of pectin films on charge density and charge density distribution in pectin macromolecule

The hydration and mechanical properties of citrus pectin films were examined in conditions relevant to those in the plant cell wall. The pectins used for this study varied in the degree of esterification (DE) (high or low) and charge distribution on the backbone (random or block). The hydration of the films was controlled in an osmotic pressure experiment using polyethylene glycol solutions (PEG 20000). Hysteresis tests at constant deformation rate (stress vs deformation) were used for investigating the mechanical behaviour of films. Mechanical and hydration properties of pectin films were examined as a function of charge density, charge density distribution and counterion environment—K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺. Swelling decreased with increasing counterion concentration. The effect is stronger in the case of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ for low esterified pectins and therefore crosslinks from divalent ions could be assumed. The crosslink effect is confirmed in mechanical experiments where an increase in the film tensile modulus is observed with increasing counterion concentration. It is shown for the first time that in case of highly concentrated pectin solutions Mg²⁺ cations also act as a crosslinker for pectin macromolecules.     

The spin-orbit field in superdeformed nuclei: a relativistic investigation

Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) theory is used to investigate the behavior of the spin orbit potential,V _ls, in nuclear states of very large deformation and high angular velocity. As a by-product we present a set of parameters for an approximation of the relativistic scalar- and vector-potentialsS andV in the Dirac equation in terms of Saxon-Woods shapes. These reproduce more or less the same single particle specta as a full selfconsistent relativistic mean field calculation.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H.J. Mang on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Reactions of trimethylgallium with silicon hydrides,germane and diborane

Methylation of SiH₄, MeSiH₃, Si₂H₆, GeH₄ and B₂H₆, but not of PH₃ or AsH₃, was observed during reaction (230–324°C) with GaMe₃. The products from the SiH₄ and Si₂H₆ reactions were MeSiH₃, Me₂SiH₂ and Me₃SiH. The GeH₄-derived products were similar, with Me₄Ge also being formed. The only methylated products from B₂H₆ was BMe₃. The silane reactions were surface-catalyzed (presumably by surface hydroxyl groups), while those of GeH₄ and B₂H₆ may have occurred via gas-phase free radical processes.     

Die Zerlegung des Aufwands für Altersversorgungsverpflichtungen aus aktuarieller Sicht

According to the German Accounting Law Modernization Act (BilMoG) it is now mandatory to split the regular pension expense into a finance cost component and an operating cost component. In this article we discuss some possible approaches of how such a decomposition could be accomplished from an actuarial perspective.