Vanishing Fisher Information

There are consistently estimable parameters of interest whose semiparametric Fisher information vanishes at some points of the model in question. Here we investigate how bad this is for estimation.     

Spanning point-line geometries in buildings of spherical type

We consider the point-line geometries that arise as a shadow space in a spherical building with a diagram of type A_n, B_n, C_n, D_n or E_n, and determine in which cases the geometry is spanned by the set of points on an apartment. It turns out that this happens precisely in the cases corresponding to a minimal weight.     

Umsetzung von hydrobromiertem 1,4-Polybutadien mit lithiumorganischen Verbindungen

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 1 Abbildung und 1 Tabelle     

Strukturen neuer SeII- und TeII-Komplexe mit 2,2-Dicyanethylen-1,1-dithiolat, 2,2-Dicyanethylen-1,1-thioselenolat und 2,2-Dicyanethylen-1,1-diselenolat

Structures of New Se^II and Te^II Complexes Containing 2,2-Dicyanethylene-1,1-dithiolate, 2,2-Dicyanethylene-1,1-thioselenolate, and 2,2-Dicyanethylene-1,1-diselenolate (NBu₄)₂{Se[S₂C?C(CN)₂]₂} ( I ), (AsPh₄)₂ · {Te[SSeC?C(CN)₂]₂} ( II ), and (NBu₄)₂{Te[Se₂C?C(CN)₂]₂} ( III ) containing the bidentate chelate ligands 2,2-dicyanethylene-1,1-dithiolate i-mnt , 2,2-dicyanethylene-1,1-thioselenolate i-mnts , and 2,2-dicyanethylene-1,1-diselenolate i-mns have been prepared and characterized by X-ray structure analysis. The central units consist of [M(X? X)₂E₂]^2? (M = Se, Te; X? X = ligand; E = lone-pair) with fourfold coordinated Se^II and Te^II, respectively. The complex anions [Se(i-mnt)₂E₂]^2? as well as [Te(i-mnts)₂E₂]^2? show a trapezoide distortion with d(Se? S) = 2.276(5); 2.287(5); 2.803(5); 2.789(5) Å and d(Te? Se) = 2.611(2); 2.617(3); d(Te? S) = 2.889(5); 2.935(4) Å. In III there are centrosymmetric complex anions [Te(i-mns)₂E₂]^2? with nearly identical Te? Se-bond-lengths: 2.674(3) and 2.692(2) Å. These Te? Se bonds are elongated compared to usual Te? Se bonds.     

Pyrolysis—field ionization mass spetrometric investigation of polymeric heterocycles: I. polyquinolines and polyquinoxalines

Pyrolysis—field ionization mass spectrometry was used for the investigation of the mechanism of the thermal degradation of polymeric heterocycles. Heat-resistant polymers containing aromatic and heterocyclic units such as polyquinolines and polyquinoxalines have a strong tendency to form large condensed systems during pyrolysis, and finally will carbonize. In the course of this process, side-groups (phenyl) and small fragments (NH₃, HCN, acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, etc.) are split off. In addition, large heteroatom-containing fragments such as nitriles can be identified. These, together with some fragments that contain the complete heterocyclic ring, are characteristic of the chain building units (“key fragments”). Furthermore, compounds generated by recombination reactions and intramolecular cyclization are constituents of the pyrolysate.     

Luminescence temperature antiquenching of water-soluble CdTe quantum dots: role of the solvent

Luminescence temperature antiquenching (LTAQ) is observed for water-soluble CdTe quantum dots (QDs) capped with aminoethanethiol (AET). The efficient exciton emission (quantum efficiency of approximately 40% at 300 K) is quenched almost completely as the QD solutions are cooled to below 230 K and is fully recovered around 270 K upon warming up to room temperature (LTAQ). Temperature-dependent lifetime measurements show that the quenching rate is high, resulting in an on/off behavior. No LTAQ is observed for CdTe QDs capped with aminoundecanethiol (AUT). The LTAQ is explained by the influence of solvent freezing on the surface of the QD core. Freezing of the solvation water molecules surrounding the QD will induce strain in the capping shell, due to the interaction between water and the charged heads of the capping molecules. Short carbon chains (AET) will propagate the strain to the QD surface, creating surface quenching states, whereas long and flexible chains (AUT) will dissipate the strain, thus avoiding surface distortion. Freezing-point depression by the addition of methanol results in a lowering of the transition temperature. Additional support is provided by the size dependence of the LTAQ: smaller particles, with higher local ionic strength due to a higher density of charged NH(3)(+) surface groups, experience a lower transition temperature due to stronger local freezing-point depression.     

Practical asymmetric enzymatic reduction through discovery of a dehydrogenase-compatible biphasic reaction media

[reaction: see text] An enzyme-compatible biphasic reaction media for the asymmetric biocatalytic reduction of ketones with in situ cofactor regeneration has been developed. In this biphasic reaction media, which is advantageous for reactions at higher substrate concentrations, both enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenase and FDH from Candida boidinii) remain stable. The reductions with poorly water-soluble ketones were carried out at substrate concentrations of 10-200 mM, and the optically active (S)-alcohols were formed with moderate to good conversions and with up to >99% ee.     

Nickel Aqueous Speciation and Solubility at Ambient Conditions: A Thermodynamic Elegy

Summary.  This review reveals that, in contrast to the general opinion, the aqueous speciation of nickel is poorly known. Besides the fairly well established first hydrolysis constant, data are scarce and only poor estimates can be derived for higher Ni hydrolysis constants from a few solubility studies. The situation is even worse in the case of aqueous carbonate complexes. No reliable experimental study has been published so far and almost all numbers reported in thermodynamic databases are unacceptable estimates. In this review we scrutinise all these published estimates and propose expectation ranges of nickel carbonate complex stability through correlation with other known thermodynamic constants. Solubility constants for a few simple nickel solids are known or have been estimated from thermochemical data. However, none of these simple solids is of geochemical relevance at ambient conditions. Based on field evidence, classes of solids are identified which potentially govern nickel concentrations in ground and surface waters. Recent spectroscopic data indicate that magnesium clay minerals and layered double hydroxides are the most prominent candidates for nickel-bearing solids at ambient conditions. Corresponding author. E-mail: wolfgang.hummel@psi.ch Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Rolf Grauer Received January 14, 2003; accepted January 24, 2003 Published online May 15, 2003