Characterisation of chemically lithiated heat-treated electrolytic manganese dioxide

Heat treated manganese dioxide is partially lithiated using butyl-lithium to determine the changes in crystal structure, chemical composition and morphology upon reduction, as a means of simulating its discharge behaviour in a non-aqueous battery cathode. As reduction proceeds, and lithium ions are inserted into the heat treated electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) structure, the material undergoes a phase transition to LiMn₂O₄. This new phase is further reduced to Li₂Mn₂O₄. Reduction initially results in a 56% decrease in the surface area of the material; however, at higher degrees of reduction a slight increase in this value is observed, as a consequence of the strain placed on the lattice through continued lithium insertion.     

Incorporating shading losses in solar photovoltaic potential assessment at the municipal scale

Recently several algorithms have been developed to calculate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential on the basis of 2.5D raster data that can capture urban morphology. This study provides a new algorithm that (i) incorporates both terrain and near surface shadowing effects on the beam component; (ii) scales down the diffuse components of global irradiation; and (iii) utilizes free and open source GRASS and the module r.sun in modeling irradiation. This algorithm is semi-automatic and easy to upgrade or correct (no hand drawn areas), open source, detailed and provides rules of thumb for PV system design at the municipal level. The workflow is pilot tested on LiDAR data for 100 buildings in downtown Kingston, Ontario. Shading behavior was considered and suitable roof sections for solar PV installations selected using a multi-criteria objective. At sub-meter resolution and small time steps the effect of occlusion from near object was determined. Annual daily horizontal irradiation values were refined at 0.55 m resolution and were shown to be lower than those obtained at 90 m by 30%. The robustness of r.sun as capable of working with different levels of surface complexity has been confirmed. Finally, the trade off of each computation option (spatial resolution, time step and shading effect) has been quantified at the meso scale, to assist planners in developing the appropriate computation protocols for their regions.     

Harold Grier McCurdy (1909–1999).

Memorializes Harold Grier McCurdy, Kenan Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. McCurdy authored basic textbooks in the area of personality, including The Personal World: An Introduction to the Study of Personality (1961), and investigated the writings of William Shakespeare in The Personality of Shakespeare: A Venture in Psychological Method (1953). His involvement with the study of outstandingly creative individuals led McCurdy to try to better understand the sources of creativity by studying the childhoods of individuals who later displayed unquestioned genius. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rapid polymer fiber airbrushing: Impact of a device design on the fiber fabrication and matrix quality

Polymer fiber matrixes can be used in a variety of applications, including electronics, tissue engineering, or coatings. Polymer airbrushing (air‐blast spinning) has the potential to overcome some of the limitations of electrospinning and has the advantage of depositing nanofibers directly on various materials. The airbrushing technique has yet to be better evaluated and optimized to achieve a higher fiber reproducibility and bulk material quality. In this study, a gravity‐fed brush (commercial airbrush) and syringe‐pump‐operated brush [custom‐built airbrush (CBA)] were compared to determine the effect of the coaxial brush design on the efficacy of fiber fabrication. At comparable fiber deposition rates, gas pressures, and polymer concentrations, the CBA produced smaller and more uniform fibers with a lower average size of polymer beads. The obtained data suggest that capillary pinching was the dominant mechanism responsible for fiber formation when we used the CBA. The estimated pinching energy was lower for the CBA at the compared polymer concentrations and at a high gas pressure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42813.     

"Violent recidivism: Assessing predictive validity": Correction to Rice and Harris (1995).

Reports an error in "Violent recidivism: Assessing predictive validity" by Marnie E. Rice and Grant T. Harris (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1995[Oct], Vol 63[5], 737-748). In this article, several errors are present on pp. 738 and 746. The corrections are listed in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1996-04934-001.) Until very recently, there has been little evidence of the ability of either clinicians or actuarial instruments to predict violent behavior. Moreover, a confusing variety of measures have been proposed for the evaluation of the accuracy of predictions. This report demonstrates that receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) have advantages over other measures inasmuch as they are simultaneously independent of the base rate for violence in the populations studied and of the particular cutoff score chosen to classify cases as likely to be violent. In an illustration of the value of this approach, the base rates of violence were altered with the use of data from 3.5-, 6-, and 10-year follow-ups of 799 previously violent men. Base rates for the 10-year follow-up were also altered by changing the definition of violent recidivism and by examining a high-risk subgroup. The report also shows how ROC methods can be used to compare the performance of different instruments for the prediction of violence. The report illustrates how ROCs facilitate decisions about whether, at a particular base rate, the use of a prediction instrument is warranted. Finally, some of the limitations of ROCs are outlined, and some cautionary remarks are made with regard to their use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Progress in high field MRI at the University of Florida

In this article we report on progress in high magnetic field MRI at the University of Florida in support of our new 750MHz wide bore and 11.7T/40cm MR instruments. The primary emphasis is on the associated rf technology required, particularly high frequency volume and phased array coils. Preliminary imaging results at 750MHz are presented. Our results imply that the pursuit of even higher fields seems warranted.     

Health locus of control in late life: A study of genetic and environmental influences in twins aged 80 years and older.

The factor structure of health locus of control (Form A; K. A. Wallston, B. S. Wallston, & R. DeVellis, 1978) was examined in 420 octogenarians (M age?=?83.2 years), and the contributions of genetic and environmental factors to health-control beliefs in 141 octogenarian twin pairs (71 identical, 70 same-sex fraternal) were estimated. Factor analyses reproduced previously proposed factors (Internal, Chance, and Powerful Others). Associations between health-control beliefs and life satisfaction, depression, and other health-related measures (e.g., self-rated health, outpatient contacts, and hospitalization), were modest. Quantitative genetic analyses revealed significant shared environmental influence on the Chance subscale, and significant familiarity (attributable to a combination of genetic and shared environmental influences) on the Powerful Others subscale; there was no evidence of familiarity on the Internal subscale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)