WorldWideScience

Sample records for in-class ceo intervention

  1. Blood conservation: the CEO perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Timothy O

    2004-08-01

    Hospital CEOs are concerned about more than just cost of services to their patients. The advancement of patient car along with maintaining or improving patient safety are also key elements to the CEO, to limit patient risks, hospital liability, and negative public relations. The CEO is accountable to the hospital staff, the patients, and the general public. Establishing programs such as blood management or bloodless medicine can be implemented by using a team approach. A physician champion with a clear business plan that addresses all issues and challenges is critical for successful implementation. As blood and blood product costs rise and supply decreases, alternatives such as cell saving techniques and the use of pharmacologic interventions can have a significant impact on net hospital expenditures.

  2. Determinants of CEO Turnover in Publicand Private Firms in Denmark - CEO and Firm Characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sponholtz, Carina

    In this study we are the first to draw on longitudinal matched employer-employee data to study CEO turnover. Using this data we contribute tothe existing literature by examining the e¤ect of previously unstudied in-dividual characteristics on CEO turnover. Additionally, we are able toexamine CEO...... turnover. Finally, the inverse relationshipbetween firm performance and CEO turnover only exists in LLL firms(larger limited liability firms, both publicly and privately held), whereagency costs are assumed and found to be highest.In this study we are the first to draw on longitudinal matched employer-employee...... turnover across a variety of firm types that di¤er with re-spect to the corporate governance issues they face. Our simple methodol-ogy to define CEO turnover results in turnover rates similar to those foundpreviously. Our results indicate that CEO characteristics are an important factor in explaining CEO...

  3. Cooperative CEO Identity and Efficient Governance: Member or Outside CEO?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Q.X. Liang (Qiao Xin); G.W.J. Hendrikse (George)

    2012-01-01

    textabstractA principal-agent model is formulated to capture the efficiency of cooperatives with a member CEO and cooperatives with an employed outsider as CEO. Results of the model show that the incentive strength regarding the member CEO is stronger compared to that of the outside CEO in order to

  4. CEOS precipitation constellation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neeck, Steven P.; Oki, Riko

    2007-10-01

    The outcomes of the 19th Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) Plenary held in London in November 2005, recognized that the CEOS Implementation Plan for Space-Based Observations for Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) should: - identify the supply of space-based observations required to satisfy the requirements expressed by the 10-year implementation plan for GEOSS; and - propose an innovative process whereby the many disparate types of Earth observing programs funded by CEOS Member agencies might contribute to the supply of the required observations. The CEOS Task Force charged with drafting the CEOS Implementation Plan for Space-Based Observations for GEOSS focused its early efforts on the creation of a 'new planning process' which would satisfy the various criteria demanded by member space agencies, and which would hopefully encourage a new phase of specificity and focus in the multi-lateral co-operation efforts undertaken by space agencies under the CEOS umbrella - resulting in improved engagement of all CEOS Members and real implementation results. The CEOS Constellations is the title given to this new process, and four pilot studies have been initiated in order to pioneer and test the concept. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were selected as the lead agencies for the study of the development of a CEOS Precipitation Constellation with the support of other CEOS space agency and user community participants. The goals, approach, and anticipated outcomes for the study will be discussed.

  5. Perceptions of hospital CEOs about the effects of CEO turnover.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaliq, Amir A; Thompson, David M; Walston, Stephen L

    2006-01-01

    Empirical evidence is scarce on chief executive officer (CEO) turnover in U.S. hospitals, with potentially serious implications for many of these organizations. This study, based on a nationwide survey of CEOs at non-federal general surgical and medical community hospitals conducted in the spring of 2004, reports the perceptions of hospital CEOs regarding the circumstances and impact of CEO turnover on U.S. hospitals. In the opinion of the respondents, the impact includes competitors taking advantage of turnover by luring employees and physicians away from the target hospital, significantly increasing the likelihood of other senior executives leaving the hospital, and many of the important strategic activities being delayed or cancelled altogether. Interestingly, the perceptions of CEOs regarding the effects of turnover do not seem to differ regardless of voluntary or involuntary circumstances of turnover. However, there is a notable bias in emphasizing the perceived negative implications of respondents' own departures and allegedly positive effects of their predecessors' departures.

  6. The CEO's real legacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Kenneth W

    2004-11-01

    The literature on CEO succession planning is nearly unanimous in its advice: Begin early, look first inside your company for exceptional talent, see that candidates gain experience in all aspects of the business, and help them develop the skills they will need in the top job. It all makes sense and sounds pretty straightforward. Nevertheless, the list of CEOs who last no more than a few years on the job continues to grow. Implicit in many, if not all, of these unceremonious departures is the absence of an effective CEO succession plan. The problem is, most boards simply don't want to talk about CEO succession: Why rock the boat when things are going well? Why risk offending the current CEO? Meanwhile, most CEOs can't imagine that anyone could adequately replace them. In this article, Kenneth W. Freeman, the retired CEO of Quest Diagnostics, discusses his own recent handoff experience (Surya N. Mohapatra became chief executive in May 2004) and offers his approach to succession planning. He says it falls squarely on the incumbent CEO to put ego aside and initiate and actively manage the process of selecting and grooming a successor. Aggressive succession planning is one of the best ways for CEOs to ensure the long-term health of the company, he says. Plus, thinking early and often about a successor will likely improve the chief executive's performance during his tenure. Freeman advocates the textbook rules for succession planning but adds to that list a few more that apply specifically to the incumbent CEO: Insist that the board become engaged in succession planning, look for a successor who is different from you, and make the successor's success your own. After all, Freeman argues, the CEO's true legacy is determined by what happens after he leaves the corner office.

  7. An Empirical Study on Effective Tax Rate and CEO Promotion: Evidence from Local SOEs in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Wang

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the influence of effective tax payment on the CEO promotion in local State Owned Enterprise (SOE in China. Based on the analysis of listed local SOEs in China from 2004 to 2010, this paper tests the relationship between CEO promotion and tax payment. In addition, the moderating effect of pyramid layer is tested. This paper finds that there is a significant positive relationship between Effective Tax Rate (ETR and CEO promotion, which suggests that CEOs may be aggressive in tax payment to please the local governments, who ultimately own the local SOEs. The current paper also finds that the relationship between ETR and CEO promotion is weakened as pyramid layers increase. Our conclusions enrich the literature on CEO turnover and the role of pyramid structure. The conclusions are also helpful for the SOEs’ reform in China and other developing countries. First, this paper is among the first to investigate the relationship between ETR and CEO turnover. Second, this paper highlights the function of pyramid structure in mitigating government intervention. Third, this paper also adds to the research on effective tax.

  8. Voluntary transition of the CEO: owner CEOs' sense of self before, during and after transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrnes, Randy T; Taylor, Scott N

    2015-01-01

    This inductive study explores how former business owner chief executive officers (CEOs) experience sense of self during voluntary separation and transition from their company. Our inquiry engaged 16 CEOs who ran companies ranging in size from 15 to 500 employees as they detailed their stories of walking away from roles as owner CEOs. We developed a coding scheme to analyze themes manifested in the narratives. We also analyzed the former CEOs' narratives using a stage and valence model depicting both the continuum of the separation experience and the characterization of each stage as a positive or negative state of being. The diverse yet synchronous stories resulted in three implications for current owner CEOs, professionals who advise CEOs, and future research on CEOs' careers. First, the CEOs often failed to allocate sufficient time and effort to prepare for an identity shift following the sale of their company or transition into retirement. Second, the CEOs experienced a diminished sense of self and dissatisfaction with the exit event. Third, the majority of the CEOs demonstrated an ability to work through the adverse and unanticipated states of being into a positive sense of self.

  9. CEO Icon to GOP Hopeful: A Quantitative Analysis Exploring Politically Motivated Celebrity CEOs

    OpenAIRE

    Crighton, Lindsay

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the perceptions of celebrity CEOs potentially transitioning to political candidates. Using Carly Fiorina's campaign for Senator of California, this study identified how young voters perceive celebrity CEOs as politicians, their identification of celebrity CEOs, and the evaluations of CEOs and their companies. Results indicate a more favorable evaluation of Fiorina resulted in a more favorable reaction to Hewlett- Packard. Results also confirm the use of media messages to p...

  10. Ending the CEO succession crisis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charan, Ram

    2005-02-01

    The CEO succession process is broken. Many companies have no meaningful succession plans, and few of the ones that do are happy with them. CEO tenure is shrinking; in fact, two out of five CEOs fail in their first 18 months. It isn't just that more CEOs are being replaced; it's that they're being replaced badly. The problems extend to every aspect of CEO succession: internal development programs, board supervision, and outside recruitment. While many organizations do a decent job of nurturing middle managers, few have set up the comprehensive programs needed to find the half-dozen true CEO candidates out of the thousands of leaders in their midst. Even more damaging is the failure of boards to devote enough attention to succession. Search committee members often have no experience hiring CEOs; lacking guidance, they supply either the narrowest or the most general of requirements and then fail to vet eitherthe candidates or the recruiters. The result is that too often new CEOs are plucked from the well-worn Rolodexes of a remarkably small number of recruiters. These candidates may be strong in charisma but may lack critical skills or otherwise be a bad fit with the company. The resulting high turnover is particularly damaging, since outside CEOs often bring in their own teams, can cause the company to lose focus, and are especially costly to be rid of. Drawing on over 35 years of experience with CEO succession, the author explains how companies can create a deep pool of internal candidates, how boards can consistently align strategy and leadership development, and how directors can get their money's worth from recruiters. Choosing a CEO should be not one decision but an amalgam ofthousands of decisions made by many people every day over years.

  11. Does CEO compensation impact patient satisfaction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akingbola, Kunle; van den Berg, Herman A

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the relationship between CEO compensation and patient satisfaction in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this paper is to determine what impact hospital CEO compensation has on hospital patient satisfaction. The analyses in this study were based on data of 261 CEO-hospital-year observations in a sample of 103 nonprofit hospitals. A number of linear regressions were conducted, with patient satisfaction as the dependent variable and CEO compensation as the independent variable of interest. Controlling variables included hospital size, type of hospital, and frequency of adverse clinical outcomes. CEO compensation does not significantly influence hospital patient satisfaction. Both patient satisfaction and CEO compensation appear to be driven primarily by hospital size. Patient satisfaction decreases, while CEO compensation increases, with the number of acute care beds in a hospital. In addition, CEO compensation does not even appear to moderate the influence of hospital size on patient satisfaction. There are several limitations to this study. First, observations of CEO-hospital-years in which annual nominal CEO compensation was below $100,000 were excluded, as they were not publicly available. Second, this research was limited to a three-year range. Third, this study related the compensation of individual CEOs to a measure of performance based on a multitude of patient satisfaction surveys. Finally, this research is restricted to not-for-profit hospitals in Ontario, Canada. The findings seem to suggest that hospital directors seeking to improve patient satisfaction may find their efforts frustrated if they focus exclusively on the hospital CEO. The findings highlight the need for further research on how CEOs may, through leading and supporting those hospital clinicians and staff that interact more closely with patients, indirectly enhance patient satisfaction. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no research has examined the relationship between

  12. Are CEOs Different?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaplan, Steven N.; Sørensen, Morten

    also predict future career progression. Non-CEO candidates who score higher on the four factors are subsequently more likely to become CEOs. The patterns are qualitatively similar for public, private equity and venture capital owned companies. We do not find economically large differences in the four...

  13. Soapbox: Class matters in parenting interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zilberstein, Karen

    2016-07-01

    Class and income level influence parenting styles and values, yet are rarely discussed in treatment approaches and parenting interventions with families. In this soapbox article, I argue that discrepancies in outcome, retention, and participation could be fruitfully addressed through a fuller understanding of the needs, realities, and parenting goals of families struggling with financial disadvantage. I compare and contrast ethnographic studies of parenting in low socioeconomic environments with the types of strategies and interventions commonly advanced in parent training programs and suggest that clinicians must become more aware of the cultural and socioeconomic overtones of those interventions in determining whether, how, and when to use them with families. © The Author(s) 2016.

  14. Exploring Corporate Rhetoric: Metadiscourse in the CEO's Letter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyland, Ken

    1998-01-01

    Examines how metadiscourse is used to create a positive corporate image in 137 CEOs' letters, showing how CEOs use nonpropositional material to realize rational, credible, and affective appeals. Reveals the essentially rhetorical nature of CEOs' letters by comparing the frequency and distribution of metadiscourse in their letters and directors'…

  15. Do women CEOs face greater threat of shareholder activism compared to male CEOs? A role congruity perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vishal K; Han, Seonghee; Mortal, Sandra C; Silveri, Sabatino Dino; Turban, Daniel B

    2018-02-01

    We examine the glass cliff proposition that female CEOs receive more scrutiny than male CEOs, by investigating whether CEO gender is related to threats from activist investors in public firms. Activist investors are extraorganizational stakeholders who, when dissatisfied with some aspect of the way the firm is being managed, seek to change the strategy or operations of the firm. Although some have argued that women will be viewed more favorably than men in top leadership positions (so-called "female leadership" advantage logic), we build on role congruity theory to hypothesize that female CEOs are significantly more likely than male CEOs to come under threat from activist investors. Results support our predictions, suggesting that female CEOs may face additional challenges not faced by male CEOs. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. CEO Education and Corporate Environmental Footprint

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Amore, Mario Daniele; Bennedsen, Morten; Larsen, Birthe

    We analyze the effect of CEO education on environmental decision-making. Using a unique sample of Danish firms from 1996 to 2012, we find that CEO education significantly improves firms’ energy efficiency. We derive causality using health shocks: the hospitalization of highly educated CEOs induces...... a drop in energy efficiency, whereas the hospitalization of less educated CEOs does not have any significant effect. Exploring the mechanisms at play, we show that our results are driven by the length rather than the field of education. CEO education improves corporate energy efficiency through personal...... environmental awareness: highly educated CEOs exhibit greater concerns for climate change, as measured by a survey of social preferences, and drive more environmentally-efficient cars. Taken together, our findings suggest that education shapes managerial styles giving rise to greater sustainability in corporate...

  17. CEO Succession in Community Colleges: A Grounded Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkland, Travis P.

    Intended as part of a larger study of the effects of anticipated or unanticipated changes in the chief executive officer (CEO) of a community college, a case study approach was taken to gather primary data from a multi-campus, urban community college that had recently experienced a CEO succession. The study focused on the effects of the CEO change…

  18. CEO origin and accrual-based earnings management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuang, Y.F.; Qin, B.; Wielhouwer, J.

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the influence of CEO origin on accrual-based earnings management and how these effects evolve over the CEO's tenure in office. Compared with CEOs promoted from within the company, CEOs recruited from outside have a stronger incentive to demonstrate their abilities in the initial

  19. The Market for CEOs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aivazian, Varouj A.; Lai, Tat-kei; Rahaman, Mohammad M.

    2013-01-01

    We investigate empirically a market-based explanation for the rise in recent years in external CEO hiring and compensation and find, consistent with the market-based theory, that firms in industries relying on general managerial skills are more likely to hire CEOs externally than firms...

  20. CEO performance appraisal: review and recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, J F; Tyler, L; Dunbar, D M

    2001-01-01

    CEO performance appraisal (PA) is very valuable to an organization, but the chances of obtaining a PA of high quality decrease as executive responsibility increases. The realities of CEO PA are that it: (1) is inevitable; (2) is creative and complex; (3) involves politics; and (4) has a significant effect on the organization and the executive. PA is conducted for legal and social requirements, to enhance communication, to provide opportunities for improvement, and to relate performance to compensation. This article discusses several problems with chief executive officer (CEO) PA and the contemporary approaches that seek to improve it. Three fundamental areas for evaluation are identified: (1) organizational success; (2) areawide health status; and (3) professional role fulfillment. These provide an outline for successful healthcare PA. In addition to a discussion of the strategic considerations behind a successful CEO PA system, several recommendations are offered for the implementation of the annual evaluation process. The final goal of CEO PA is to link its results to CEO incentive compensation. It is strongly recommended that some portion of the CEO's salary directly hinge on his performance in two critical areas: organizational effectiveness and community health status.

  1. Promoting effect of CeO 2 on cyclohexanol conversion over CeO 2

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. CeO2-ZnO materials were prepared by amorphous citrate process and characterized by TGA, XRD, UV-DRS and surface area measurements. TGA showed that the citrate precursors decompose in the range 350-550°C producing CeO2-containing catalytic materials. XRD and DRS results indicated the formation of ...

  2. Big-five personality as a moderating variable in the relationship of CEO's perception and the compensation received toward CEO's desire to leave the company voluntarily

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindrianasari Lindrianasari

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The study aims to obtain empirical evidence for the effect of personality on the impact of compensation received by CEO in Indonesia toward CEO voluntary turnover. This study uses two sources of data, primary and secondary. The research population consists of all president directors (as a proxy of the CEOs of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The data on CEO turnover were collected manually by tracing the names of the Director stated on the company's annual report. To determine whether CEO turnover was involuntary or coercive, this research examined the growth of the company in which the CEO turnover occurred after the CEO had served a minimum of three consecutive years. Test result on the relationship between com-pensation and turnover indicates that compensation is not strong enough to explain voluntary CEO turnover. Only the control variables included in the model (earnings, returns and ROA can explain statistically the relationship between compensation and turnover. The result of these two tests (hypothesis one and two indicates that com-pensation is not strong enough to explain voluntary turnover.

  3. Earnings Management Surrounding CEO Turnover: Evidence from Korea

    OpenAIRE

    JONG-SEO CHOI; YOUNG-MIN KWAK; CHONGWOO CHOE

    2012-01-01

    This article examines the empirical relation between CEO turnover and earnings management in Korea using a sample of 317 CEO turnovers and 634 non-turnover control firms during the period of 2001-2008. We classify CEO turnovers into four types depending on whether the departure of outgoing CEO is peaceful or forced and the incoming CEO is promoted from within or recruited from outside the firm. We measure earnings management by both discretionary accruals and real activities management. We al...

  4. CEO Origin and Accrual-Based Earnings Management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuang, Y.; Qin, B.; Wielhouwer, J.L.

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the influence of CEO origin on accrual-based earnings management and how these effects evolve over the CEO’s tenure in office. Compared with CEOs promoted from within the company, CEOs recruited from outside have a stronger incentive to demonstrate their abilities in the initial

  5. CEO Interests and Concerns in Second Wave ERP

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Simonsen, Martin Lyngaa; Nielsen, Esben Toftdahl; Kræmmergaard, Pernille

    2006-01-01

    This paper is the product of a study of what top management find interesting and what is of concern to them in relation to the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in the second wave of ERP. Very little empirical research exists on the subject of the interests and concerns of CEOs in relation...... to a company's ERP System. However research into information system literature indicates that CEOs are valued as key players in the management of IT to secure that the IT strategy is aligned with the business strategy. Based on the fact that very little prior research exists on the CEOs' interests and concerns...... in relation to the ERP system in the second wave, we employed an interpretive explorative case study with a grounded approach carried out through open interviews with CEOs. The research was conducted in three mid-size Danish production companies all of which have an ERP system. The contribution of this paper...

  6. PENGGUNAAN LEVERAGE PADA PERUSAHAAN: PERBEDAAN ANTARA CEO PRIA DAN WANITA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farida Titik Kritanti

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available AbstractVarious studies show that women are more risk averse in making decisions and better long-term oriented. Women would rather risk averse than men, making it less likely they will use debt in their capital structure, since by increasing debt increases the risk of the company's financial means. This study want to test whether gender became a significant factor in financial leverage, to see whether there are differences in policy between the company's leverage, led by men and women. Financial leverage is used as a measure of corporate risk because these variables can be changed by the CEO. Data from companies listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange as sample. The results showed that there were differences in leverage between firms that have a men CEO with the women CEO of a company. Men CEO use more debt than the women CEO. But for the performance measured by ROI, obtained different results for the type of industry studied. For the consumer goods industry, there are performance differences between the men CEO and the women. But for the internet service industry and enamel kitchen showed no performance difference between women CEO with men CEO.Key words: leverage, woman CEO, man CEO, performanceAbstrakBerbagai penelitian menunjukkan bahwa wanita lebih risk averse dalam mengambil keputusan dan lebih berorientasi jangka panjang. Wanita lebih suka menolak risiko dibandingkan pria, sehingga kecil kemungkinan mereka akan menggunakan hutang dalam struktur modalnya, karena dengan menambah hutang berarti memperbesar risiko keuangan perusahaan. Penelitian ini ingin menguji apakah jender menjadi faktor yang cukup signifikan dalam financial leverage, dengan melihat apakah ada perbedaan dalam kebijakan leverage antara perusahaan yang dipimpin oleh pria dan wanita. Financial leverage dipakai sebagai ukuran risiko perusahaan karena variabel ini bisa diubah oleh CEO. Sampel menggunakan data dari perusahaan yang listed di Jakarta Stock Exchange. Hasil penelitian

  7. CEO Power, Corporate Tax Avoidance and Tax Aggressiveness

    OpenAIRE

    GATOT SOEPRIYANTO

    2017-01-01

    My thesis investigates the association between CEO power, corporate tax avoidance and tax aggressiveness, using two organizational theory perspectives: self-interest and stewardship. I find that a powerful CEO engages in less corporate tax avoidance activities, which lends credence to the risk minimization motive of the stewardship perspective. My findings on the association between CEO power and tax aggressiveness show that powerful CEOs avoid risky tax avoidance strategies that expose a fir...

  8. CEO age and gender: Subsequent market performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Eduardo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The issue of CEO age and gender vs. concurrent performance is extensively examined, but the association with subsequent performance has limited treatment in the financial literature, and with conflicting findings. In the current study, we examine the association between CEO age and gender, and subsequent company market performance using a more recent set of observations and the standard four-factor model to estimate future cumulative abnormal shareholder returns. We find that subsequent abnormal shareholder returns are marginally significantly higher for female CEOs than for their male counterparts, but no material pattern is observed between CEO age and subsequent abnormal shareholder return performance.

  9. DETERMINANTS OF INTERNAL VS. EXTERNAL CEO SUCCESSIONS IN MALAYSIAN PUBLIC LISTED COMPANIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rokiah Ishak

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Following a CEO turnover, a company may select an internal or external successor. The objective of this study is to determine if firm performance, board attributes, ownership structure and incumbent power influence the decision of whether to elect an internal or external candidate. Results from logistic regression analysis on 145 succession events over a four-year period (2002 to 2005 indicate that firms which are controlled by blockholders tend to select an outsider as the successor. Further, firms that are controlled by family members and position their former CEOs within the firms are more likely to select insiders as successors. However, firm performance, board composition, CEO duality and turnover type do not affect the selection choice. This study implies that poor firm performance does not necessarily lead to outside CEO selection choice. Further, boards of Malaysian PLCs are not effective in choosing outsiders as successors as both board composition and CEO duality do not necessarily select outsiders to become new CEOs. Another implication of this study is that former CEOs who continue their directorship in the same companies do have some power in naming new CEOs as the former tend to select insiders as successors.

  10. IT Decision Making in German Hospitals - Do CEOs Open the Black Box?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thye, Johannes; Hübner, Ursula; Hüsers, Jens; Babitsch, Birgit

    2017-01-01

    Health IT and communication systems are indispensable in German hospitals for clinical as well as administrative process support. However, IT is often regarded as a "black box" for hospital CEOs. Thus, the question arises how can CEOs decide if they do not know what is in the box? In order to answer this question, half-structured interviews with 14 German hospital CEOs were conducted. They revealed three principle decision processes: the supported decision, the joint decision and the corporate level decision. In all cases, the hospital CEO and the CIO interacted to reach the final decision, most strongly in the joint decision mode and least strongly in the corporate decision mode. Only the joint decision mode definitely forced the CEO to open the "black box" of IT. In the era of digitalisation, however, CEOs must develop better competencies to decide over complex matters.

  11. Room-temperature ferromagnetism in pure and Co doped CeO2 powders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Qiye; Zhang Huaiwu; Song Yuanqiang; Yang Qinghui; Zhu Hao; Xiao, John Q

    2007-01-01

    We report the room-temperature (RT) ferromagnetism (FM) observed in pure and Co doped CeO 2 powder. An insulating nonmagnetic CeO 2 single crystal, after grinding into fine powder, shows an RT-FM with a small magnetization of 0.0045 emu g -1 . However, the CeO 2 powder became paramagnetic after oxygen annealing, which strongly suggests an oxygen vacancy meditated FM ordering. Furthermore, by doping Co into CeO 2 powder the FM can significantly enhance through a F-centre exchange (FCE) coupling mechanism, in which both oxygen vacancies and magnetic ions are involved. As the Co content increases, the FM of Co doped CeO 2 initially increases to a maximum 0.47 emu g -1 , and then degrades very quickly. The complex correlation between the Co content and saturation magnetization was well interpreted by supposing the coexistence of three subsets of Co ions in CeO 2 . Our results reveal that the large RT-FM observed in Co doped CeO 2 powder originates from a combination effect of oxygen vacancies and transition metal doping

  12. CeO2-ZrO2 ceramic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melo, F.C.L.; Cairo, C.A.C.; Devezas, T.C.; Nono, M.C.A.

    1988-01-01

    In order to study the mechanical properties of tetragonal polycrystal zirconia stabilized with ceria various powder compositions with different CeO 2 content were made. Modulus of rupture for those compounds was measured. Tetragonal retained phase was determined for samples of CeO 2 -ZrO 2 ceramics with and without superficial mechanical treatment. The experimental results allowed us to evaluate the effects of CeO 2 content and sintering temperature in the mechanical properties and tetragonal transformed phase (t→ m) in ceramics of CeO 2 -ZrO 2 systems. (author) [pt

  13. Language Choices of CEOs of Chinese Family Business in Sarawak, Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ting, Su-Hie

    2017-01-01

    The study investigated the language choices of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Chinese family business and the factors guiding their choices. Interviews were conducted with 17 CEOs of family businesses located in Sarawak, some of whom are the sons and grandsons of the founder of the business. The results showed that all the CEOs can speak their…

  14. Implementing healthcare excellence: the vital role of the CEO in evidence-based design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimring, Craig; Augenbroe, Godfried L; Malone, Eileen B; Sadler, Blair L

    2008-01-01

    This paper explores the role of the chief executive officer (CEO) in evidence-based design (EBD), discussing the internal and external challenges that a CEO faces, such as demands for increased quality, safety, patient-and-family-centeredness, increased revenue, and reduced cost. Based on a series of interviews and case studies and the experience of the authors as researchers, consultants, and CEOs, this paper provides a model for EBD and recommends actions that a CEO can undertake to create an effective project over the life cycle of a building. TOPICAL HEADINGS: Evidence-Based Design: A Performance-Based Approach to Achieving Key Goals; Key Approaches to Executing Evidence-Based Design; Overcoming Barriers to Innovation: The CEO's Vital Role in Implementing Evidence-Based Design The CEO bears special responsibility for successful facility project implementation. Only the CEO possesses the responsibility and authority to articulate the strategy, vision, goals, and resource constraints that frame every project. With the support of their boards, CEOs set the stage for the transformation of an organization's culture and fuel clinical and business process reengineering by encouraging and, if necessary, forcing collaboration between the strong disciplinary and departmental divisions found in healthcare systems.

  15. The relationship between virtuous CEOs and corporate social responsibility

    OpenAIRE

    Frende Vega, María de los Ángeles; Carmelo Ordaz, Carmen; Ruiz Navarro, José

    2014-01-01

    This study tests the effects of virtuous CEOs on corporate social responsibility views (narrow vs broad). Using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique, we find that virtuous CEOs correlated positively with a broad view of corporate social responsibility (CSR). We also examine the moderating role the board of directors plays in the relationship between virtuous CEOs and CSR but finds no positive association. Our results indicate that CEOs matter and that their virtuous values may be a m...

  16. Facile hydrothermal synthesis of CeO 2 nanopebbles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanopebbles have been synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy analyses confirm the presence of CeO2 nanopebbles. XRD shows the formation of cubic fluorite CeO2 and the average particle size estimated from the ...

  17. CEOs make the most of trustees' business acumen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koska, M T

    1990-06-05

    CEOs now recognize that the business expertise of board members is a valuable resource that needs to be tapped. So, in an effort to develop the best possible response to an increasingly complex business environment, a growing number of CEOs are asking their boards to play a key role in strategic planning. And when the strategic plan is a joint effort, the CEO is less likely to be blamed if the plan fails. The strategic planning process is not always a smooth operation, say executives. Corporate and individual hospital boards have different perspectives and are not always on the same wavelength, which may leave the CEO caught in the middle. At the community level, developing a shared vision with the trustees is a time-consuming task. And in those communities where physicians are viewed as competitors, the CEO may find it tough to convince trustees that physicians must be part of an integrated plan.

  18. Heteroaggregation, transformation and fate of CeO2 nanoparticles in wastewater treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barton, Lauren E.; Auffan, Melanie; Olivi, Luca; Bottero, Jean-Yves; Wiesner, Mark R.

    2015-01-01

    Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are a key pathway by which nanoparticles (NPs) enter the environment following release from NP-enabled products. This work considers the fate and exposure of CeO 2 NPs in WWTPs in a two-step process of heteroaggregation with bacteria followed by the subsequent reduction of Ce(IV) to Ce(III). Measurements of NP association with solids in sludge were combined with experimental estimates of reduction rate constants for CeO 2 NPs in Monte Carlo simulations to predict the concentrations and speciation of Ce in WWTP effluents and biosolids. Experiments indicated preferential accumulation of CeO 2 NPs in biosolids where reductive transformation would occur. Surface functionalization was observed to impact both the distribution coefficient and the rates of transformation. The relative affinity of CeO 2 NPs for bacterial suspensions in sludge appears to explain differences in the observed rates of Ce reduction for the two types of CeO 2 NPs studied. - Highlights: • We combine experimental and computational methods to track CeO 2 NPs through WWTPs. • We investigate the importance of environmental transformations on NP exposure. • We estimate the concentrations of CeO 2 NPs and reductive transformation byproducts. - CeO 2 nanoparticles that are released to the waste stream will preferentially associate with the solid phase (∼96%), where they will undergo significant transformation (∼50%)

  19. Hospital CEOs Need Health IT Knowledge and Trust in CIOs: Insights from a Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thye, Johannes; Hübner, Ursula; Weiß, Jan-Patrick; Teuteberg, Frank; Hüsers, Jens; Liebe, Jan-David; Babitsch, Birgit

    2018-01-01

    IT is getting an increasing importance in hospitals. In this context, major IT decisions are often made by CEOs who are not necessarily IT experts. Therefore, this study aimed at a) exploring different types of IT decision makers at CEO level, b) identifying hypotheses if trust exists between these different types of CEOs and their CIOs and c) building hypotheses on potential consequences regarding risk taking and innovation. To this end, 14 qualitative interviews with German hospital CEOs were conducted to explore the research questions. The study revealed three major types: IT savvy CEOs, IT enthusiastic CEOs and IT indifferent CEOs. Depending on these types, their relationship with the CIO varied in terms of trust and common language. In case of IT indifferent CEOs, a potential vicious circle of lack of IT knowledge, missing trust, low willingness to take risks and low innovation power could be identified. In order to break of this circle, CEOs seem to need more IT knowledge and/or greater trust in their CIO.

  20. Financial indicators of company performance in different industries that affect CEO remuneration in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Bussin

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available In an attempt to address the growing gap between chief executive officer (CEO remuneration and that of the general worker, reign in rising CEO remuneration, and justify the portion of long-term incentive pay that makes up the bulk of CEO remuneration, shareholders and other stakeholders are trying to find definitive factors that will link CEO remuneration to company performance. Finding this link has become central to all executive remuneration issues. The results of the studies linking CEO remuneration to company performance are varied and inconclusive, particularly in South Africa. The reason for this is that previous studies have not looked at whether the company performance measures chosen have definite relationships with CEO remuneration in each industry. This study investigated eleven financial indicators of company performance to determine which of them have significant and positive relationships to CEO remuneration in different industries in South Africa. 254 South African listed companies, spread over 5 industries, were analysed for the period 2008 to 2012 using panel data analysis and statistical tests. The results were conclusive, finding performance metrics that had a positive and significant relationship to CEO remuneration in 4 of the 5 industries investigated, as well as over the aggregate of all the industries.

  1. CEO Compensation and Disclosure Policy

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Weijia; Zhang, Kun

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between CEO compensation and disclosure policy related to corporate governance information within S&P 500 index. Our sample consists of 456 companies for the period from 2005 to 2015. Most previous researchers mainly put their attention on various corporate governance characteristics such as board size, board independence, and executive ownership when analysing CEO compensation. Our paper extends the previous study by dividing corporate governance into...

  2. Corporate governance and CEO pay: Evidence from UK Travel and Leisure listed firms

    OpenAIRE

    Al-Najjar, Basil

    2017-01-01

    This paper investigates from the UK context, the impact of board and CEO characteristics on CEO compensation in Travel and Leisure firms. Namely we employ, board size, board independence and board meetings to reflect board characteristics. We also include two CEO features, CEO tenure and CEO age into our models. Using panel data analysis, the findings in this paper indicate that board size, board independence and CEO age are important factors affecting CEO pay. In addition, we report a positi...

  3. CEO compensation, family control, and institutional investors in Continental Europe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Croci, Ettore; Gonenc, Halit; Ozkan, Neslihan

    2012-01-01

    This paper investigates the impact of family control and institutional investors on CEO pay packages in Continental Europe, using a dataset of 754 listed firms with 3731 firm-year observations from 14 countries during 2001-2008. We find that family control curbs the level of CEO total and cash

  4. Intervention in Lower-class Surinam-Dutch Families : Effects on Mothers and Infants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riksen-Walraven, J Marianne; Meij, Johannes Th; Hubbard, Frans O.; Zevalkink, D.J.

    1996-01-01

    Thirty-seven Surinam-Dutch lower-class families with a one-year-old child participated in "Instapje", a parent-focused home-based intervention programme. The intervention was devised to improve quality of parental support to the child on four behavioural dimensions: supportive presence, respect for

  5. CEOs´ monetary incentives and performance of Mexican firms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Watkins-Fassler

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyzes if changes in CEO remuneration and the execution of CEO stock options impact firm performance, under an emerging market context. Data is obtained from 88 non-financial companies listed in the Mexican Stock Exchange (2001-2012. A dynamic panel specification is employed, and regressions are run through the Generalized Method of Moments. Some evidence is found on the negative relationship between flat monetary incentives and Mexican firm performance, specifically for normal times. In addition, financial incentives based on results (particularly CEO stock options do not imply higher firm performance. Results suggest that companies in particular contexts should move towards the development of CEOs, more than promoting mostly monetary incentives for boosting firm performance. Companies operating in Mexico will gain from hiring intrinsically motivated CEOs, together with testing different extrinsic rewards (neither flat nor stock options in order to attain additive effects on intrinsic motivation.

  6. Check Your SLANT: Adapting Self-Management for Use as a Class-Wide Intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briesch, Amy M.; Hemphill, Elizabeth; Daniels, Brian

    2013-01-01

    Class-wide interventions have been effectively used as a primary level of support to increase student engagement, but the management of these interventions can quickly become burdensome for busy classroom teachers. To address this problem, this study combined a class-wide self-management intervention, in which the students were responsible for…

  7. WCDRR and the CEOS activities on disaters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petiteville, I.; Ishida, C.; Danzeglocke, J.; Eddy, A.; Gaetani, F.; Frye, S.; Kuligowski, B.; Zoffoli, S.; Poland, M.; Jones, B.

    2015-04-01

    Agencies from CEOS (Committee on Earth Observation Satellites) have traditionally focused their efforts on the response phase. Rapid urbanization and increased severity of weather events has led to growing economic and human losses from disasters, requiring international organisations to act now in all disaster risk management (DRM) phases, especially through improved disaster risk reduction policies and programmes. As part of this effort, CEOS agencies have initiated a series of actions aimed at fostering the use of Earth observation (EO) data to support disaster risk reduction and at raising the awareness of policy and decision-makers and major stakeholders of the benefits of using satellite EO in all phases of DRM. CEOS is developing a long-term vision for sustainable application of satellite EO to all phases of DRM. CEOS is collaborating with regional representatives of the DRM user community, on a multi-hazard project involving three thematic pilots (floods, seismic hazards and volcanoes) and a Recovery Observatory that supports resilient recovery from one major disaster. These pilot activities are meant as trail blazers that demonstrate the potential offered by satellite EO for comprehensive DRM. In the framework of the 2015 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), the CEOS space agencies intend to partner with major stakeholders, including UN organizations, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), international relief agencies, leading development banks, and leading regional DRM organisations, to define and implement a 15-year plan of actions (2015- 2030) that responds to high-level Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction priorities. This plan of action will take into account lessons learned from the CEOS pilot activities.

  8. CEO Sites Mission Management System (SMMS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trenchard, Mike

    2014-01-01

    Late in fiscal year 2011, the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) team was tasked to upgrade its science site database management tool, which at the time was integrated with the Automated Mission Planning System (AMPS) originally developed for Earth Observations mission planning in the 1980s. Although AMPS had been adapted and was reliably used by CEO for International Space Station (ISS) payload operations support, the database structure was dated, and the compiler required for modifications would not be supported in the Windows 7 64-bit operating system scheduled for implementation the following year. The Sites Mission Management System (SMMS) is now the tool used by CEO to manage a heritage Structured Query Language (SQL) database of more than 2,000 records for Earth science sites. SMMS is a carefully designed and crafted in-house software package with complete and detailed help files available for the user and meticulous internal documentation for future modifications. It was delivered in February 2012 for test and evaluation. Following acceptance, it was implemented for CEO mission operations support in April 2012. The database spans the period from the earliest systematic requests for astronaut photography during the shuttle era to current ISS mission support of the CEO science payload. Besides logging basic image information (site names, locations, broad application categories, and mission requests), the upgraded database management tool now tracks dates of creation, modification, and activation; imagery acquired in response to requests; the status and location of ancillary site information; and affiliations with studies, their sponsors, and collaborators. SMMS was designed to facilitate overall mission planning in terms of site selection and activation and provide the necessary site parameters for the Satellite Tool Kit (STK) Integrated Message Production List Editor (SIMPLE), which is used by CEO operations to perform daily ISS mission planning. The CEO team

  9. Experimental evidence for self-assembly of CeO2 particles in solution: Formation of single-crystalline porous CeO2 nanocrystals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tan, Hui Ru; Tan, Joyce Pei Ying; Boothroyd, Chris

    2012-01-01

    Single-crystalline porous CeO2 nanocrystals, with sizes of ∼20 nm and pore diameters of 1-2 nm, were synthesized successfully using a hydrothermal method. Using electron tomography, we imaged the three-dimensional structure of the pores in the nanocrystals and found that the oriented aggregation ...... energy-loss spectroscopy. The oxygen vacancies might play an important role in oxygen diffusion in the crystals and the catalytic activities of single-crystalline porous CeO 2 structures. © 2011 American Chemical Society....

  10. Vice President of Medical Affairs--moving on up to CEO?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyler, J L

    1999-01-01

    Increasingly, physician executives are reaching the conclusion that if they choose, they may be viable candidates for CEO positions. While this opinion has merit, it must be tempered by marketplace realities. A fundamental issue for VPMAs aspiring to become CEOs is that they have little formalized training or education for CEO roles. Also, they may lack team-building skills--a critical success factor. Physician executives who seek out professional development opportunities that enhance both their interpersonal/management and "business" skills--accounting, finance, and planning--are more likely to be attractive candidates and succeed once they are in the position. Another consideration is that the CEO position usually has a precursor role--the COO. This position is the training ground for the CEO. Physician executives aspiring to be CEO will want to consider the following suggestions: (1) Make your intentions known; (2) groom your successor; (3) request a title change; (4) get your master's degree; (5) pursue professional development opportunities; (6) consider leaving the organization; and (7) talk with your family.

  11. Gender Differences in Hospital CEO Compensation: A National Investigation of Not-for-Profit Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Paula H; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Toth, Matthew; Singh, Simone R; Young, Gary J

    2018-01-01

    Gender pay equity is a desirable social value and an important strategy to fill every organizational stratum with gender-diverse talent to fulfill an organization's goals and mission. This study used national, large-sample data to examine gender difference in CEO compensation among not-for-profit hospitals. Results showed the average unadjusted annual compensation for female CEOs in 2009 was $425,085 compared with $581,121 for male CEOs. With few exceptions, the difference existed across all types of not-for-profit hospitals. After controlling for hospital- and area-level characteristics, female CEOs of not-for-profit hospitals earned 22.6% less than male CEOs of not-for-profit hospitals. This translates into an earnings differential of $132,652 associated with gender. Explanations and implications of the results are discussed.

  12. Facile hydrothermal synthesis of CeO2 nanopebbles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    However, to the best of our knowledge the reports on the synthesis of CeO2 ... The base pressure of the XAS chamber was in the range of 10–8 Pa. A Shimadzu ... scopy was investigated to confirm the crystalline quality of CeO2 nanopebbles.

  13. F-centre luminescence in nanocrystalline CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aškrabić, S; Dohčević-Mitrović, Z D; Araújo, V D; Ionita, G; De Lima, M M Jr; Cantarero, A

    2013-01-01

    Nanocrystalline CeO 2 powders were synthesized by two cost-effective methods: the self-propagating room temperature (SPRT) method and the precipitation method. Differently prepared samples exhibited different temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) in the ultraviolet and visible regions. The PL signals originated from different kinds of oxygen-deficient defect centres with or without trapped electrons (F 0 , F + or F ++ centres). The temperature-dependent PL spectra were measured using different excitation lines, below (457, 488 and 514 nm) or comparable (325 nm) to the ceria optical band gap energy, in order to investigate the positions of intragap localized defect states. Evidence for the presence of F + centres was supported by the signals observed in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements. Based on PL and EPR measurements it was shown that F + centres dominate in the CeO 2 sample synthesized by the SPRT method, whereas F 0 centres are the major defects in the CeO 2 sample synthesized by the precipitation method. The luminescence from F ++ states, as shallow trap states, was registered in both samples. Energy level positions of these defect states in the ceria band gap were proposed. (paper)

  14. F-centre luminescence in nanocrystalline CeO2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aškrabić, S.; Dohčević-Mitrović, Z. D.; Araújo, V. D.; Ionita, G.; de Lima, M. M., Jr.; Cantarero, A.

    2013-12-01

    Nanocrystalline CeO2 powders were synthesized by two cost-effective methods: the self-propagating room temperature (SPRT) method and the precipitation method. Differently prepared samples exhibited different temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) in the ultraviolet and visible regions. The PL signals originated from different kinds of oxygen-deficient defect centres with or without trapped electrons (F0, F+ or F++ centres). The temperature-dependent PL spectra were measured using different excitation lines, below (457, 488 and 514 nm) or comparable (325 nm) to the ceria optical band gap energy, in order to investigate the positions of intragap localized defect states. Evidence for the presence of F+ centres was supported by the signals observed in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements. Based on PL and EPR measurements it was shown that F+ centres dominate in the CeO2 sample synthesized by the SPRT method, whereas F0 centres are the major defects in the CeO2 sample synthesized by the precipitation method. The luminescence from F++ states, as shallow trap states, was registered in both samples. Energy level positions of these defect states in the ceria band gap were proposed.

  15. Homogeneously dispersed CeO2 nanoparticles on exfoliated hexaniobate nanosheets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marques, Thalles M. F.; Strayer, Megan E.; Ghosh, Anupama; Silva, Alexandre; Ferreira, Odair P.; Fujisawa, Kazunori; Alves da Cunha, Jose R.; Abreu, Guilherme J. P.; Terrones, Mauricio; Mallouk, Thomas E.; Viana, Bartolomeu C.

    2017-12-01

    Hexaniobate nanosheets derived from the parent compound K4Nb6O17 have been decorated with CeO2 nanoparticles by ion exchange with aqueous cerium (IV) solution. Very homogeneous CeO2 nanoparticle decoration of the hexaniobate sheets can be achieved by this method and the resulting composites may absorb visible light. HRTEM images show that ∼3.0 nm diameter CeO2 nanoparticles adhere to hexaniobate nanosheets that are exfoliated and then restacked prior to Ce deposition. The interfacial interaction between CeO2 nanoparticles and nanosheets would be due to an electrostatic attraction mechanism. Raman and XRD measurements have given strong evidence that CeO2 nanoparticles have fluorite structure. EDS, FTIR and XPS results suggest almost complete exchange of TBA+ and K+ by Ce4+. Cerium ion exchange on the acid exchanged parent compound, H2.9K1.1Nb6O17, revealed that the extent of Ce ion exchange is much greater in case of nanosheets, which may be rationalized by the larger surface area available after exfoliation. XPS measurements show that the ratio of Ce4+/Ce3+ is around 4.4, in agreement with the formation of fluorite structure (CeO2). Thus, these CeO2 nanoparticle/nanosheet composites may be useful for catalytic processes.

  16. China Mobile Phone Industry CEO Annual Meeting Opening in November

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2006-01-01

    @@ 2006 China Mobile Phone Industry CEO Annual Meeting (www.cmqc.org.cn) will open at Beijing State Guest Hotel On November 1. By that time, over 300 CEO will gather there to contend about the theme of this annual meeting "The World Competitiveness of China Mobile Industry Right Territory", view the unforgettable evening of "2006 Wisdom Sharing Brainstorming, 2007 Perspective Plan Hand in Hand".

  17. CEO risk-taking incentives and socially irresponsible activities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouslah, Kais; Linares-Zegarra, José; M'Zali, Bouchra; Scholtens, Bert

    2018-01-01

    This study examines the relationship between CEO risk-taking incentives, measured by the sensitivity of CEO wealth held in options to a change in stock return volatility or Vega, and socially irresponsible activities using a large sample of U.S. firms during the period 1992–2012. Our results for the

  18. Are CEOs Different?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaplan, Steven N.; Sørensen, Morten

    We use a dataset of over 2,600 executive assessments to study thirty individual characteristics ofcandidates for top executive positions – CEO, CFO, COO and others. We classify the thirtycandidate characteristics with four primary factors: general ability, execution vs. interpersonal,charisma vs....

  19. Equal Opportunity? Gender Gaps in CEO Appointments and Executive Pay

    OpenAIRE

    Keloharju, Matti; Knüpfer, Samuli; Tåg, Joacim

    2016-01-01

    This paper uses exceptionally rich data on Swedish corporate executives and their personal characteristics to study gender gaps in CEO appointments and pay. Both gaps are sizeable: 18% for CEO appointments and 27% for pay. At most one-eight of the gaps can be attributed to observable gender differences in executives' and their firms' characteristics. Further tests suggest that unobservable gender differences in characteristics are unlikely to account for the remaining gaps. Instead, our resul...

  20. CEO perceptions of competition--and strategic response in hospital markets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, J A; Burns, L R; Morrisey, M A; Johnson, V

    2001-06-01

    Physician-organization integration (POI) has emerged as a key issue for hospitals and health systems seeking to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of care. Although competition and managed care are often cited as primary market drivers of the adoption of POI strategies, prior research has shown only weak associations between these market attributes and POI. This article argues that the role of key organizational decision makers has not been adequately accounted for in explaining strategic change. The study examines the role of hospital CEO perceptions of competition in predicting the adoption of five different approaches to POI. CEO perceptions of general market competition are explained by a combination of market and organizational attributes. Furthermore, when controlling for objective characteristics of the environment and organization, CEO perceptions of competition have consistent, statistically significant associations with four of five measures of POI examined.

  1. Are CEOs Different?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaplan, Steven N.; Sørensen, Morten

    We use a data set of over 2,600 executive assessments to study thirty individual characteristics of candidates for top executive positions – CEO, CFO, COO and others. Candidate characteristics can be classified by four primary factors: general ability, execution skills, charisma and strategic ski...

  2. Corporate governance mechanisms in family firms: Evidence from CEO turnovers

    OpenAIRE

    González, Maximiliano; Guzmán, Alexander; Pombo, Carlos; Trujillo, María Andréa

    2013-01-01

    Research Question/Issue: How sensitive is CEO turnover to firm performance in the context of family firms? Research Findings/Insights: Using a detailed database of mostly non-listed Colombian firms, we found that family ownership (direct and indirect through pyramidal structures) reduces the probability of CEO turnover when financial performance has been poor; however, we found that the opposite effect is true when families participate actively on the board of directors. These results hold tr...

  3. How CEOs use management information systems for strategy implementation in hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naranjo-Gil, David; Hartmann, Frank

    2007-04-01

    Institutional and market changes seem to force hospitals across the Western world to revitalize their corporate strategies towards more cost efficiency on the one hand, and more flexibility towards customer demands on the other hand. Hospitals, however, apparently differ in the extent to which they are able to implement such strategies effectively. This paper explores whether these different levels of effectiveness depend on how hospitals' top managers' use of the available management information systems (MIS). Based on data obtained from the 218 CEOs of public hospitals in Spain, we analyze how CEOs' professional and educational backgrounds affect their use of MIS, and how the use of the MIS subsequently supports or inhibits the implementation of these strategic goals. The results indicate that CEOs with a predominant clinical background focus more on non-financial information for decision-making and prefer an interactive style of using MIS, which together support flexibility strategies. CEOs with a predominant administrative background seem more effective in establishing cost-reduction strategies, through their larger inclination to emphasize financial information in combination with a diagnostic use of the MIS. Implications for the strategic management of hospitals are outlined.

  4. Effects of Surfactants on the Performance of CeO2 Humidity Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunjie Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanosized CeO2 powders were synthesized via hydrothermal method with different types of surfactants (polyethylene glycol (PEG, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB, and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to characterize the phase structures and morphologies of the products. The sample with CTAB as surfactant (CeO2-C has the largest specific surface area and the smallest particle size among these three samples. The humidity sensor fabricated by CeO2-C shows higher performance than those used CeO2-P and CeO2-S. The impedance of the CeO2-C sensor decreases by about five orders of magnitude with relative humidity (RH changing from 15.7 to 95%. The response and recovery time are 7 and 7 s, respectively. These results indicate that the performance of CeO2 humidity sensors can be improved effectively by the addition of cationic surfactant.

  5. Modelling of volumetric properties of binary and ternary mixtures by CEOS, CEOS/GE and empirical models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BOJAN D. DJORDJEVIC

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Although many cubic equations of state coupled with van der Waals-one fluid mixing rules including temperature dependent interaction parameters are sufficient for representing phase equilibria and excess properties (excess molar enthalpy HE, excess molar volume VE, etc., difficulties appear in the correlation and prediction of thermodynamic properties of complex mixtures at various temperature and pressure ranges. Great progress has been made by a new approach based on CEOS/GE models. This paper reviews the last six-year of progress achieved in modelling of the volumetric properties for complex binary and ternary systems of non-electrolytes by the CEOS and CEOS/GE approaches. In addition, the vdW1 and TCBT models were used to estimate the excess molar volume VE of ternary systems methanol + chloroform + benzene and 1-propanol + chloroform + benzene, as well as the corresponding binaries methanol + chloroform, chloroform + benzene, 1-propanol + chloroform and 1-propanol + benzene at 288.15–313.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Also, prediction of VE for both ternaries by empirical models (Radojković, Kohler, Jackob–Fitzner, Colinet, Tsao–Smith, Toop, Scatchard, Rastogi was performed.

  6. Poison pills and CEOs: The résumé matters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douglas Sanford Jr.

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Previous research has linked poison pill to corporate governance characteristics such as ownership structure and board composition while overlooking the attributes of top managers involved in poison pill decision. Based on upper echelons perspective, we changed the focus by investigating the effect of CEO characteristics on poison pills, as measured by age, business education, and outside directorships. Using a sample of Fortune 500 manufacturing firms, we found that CEO business education is positively associated with poison pills, while CEOs’ outside directorships are negatively associated with poison pills. Furthermore, we found that CEO duality moderates the relationship between CEO business education and poison pills. We make implications for both corporate governance research and managerial practices regarding firms’ anti-takeover provisions.

  7. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maensiri, Santi; Phokha, Sumalin; Laokul, Paveena; Seraphin, Supapan

    2009-11-01

    RT ferromagnetism was observed in nanoparticles of Fe-doped CeO2 (i.e., Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2) synthesized by a sol-gel method. The undoped and Fe-doped CeO2 were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, and VSM. The undoped samples and Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 precursor exhibit a diamagnetic behavior. The 673 K-calcined Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 sample is paramagnetic whereas 773 and 873 K-calcined Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 samples are ferromagnetism having the magnetizations of 4.65 x 10(-3) emu/g and 6.20 x 10(-3) emu/g at 10 kOe, respectively. Our results indicate that the ferromagnetic property is intrinsic to the Fe-doped CeO2 system and is not a result of any secondary magnetic phase or cluster formation.

  8. Highly porous CeO2 nanostructures prepared via combustion synthesis for supercapacitor applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kadirvelayutham, Prasanna; Santhoshkumar, P.; Jo, Yong Nam

    2017-01-01

    We report highly porous CeO2 nanostructures (CeO2 NSs) suitable for supercapacitor applications, synthesized using a fast and cost effective combustion approach. Due to its prominent valence states of Ce3+/Ce4+, CeO2 has emerged as a promising pseudocapacitive material. The drawback of using CeO2...... as a supercapacitor electrode is its poor electrical conductivity. We overcame this drawback of CeO2 by creating oxygen vacancies on its surface, which act to enhance its electrical conductivity. The physical interpretation of the as-synthesized CeO2 NSs shows that they have dense active sites and diffusion pathways...... that enhance the performance of the electrode in a supercapacitor. Electrodes prepared using the synthesized CeO2 NSs exhibited the initial specific capacitance of 134.6 F g-1 and superior cycling stability of 92.5% after 1000 cycles at a constant current density of 1 A g-1, indicating their potential...

  9. Maximizing Your Grant Development: A Guide for CEOs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Thomas

    1993-01-01

    Since most private and public sources of external funding generally expect increased effort and accountability, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) at two-year colleges must inform faculty and staff that if they do not expend extra effort their college will not receive significant grants. The CEO must also work with the college's professional…

  10. Preparation of Mn doped CeO_2 nanoparticles with enhanced ferromagnetism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravi, S.; Winfred Shashikanth, F.

    2017-01-01

    Spherical-like CeO_2 and Mn-doped CeO_2 using 6-aminohexanoic acid as surfactant exhibit enhanced ferromagnetism. The optical absorption spectra reveal a red shift with a band gap of 2.51 eV. The mechanics of ferromagnetism and the red shift were analyzed. These results provide a promising platform for developing a dilute magnetic semiconductor in spintronics. - Highlights: • Pure and Mn-doped CeO_2 is prepared with aminohexanoic acid as capping. • They exhibit wide optical absorption with red-shift in their band gap. • Mn-doped CeO_2 nanoparticle exhibit hysteresis at room temperature. • Results were promising to use in spintronics and opto-electronics field.

  11. Optical properties of CeO 2 thin films

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Cerium oxide (CeO2) thin films have been prepared by electron beam evaporation technique onto glass substrate at a pressure of about 6 × 10-6 Torr. The thickness of CeO2 films ranges from 140–180 nm. The optical properties of cerium oxide films are studied in the wavelength range of 200–850 nm. The film is highly ...

  12. Views of CEOs on Firm Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dario Berginc

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Researching the managerial perspective of performance can contribute to a better understanding of firm performance, and offer a valuable contribution to research on objective performance measurement. The aim of this article is to examine how managers evaluate firm performance and which factors, in their opinion, have the biggest influence on performance. We particularly wanted to investigate the influence of top management and owners on firm performance. We conducted a qualitative study among the CEOs of some of the most successful Slovenian firms. The results show that CEOs connect positive performance with long-term growth and satisfying the needs of key stakeholders (employees, customers and owners, but short-term positive financial performance represents the basic foundation. The second most important factor is a united top management, capable of generating new ideas and acting as a role model to employees. This can lead to a higher degree of engagement by employees and a better understanding of the firm's goals. Owners can contribute to a positive firm performance with their active, strategic and long-term orientation, and with their ability to set clear goals and to trust top management in the long run. Another important factor that influences firm performance is the ownership structure. In the opinion of CEOs, dominant and private ownership has a more positive impact on firm performance than dispersed and state ownership. The present research findings provide several examples of good and bad practice, and highlight opportunities for further research, from an in-depth study of individual factors of firm performance to the search for a more comprehensive model of performance factors, based on a larger sample of CEOs and other managers.

  13. Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Systems Engineering Office (SEO). Ocean Surface Topography (OST) Workshop, Ruedesheim an Rhein, Germany. [CEOS SEO Status Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killough, Brian D., Jr.

    2008-01-01

    The CEOS Systems Engineering Office will present a 2007 status report of the CEOS constellation process, present a new systems engineering framework, and analysis results from the GEO Societal Benefit Area (SBA) assessment and the OST constellation requirements assessment.

  14. Facile preparation of self-healing superhydrophobic CeO2 surface by electrochemical processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakayama, Katsutoshi; Hiraga, Takuya; Zhu, Chunyu; Tsuji, Etsushi; Aoki, Yoshitaka; Habazaki, Hiroki

    2017-11-01

    Herein we report simple electrochemical processes to fabricate a self-healing superhydrophobic CeO2 coating on Type 304 stainless steel. The CeO2 surface anodically deposited on flat stainless steel surface is hydrophilic, although high temperature-sintered and sputter-deposited CeO2 surface was reported to be hydrophobic. The anodically deposited hydrophilic CeO2 surface is transformed to hydrophobic during air exposure. Specific accumulation of contaminant hydrocarbon on the CeO2 surface is responsible for the transformation to hydrophobic state. The deposition of CeO2 on hierarchically rough stainless steel surface produces superhydrophobic CeO2 surface, which also shows self-healing ability; the surface changes to superhydrophilic after oxygen plasma treatment but superhydrophobic state is recovered repeatedly by air exposure. This work provides a facile method for preparing a self-healing superhydrophobic surface using practical electrochemical processes.

  15. The Impact of Taxes on Competition for CEOs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krenn, Peter

    2017-07-03

    This paper contributes to the question of how taxation of corporate profits and wages affects competition among firms for highly skilled human resources such as CEOs. Use of a theoretical model shows that wage taxes can have a substantial impact on the outcome of such a competition if marginal tax rates are different as in an international labor market. Further, the paper shows that increasing the wage tax rate unilaterally can have an ambiguous effect on observed gross compensation levels. However, in a local labor market for CEOs, observed gross fixed salaries should decline in the wage tax rate. Tax effects in a market for CEOs is a particularly interesting topic because recent developments with respect to compensation practices of top-level managers have opened a public debate about the use of instruments for regulating compensation of those managers. Furthermore, many countries around the world use tax incentives in order to facilitate immigration of highly skilled human resources. The investigation follows an analytical economics-based approach by extending an LEN model with elements of competition for scarce human resources and income taxation. It investigates the impact of differential taxation on the competition between two firms for the exclusive service of a unique, highly skilled CEO.

  16. Firm performance: The role of CEOs' emotional and cognitive characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kleanthis K. Katsaros

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The paper examines the relationships between CEOs’ personal traits, emotions, attitudes and tolerance of ambiguity; and subsequently, the influence of CEOs’ ambiguity tolerance in firms' performance. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 256 ICT firms established in Greece. Their CEOs completed questionnaires examining TOA, personal traits, emotions and attitudes in the workplace. Principal components analysis and ordinary least-squares regressions were used to explore the hypotheses of the paper. Findings – Three factors characterize CEOs' emotions, namely pleasure, dominance and arousal; two factors their involvement, namely importance and interest; and, respectively, one their emotional intelligence namely, empathy/handling relationships. Further, locus of control; importance; arousal; empathy/handling relationships and interest affect decisively CEOs' tolerance of ambiguity, which in turn, seems to influence positively firms' performance. Research limitations/implications – Further research is required in Greek ICT industry regarding the influence of CEOs' emotional and cognitive attributes in organizations' financial performance. Likewise, this research should be expanded to other industries. Originality/value – The originality of this study lies in the finding that emotional and cognitive characteristics affect CEOs' TOA, which, in turn, influences significantly firms' performance. Another significant contributing factor is that the study is carried out in Greece, where few studies have been conducted in this area.

  17. The CEO hits the road (and other sales tales).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackay, H B

    1990-01-01

    Kenneth Macke, CEO of Dayton-Hudson, the soft goods and discount store chain, often spends weekends prowling his own and competitors' stores, observing. Edwin Artzt, CEO of Procter & Gamble, once interrupted a global marketing jaunt to work with a division on its promotion plans. These are CEOs in the trenches, a place where they ought to spend a certain amount of their time so that they can learn how the business is going. "A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world," says John le Carré, as quoted approvingly by the author. Mackay asserts that time spent on the road with the sales force is especially valuable. You will learn: Whether all the sales team knows its prospects and sets reasonable expectations. How much the salespeople know about the product, particularly in ways that differentiate it from the competition. Whether the sellers keep abreast of changes in customers' businesses. If the salespeople feel they have a stake in the business. As a rookie envelope salesman, Mackay was taken in tow by a veteran and shown the value of learning the competition's local customer base intimately. Later, as the CEO with a junior salesperson in tow, he demonstrated the value of learning not only the competition's moves but also the customers'. To close sales, salespeople and the CEO have to look over their customers' shoulders as well as their competitors'.

  18. Design of high quality doped CeO2 solid electrolytes with nanohetero structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, T.; Ou, D.R.; Ye, F.; Drennan, J.

    2006-01-01

    Doped cerium (CeO 2 ) compounds are fluorite related oxides which show oxide ionic conductivity higher than yttria-stabilized zirconia in oxidizing atmosphere. As a consequence of this, a considerable interest has been shown in application of these materials for low (400-650 o C) temperature operation of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this paper, our experimental data about the influence of microstructure at the atomic level on electrochemical properties were reviewed in order to develop high quality doped CeO 2 electrolytes in fuel cell applications. Using this data in the present paper, our original idea for a design of nanodomain structure in doped CeO 2 electrolytes was suggested. The nanosized powders and dense sintered bodies of M doped CeO 2 (M:Sm,Gd,La,Y,Yb, and Dy) compounds were fabricated. Also nanostructural features in these specimens were introduced for conclusion of relationship between electrolytic properties and domain structure in doped CeO 2 . It is essential that the electrolytic properties in doped CeO 2 solid electrolytes reflect in changes of microstructure even down to the atomic scale. Accordingly, a combined approach of nanostructure fabrication, electrical measurement and structure characterization was required to develop superior quality doped CeO 2 electrolytes in the fuel cells. (author)

  19. Role of Social Relations of Outside Directors with CEO in Earnings Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Shaique

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of social relations among the board members on earnings management in Pakistani listed companies. Specifically, we have analyzed the social networks between CEO and outside board members. The modified Jones model has been used in this study to measure earnings management and we have captured social relations through SOCIAL (Social networking index. Our results suggest that firms with more connected boards show a positive relationship between board independence and earnings management. Further, we have shown that firms with CEO duality exhibit a higher association between social connections of the board and earnings management than firms with non-duality. Social relations among the board members undermine monitoring ability of outside directors and the impact becomes more severe in the presence of CEO duality.

  20. It's More than Just Talk: Patterns of CEO Impromptu Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Anett D.; Taylor, Amanda

    2015-01-01

    This article investigates whether CEOs actually demonstrate the communication strengths and weaknesses they think they have. Videotaped interviews with CEOs in the initial stage of executive coaching were analyzed to identify categories of communication strength and weakness: delivery, content, audience, and character. Next, the interviews and…

  1. Closing achievement gaps with a utility-value intervention: Disentangling race and social class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harackiewicz, Judith M; Canning, Elizabeth A; Tibbetts, Yoi; Priniski, Stacy J; Hyde, Janet S

    2016-11-01

    Many college students abandon their goal of completing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) when confronted with challenging introductory-level science courses. In the U.S., this trend is more pronounced for underrepresented minority (URM) and first-generation (FG) students, and contributes to persisting racial and social-class achievement gaps in higher education. Previous intervention studies have focused exclusively on race or social class, but have not examined how the 2 may be confounded and interact. This research therefore investigates the independent and interactive effects of race and social class as moderators of an intervention designed to promote performance, measured by grade in the course. In a double-blind randomized experiment conducted over 4 semesters of an introductory biology course (N = 1,040), we tested the effectiveness of a utility-value intervention in which students wrote about the personal relevance of course material. The utility-value intervention was successful in reducing the achievement gap for FG-URM students by 61%: the performance gap for FG-URM students, relative to continuing generation (CG)-Majority students, was large in the control condition, .84 grade points (d = .98), and the treatment effect for FG-URM students was .51 grade points (d = 0.55). The UV intervention helped students from all groups find utility value in the course content, and mediation analyses showed that the process of writing about utility value was particularly powerful for FG-URM students. Results highlight the importance of intersectionality in examining the independent and interactive effects of race and social class when evaluating interventions to close achievement gaps and the mechanisms through which they may operate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Sustaining corporate class consciousness across the new liquid managerial elite in Britain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Aeron

    2017-06-01

    This article asks: how is class consciousness and cohesiveness amongst the UK business elite maintained in the twenty-first century? Elite studies traditionally sought to account for the construction and circulation of dominant ideology through exclusive education systems, institutional board interlocks and club memberships. The problem is that business elite membership of all these institutions has been steady declining in recent decades. Contemporary corporate elites now appear more mobile and fragmented in an age of globalization. However, class cohesion amongst business leaders appears as strong as ever after decades of neoliberal policy hegemony. So, how are such ideas, norms and values circulated and maintained? This study tried to answer this question drawing on a set of 30 semi-structured interviews with top UK CEOs and a demographic audit of current FTSE 100 CEOs. The findings suggest that three additional means of achieving business elite coherence have become more significant: professional business education, semi-formal but regular meeting sites, and specialist business media. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.

  3. A Very Economic Elite - The Case of the Danish Top CEOs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ellersgaard, Christoph; Larsen, Anton Grau; Munk, Martin D.

    2013-01-01

    of the top 100 CEOs in Britain, France, Germany and Denmark. In France and Britain, this reproduction is mediated through degrees from elite universities. In Germany, the principle of admission is the incorporated cultural capital acquired through an exclusive bourgeois origin combined with any university...... degree. Elite universities also hold little importance for Danish top CEOs, partly due to the institutions’ historic decline; instead, reproduction is mediated through time spent in the economic field, placing the case of the Danish CEOs between that of their British and German counterparts. Specific...

  4. Earnings Management through Goodwill Impairment: CEO and CFO tenure impact

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    O.V. Visnevskaá (Olga)

    2010-01-01

    textabstractExecutive summary This paper examines the relationship between the extent of goodwill impairment and the properties of CEOs and CFOs of a selection of FTSE Eurotop 100 Index companies. Prior research indicated that it is likely that CEOs tend to take earnings baths early in their tenure,

  5. Sr2CeO4: Electronic and structural properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rocha, Leonardo A.; Schiavon, Marco A.; Nascimento, Clebio S.; Guimarães, Luciana; Góes, Márcio S.; Pires, Ana M.; Paiva-Santos, Carlos O.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Sr 2 CeO 4 it was obtained from the heat treatment of Ce 3+ -doped strontium oxalate. • Rietveld analysis made it possible to obtain information about crystalline structure. • Experimental band gap value was compared with theoretical obtained by Sparkle/PM7. • The materials obtained shows intense photoluminescence and scintillator properties. - Abstract: This work presents on the preparation and photoluminescent properties of Sr 2 CeO 4 obtained from the heat treatment of Ce(III)-doped strontium oxalate (10, 25 and 33 mol%). The oxalate precursors were heat treated at 1100 °C for 12 h. The structure of this photoluminescent material was evaluated by the Rietveld method. The route used in this work to prepare the materials showed to be viable when compared to other synthesis reported in the literature. The Sr 2 CeO 4 material showed a broad and intense band emission with a maximum around 485 nm. The quantitative phase analysis showed that the Sr 2 CeO 4 photoluminescent phase is the majority one compared to the impurity phases of SrCeO 3 and SrCO 3 . From all results it was possible to verify a complete elimination of the CeO 2 phase for the sample obtained from the heat treatment of oxalate precursor containing 33 mol% of cerium(III). The material showed excellent properties for possible candidate as scintillator materials, and in the improvement of efficiency of solar cells when excited in the UV–vis region. The CIE chromaticity diagram it is also reported in this work

  6. Synthesis of nanocrystalline CeO2 particles by different emulsion methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Supakanapitak, Sunisa; Boonamnuayvitaya, Virote; Jarudilokkul, Somnuk

    2012-01-01

    Cerium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using three different methods of emulsion: (1) reversed micelle (RM); (2) emulsion liquid membrane (ELM); and (3) colloidal emulsion aphrons (CEAs). Ammonium cerium nitrate and polyoxyethylene-4-lauryl ether (PE4LE) were used as cerium and surfactant sources in this study. The powder was calcined at 500 °C to obtain CeO 2 . The effect of the preparation procedure on the particle size, surface area, and the morphology of the prepared powders were investigated. The obtained powders are highly crystalline, and nearly spherical in shape. The average particle size and the specific surface area of the powders from the three methods were in the range of 4–10 nm and 5.32–145.73 m 2 /g, respectively. The CeO 2 powders synthesized by the CEAs are the smallest average particle size, and the highest surface area. Finally, the CeO 2 prepared by the CEAs using different cerium sources and surfactant types were studied. It was found that the surface tensions of cerium solution and the type of surfactant affect the particle size of CeO 2 . - Graphical Abstract: The emulsion droplet size distribution and the TEM images of CeO 2 prepared by different methods: reversed micelle (RM), emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) and colloidal emulsion aphrons (CEAs). Highlights: ► Nano-sized CeO 2 was successfully prepared by three different emulsion methods. ► The colloidal emulsion aphrons method producing CeO 2 with the highest surface area. ► The surface tensions of a cerium solution have slightly effect on the particle size. ► The size control could be interpreted in terms of the adsorption of the surfactant.

  7. Do transformational CEOs always make the difference? The role of TMT feedback seeking behavior

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stoker, Janka I.; Grutterink, Hanneke; Kolk, Nanja J.

    In the present paper, we raise the question whether CEO transformational leadership invariably makes a difference for team performance and change effectiveness. Since in general, CEOs are surrounded by a team of highly influential top managers, we argue that the effectiveness of CEO transformational

  8. Fate and Phytotoxicity of CeO2 Nanoparticles on Lettuce Cultured in the Potting Soil Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gui, Xin; Zhang, Zhiyong; Liu, Shutong; Ma, Yuhui; Zhang, Peng; He, Xiao; Li, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Jing; Li, Huafen; Rui, Yukui; Liu, Liming; Cao, Weidong

    2015-01-01

    Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) have been shown to have significant interactions in plants. Previous study reported the specific-species phytotoxicity of CeO2 NPs by lettuce (Lactuca sativa), but their physiological impacts and vivo biotransformation are not yet well understood, especially in relative realistic environment. Butterhead lettuce were germinated and grown in potting soil for 30 days cultivation with treatments of 0, 50, 100, 1000 mg CeO2 NPs per kg soil. Results showed that lettuce in 100 mg·kg-1 treated groups grew significantly faster than others, but significantly increased nitrate content. The lower concentrations treatment had no impact on plant growth, compared with the control. However, the higher concentration treatment significantly deterred plant growth and biomass production. The stress response of lettuce plants, such as Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Peroxidase (POD), Malondialdehyde(MDA) activity was disrupted by 1000 mg·kg-1 CeO2 NPs treatment. In addition, the presence of Ce (III) in the roots of butterhead lettuce explained the reason of CeO2 NPs phytotoxicity. These findings demonstrate CeO2 NPs modification of nutritional quality, antioxidant defense system, the possible transfer into the food chain and biotransformation in vivo.

  9. Fate and Phytotoxicity of CeO2 Nanoparticles on Lettuce Cultured in the Potting Soil Environment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Gui

    Full Text Available Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs have been shown to have significant interactions in plants. Previous study reported the specific-species phytotoxicity of CeO2 NPs by lettuce (Lactuca sativa, but their physiological impacts and vivo biotransformation are not yet well understood, especially in relative realistic environment. Butterhead lettuce were germinated and grown in potting soil for 30 days cultivation with treatments of 0, 50, 100, 1000 mg CeO2 NPs per kg soil. Results showed that lettuce in 100 mg·kg-1 treated groups grew significantly faster than others, but significantly increased nitrate content. The lower concentrations treatment had no impact on plant growth, compared with the control. However, the higher concentration treatment significantly deterred plant growth and biomass production. The stress response of lettuce plants, such as Superoxide dismutase (SOD, Peroxidase (POD, Malondialdehyde(MDA activity was disrupted by 1000 mg·kg-1 CeO2 NPs treatment. In addition, the presence of Ce (III in the roots of butterhead lettuce explained the reason of CeO2 NPs phytotoxicity. These findings demonstrate CeO2 NPs modification of nutritional quality, antioxidant defense system, the possible transfer into the food chain and biotransformation in vivo.

  10. Bio diesel synthesis from pongamia pinnata oil over modified CeO2 catalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatesh; Sathgatta Z, M. S.; Manjunatha, S.; Thammannigowda V, V.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the use of CeO 2 , ZrO 2 , Mg O and CeO 2 -ZrO 2 , CeO 2 -Mg O, CeO 2 -ZrO 2 -Mg O mixed oxides as solid base catalysts for the transesterification of Pongamia pinnata oil with methanol to produce bio diesel. SO 4 2- /CeO 2 and SO 4 2- /CeO 2 -ZrO 2 were also prepared and used as solid acid catalysts for esterification of Pongamia pinnata oil (P-oil) to reduce the % of free fatty acid (FFA) in P-oil. The oxide catalysts were prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation method and characterized by techniques such as NH 3 -Tpd for surface acidity, CO 2 -Tpd for surface basicity and powder X-ray diffraction for crystallinity. The effect of nature of the catalyst, methanol to P-oil molar ratio and reaction time in esterification as well as in transesterification was investigated. The catalytic materials were reactive d and reused for five reaction cycles and the results showed that the ceria based catalysts have reasonably good reusability both in esterification and transesterification reaction. The test results also revealed that the CeO 2 -ZrO 2 modified with Mg O could have potential for use in the large scale bio diesel production. (Author)

  11. Room-temperature synthesis and characterization of porous CeO2 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, Dewei; Masuda, Yoshitake; Ohji, Tatsuki; Kato, Kazumi

    2012-01-01

    CeO 2 thin films with hexagonal-shaped pores were successfully prepared by a facile electrodeposition at room temperature combined with an etching process. By using electrodeposited ZnO nanorods as a soft template, the morphology, and microstructure of the CeO 2 could be controlled. TEM observation indicated that as-prepared CeO 2 film is composed of nanocrystals with average size of several nanometers, while XPS analysis showed the coexistence of Ce 3+ and Ce 4+ in the film. The photoluminescence properties of CeO 2 films were measured, which showed much higher sensitivity compared to bare substrate. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  12. Share Price Reactions to CEO Resignations and Large Shareholder Monitoring in Listed French Companies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dherment-Ferere, I.; Renneboog, L.D.R.

    2000-01-01

    This study has analysed the share price reactions to changes in top management.A distinction was made among different types of CEO turnover: forced resignation, voluntary departures and age-related retirements.The announcement of a forced CEO resignation is hailed favourably by the market with a

  13. The Principal as CEO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollar, Charlie

    2004-01-01

    They may never grace the pages of The Wall Street Journal or Fortune magazine, but they might possibly be the most important CEOs in our country. They are elementary school principals. Each of them typically serves the learning needs of 350-400 clients (students) while overseeing a multimillion-dollar facility staffed by 20-25 teachers and 10-15…

  14. Not-for-profit hospital CEO performance and pay: some evidence from Connecticut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramer, Jeffrey; Santerre, Rexford E

    2010-01-01

    This paper uses observations from a panel data set of 35 chief executive officers (CEOs) from 29 not-for-profit hospitals in Connecticut over the period 1998 to 2006 to investigate the relationship between CEO performance and pay. Both economic and charity performance measures are specified in the empirical model. The multiple regression results reveal that not-for-profit hospital CEOs, at least in Connecticut, are driven at the margin to increase the occupancy rate of privately insured patients at the expense of uncompensated care and public-pay patients. This type of behavior on the part of not-for-profit hospital CEOs calls into question the desirability of allowing these hospitals a tax exemption on earned income, property, and purchases.

  15. The Facial Appearance of CEOs: Faces Signal Selection but Not Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garretsen, Harry; Spreeuwers, Luuk J.

    2016-01-01

    Research overwhelmingly shows that facial appearance predicts leader selection. However, the evidence on the relevance of faces for actual leader ability and consequently performance is inconclusive. By using a state-of-the-art, objective measure for face recognition, we test the predictive value of CEOs’ faces for firm performance in a large sample of faces. We first compare the faces of Fortune500 CEOs with those of US citizens and professors. We find clear confirmation that CEOs do look different when compared to citizens or professors, replicating the finding that faces matter for selection. More importantly, we also find that faces of CEOs of top performing firms do not differ from other CEOs. Based on our advanced face recognition method, our results suggest that facial appearance matters for leader selection but that it does not do so for leader performance. PMID:27462986

  16. CEO's empathy and salience of socioemotional wealth in family SMEs The moderating role of external directors

    OpenAIRE

    Goel, Sanjay; VOORDECKERS, Wim; VAN GILS, Anita; VAN DEN HEUVEL, Jeroen

    2013-01-01

    A focus on preserving socioemotional wealth may influence entrepreneurial activities in family firms. In this paper, we identify the emotion of empathy in the family CEO as an antecedent of socioemotional wealth creation. We argue that the presence of one or more external directors can have a direct as well as moderating influence on the relationship between CEO's empathy and the salience of socioemotional wealth to the family CEO. Our empirical tests confirm these hypotheses. Several areas o...

  17. Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) perspectives about the GEO Supersite initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lengert, Wolfgang; Zoffoli, Simona; Giguere, Christine; Hoffmann, Joern; Lindsay, Francis; Seguin, Guy

    2014-05-01

    This presentation is outlining the effort of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) using its global collaboration structure to support implementing the GEO priority action DI-01 Informing Risk Management and Disaster Reduction addressing the component: C2 Geohazards Monitoring, Alert, and Risk Assessment. A CEOS Supersites Coordination Team (SCT) has been established in order to make best use of the CEOS global satellite resources. For this, the CEOS SCT has taken a holistic view on the science data needs and availability of resources, considering the constraints and exploitation potentials of synergies. It is interfacing with the Supersites Science Advisory Group and the Principle Investigators to analyze how the satellite data associated with seismic and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data can support national authorities and policy makers in risk assessment and the development of mitigation strategies. CEOS SCT aims to support the establishment of a fully integrated approach to geohazards monitoring, based on collaboration among existing networks and international initiatives, using new instrumentation such as in-situ sensors, and aggregating space (radar, optical imagery) and ground-based (subsurface) observations. The three Supersites projects which are funded under the EC FP7 action, namely (i) FUTUREVOLC: A European volcanological supersite in Iceland: a monitoring system and network for the future Geohazards Monitoring, Alert, and Risk Assessment, (ii) MARsite: New Directions in Seismic Hazard assessment through Focused Earth Observation in the Marmara Supersite, (iii) MED-SUV: MEDiterranean Volcanoes and related seismic risks, have been examined as a vehicle to fulfill these ambitious objectives. FUTUREVOLC has already been granted CEOS support. This presentation will outline CEOS agreed process and criteria applied by the Supersites Coordination Team (SCT), for selecting these Supersites in the context of the GSNL initiative, as

  18. Novel nanostructured CeO 2 as efficient catalyst for energy and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    We report here versatile methods to engineer the microstructure and understand the fundamental physicochemical properties of CeO2 to improve its catalytic viability for practical applications. In this context, different morphologies of CeO2 are synthesized using tailored homogeneous precipitation methods and ...

  19. Photoluminescent properties of Sr2CeO4: Eu3+ and Sr2CeO4: Eu2+ phosphors suitable for near ultraviolet excitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suresh, K.; Poornachandra Rao, N.V.; Murthy, K.V.R.

    2014-01-01

    Powder phosphors of 1 mol% Eu 3+ - and Eu 2+ -doped strontium cerium oxide (Sr 2 CeO 4 ) were synthesized by standard solid-state reaction method. Eu 3+ - and Eu 2+ -doped Sr 2 CeO 4 phosphors fired at 1100 ℃ for 2 h were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. The XRD patterns confirm that the obtained phosphors are a single phase of Sr 2 CeO 4 composed of orthorhombic structure. Room temperature PL excitation spectrum of air-heated Sr 2 CeO 4 : Eu phosphor has exhibited bands at 260, 280 and 350 nm. Whereas the excitation spectrum of Sr 2 CeO 4 : Eu phosphor heated under reducing (carbon) atmosphere exhibited single broadband range from 260 to 390 nm. The (PL) emission peaks of both the phosphors at 467 (blue), 537 (green) and 616 nm (red) generate white light under 260, 280 and 350 nm excitation wavelengths. The Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) colour coordinates conforms that these phosphors emitting white light. The results reveal that these phosphors are multifunctional phosphors which emit white light under these excitations that they could be used as white components for display and lamp devices and as well as possible good light-conversion phosphor LEDs under near-ultraviolet (nUV) chip. (author)

  20. CEOS SEO and GISS Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killough, Brian; Stover, Shelley

    2008-01-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) provides a brief to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) regarding the CEOS Systems Engineering Office (SEO) and current work on climate requirements and analysis. A "system framework" is provided for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). SEO climate-related tasks are outlined including the assessment of essential climate variable (ECV) parameters, use of the "systems framework" to determine relevant informational products and science models and the performance of assessments and gap analyses of measurements and missions for each ECV. Climate requirements, including instruments and missions, measurements, knowledge and models, and decision makers, are also outlined. These requirements would establish traceability from instruments to products and services allowing for benefit evaluation of instruments and measurements. Additionally, traceable climate requirements would provide a better understanding of global climate models.

  1. Do family CEOs impact firm value? An empirical analysis of Indian family firms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lakshmi Kalyanaraman

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We study the association between family CEO and firm value on a sample of 288 family firms during the 6-year period, from 2009 to 2014. The sample is drawn from domestic private companies belonging to non-financial services sector included in the NSE CNX 500 index. We find that family CEO has no significant association with firm value, when the family is not the majority shareholder. Family shareholding has positive relationship with firm value, but does not moderate the relationship of family CEO with firm value. We show that family CEO and firm value are negatively related when the family does not hold majority equity stake in the family firm. While family shareholding has no significant relationship with firm value, it has a negative interaction effect on the relationship between family CEO and firm value. The research findings have important implications for family firms as well as the nonfamily investors in the family firms.

  2. Polarity driven morphology of CeO2(1 0 0) islands on Cu(1 1 1)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stetsovych, O.; Beran, J.; Dvořák, F.; Mašek, K.; Mysliveček, J.; Matolín, V.

    2013-01-01

    Thin ceria films supported by metal substrates represent important model systems for reactivity studies in heterogeneous catalysis. Here we report the growth study of the polar CeO 2 (1 0 0) phase as part of a mixed CeO 2 (1 1 1)–CeO 2 (1 0 0) thin film supported by Cu(1 1 1). The two ceria phases grow on different areas of the substrate, what allows a reliable growth characterization of the CeO 2 (1 0 0) islands on Cu(1 1 1). Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements reveal CeO 2 (1 0 0) to grow in the form of highly dispersed three dimensional (3D) islands on a CeO 2 (1 0 0) interfacial layer. The CeO 2 (1 0 0) islands exhibit a 2 × 2 surface reconstruction. The presence of the surface reconstruction together with the highly dispersed growth of CeO 2 (1 0 0) islands corresponds to the requirement for compensation of the surface dipole moment on the CeO 2 (1 0 0). CeO 2 (1 0 0) islands are further characterized by reflection high energy electron diffraction yielding their epitaxial relations with respect to the Cu(1 1 1) substrate. The growth of well characterized CeO 2 (1 0 0) islands supported by Cu(1 1 1) represents a starting point for developing a novel template for structure-related reactivity studies of ceria based model catalysts.

  3. Inverse CeO2sbnd Fe2O3 catalyst for superior low-temperature CO conversion efficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Yongming; Chen, Ran; Peng, Wen; Tang, Guangbei; Gao, Xiaoya

    2017-09-01

    The paper presents a rational design of highly efficient and affordable catalysts for CO oxidation with a low operating temperature. A series of ceria-iron catalysts were inversely built via a co-precipitation method. The catalytic activity of low-temperature CO oxidation was much higher with CeO2-modified Fe2O3 (CeO2sbnd Fe2O3) than with Fe2O3-modified CeO2 (Fe2O3sbnd CeO2). In particular, the 7.5% CeO2sbnd Fe2O3 catalyst had the highest activity, reaching 96.17% CO conversion at just 25 °C. Catalyst characterization was carried out to explore the cause of the significantly different CO conversion efficiencies between the Fe2O3sbnd CeO2 and Fe2O3sbnd CeO2 catalysts. HRTEM showed a significant inhomogeneous phase in 7.5% CeO2sbnd Fe2O3 with small CeO2 nanoparticles highly dispersed on the rod-shaped Fe2O3 surface. Furthermore, the 7.5% CeO2sbnd Fe2O3 composite catalyst exhibited the highest ratios of Fe2+/Fe3+ and Ce3+/Ce4+ as well as the largest pore volume. These properties are believed to benefit the CO conversion in 7.5% CeO2sbnd Fe2O3.

  4. Compensation Consultants and CEO Pay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kabir, Mohammed Rezaul; Minhat, Marizah

    2014-01-01

    The study examines the practice of employing multiple compensation consultants. Examining data of a sample of UK companies over the period 2003–2006 we find that CEOs receive higher equity-based pay when firms employ more than one compensation consultant. An increase in the number of compensation

  5. The translocation and distribution of CeO2 nanoparticles in plants (Soybeans, Chili, Eggplant and Tomato)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Teng; Dai, Yanhui

    2018-02-01

    Intensive production of CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) would lead to their release into the environment. While their use in commercial goods is constantly increasing, location of NPs in plant is still poorly documented. In this study we determined the translocation of CeO2-NPs in four plants (Soybeans, Tomato, Chili and Eggplant) grown in natural conditions. The plants were digged out 1/4 roots into 2000 mg/L CeO2-NPs solution during the blossoming period. After being exposed for one month, the contents of Ce in plant tissues were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). There was more Ce in the leaf of treated plants than in control plants. The contents of Ce in leaf tissues was different. This research offers vital information about the translocation and distribution of CeO2-NPs in higher plants.

  6. Privatized Returns and Socialized Risks: CEO Incentives, Securitization Accounting and the Financial Crisis

    OpenAIRE

    Fabrizi, M.; Parbonetti, A.

    2013-01-01

    The paper investigates the role of CEO’s equity and risk incentives in boosting securitization in the financial industry and in motivating executives to reduce the perceived risk while betting on it. Using a sample of US financial institutions over the period 2003-2009 we document that CEOs with high equity incentives have systematically engaged in securitization transactions to a larger extent than CEOs with low incentives. We also show that CEOs with high equity and risk-related incentives ...

  7. CEO- CNE relationships: building an evidence-base of chief nursing executive replacement costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sredl, Darlene; Peng, Niang-Huei

    2010-06-03

    Explore professional relationships between Chief Nurse Executives (CNEs) and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs); CNE ethnic diversity; and CNE replacement costs. Theoretical frameworks - Marilyn Ray's Theory of Bureaucratic Caring, and Turkel's Theory of Relational Complexity espousing economic as well as caring variables. Exploratory mixed-method descriptive design using CNE mailed survey. CNE- cited opportunities for maintaining a positive relationship with the CEO: respect for CEO; goal- sharing (r=.782, prelationship (r= .718, pmaintaining specific roles (r= .261, prelationship with CEO (r=.254, prelationships have identified cohesive factors that may contribute to CNE longevity in position; an ethically diverse CNE deficit exists; and, CNE turnover and vacancy rates impact an organization's financial health and quality of care.

  8. The CEO performance effect : Statistical issues and a complex fit perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blettner, D.P.; Chaddad, F.R.; Bettis, R.

    2012-01-01

    How CEOs affect strategy and performance is important to strategic management research. We show that sophisticated statistical analysis alone is problematic for establishing the magnitude and causes of CEO impact on performance. We discuss three problem areas that substantially distort the

  9. Preparation and characterization of CeO2 highly dispersed on activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serrano-Ruiz, J.C.; Ramos-Fernandez, E.V.; Silvestre-Albero, J.; Sepulveda-Escribano, A.; Rodriguez-Reinoso, F.

    2008-01-01

    A new material constituted by cerium dioxide highly dispersed on activated carbon (CeO 2 /AC) was prepared by an impregnation method using cerium(III) nitrate as CeO 2 precursor. In order to evaluate the degree of ceria dispersion on the carbon support, CeO 2 /AC was characterized by a number of techniques: thermogravimetry coupled with a mass spectrometer (TG-MS), N 2 adsorption at 77 K, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis of the decomposition process under inert atmosphere indicated that cerium nitrate decomposes at 440-460 K, with the evolution of NO. Furthermore, this process produces an additional oxidation of the carbon surface (with evolution of N 2 O) and the subsequent onset of new oxygen surface groups, detected by means of temperature-programmed desorption. The ceria deposition process takes place with a decrease in the N 2 adsorption capacity of the starting carbon support, and the analysis of the pore size distribution showed that the majority of ceria particles are situated at the most internal part of the carbon porosity. The temperature-programmed reduction profile of CeO 2 /AC was very different to that shown by unsupported CeO 2 , with only one continuous reduction process at low temperatures (800-900 K). Finally, TEM pictures gave direct evidence that ceria is highly dispersed on the carbon surface, with a narrow CeO 2 particle distribution centred around 3 nm

  10. CEO Duality e performance. Il ruolo del controllo familiare in periodi di crisi

    OpenAIRE

    Tenuta, Paolo; Cambrea, Domenico Rocco; Iusi, Giorgio

    2016-01-01

    There are several studies in the literature which analyse the effect of CEO duality on corporate performance, reaching mixed conclusions. Using agency theory, stewardship theory and socio-emotional wealth theory perspectives, we examine the relationship between CEO duality and the performance of Italian publicly listed companies over the period 2003–2013. In addition, considering the presence of conflicting empirical evidence, which could lead to a positive effect rather than a negative one, ...

  11. Hanging Together, Together Hung? Career Implications of Interpersonal Ties Between CEOs and Top Managers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Hilger

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Is it good or bad for senior executives to have strong interpersonal ties to the CEO? We argue that a strong relationship with the CEO raises the likelihood that a top manager stays in office or makes an upward career move when the CEO leaves office voluntarily. At the same time, such interpersonal ties also reinforce the negative spillover effects of a dismissal of the CEO on the career prospects of the manager concerned. Our empirical analysis lends support to both arguments. We contribute to managerial succession research by underlining the ambivalence of interpersonal ties within top management teams.

  12. Catalytic hydrolysis of COS over CeO_2 (110) surface: A density functional theory study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Xin; Ning, Ping; Wang, Chi; Li, Kai; Tang, Lihong; Sun, Xin

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: CeO_2 decreases the maximum energy barrier by 76.15 kcal/mol. H_2O plays a role as a bridge in the process of joint adsorption. Catalytic effect of CeO_2 in the hydrolysis of COS is mainly reflected on the C−O channel. - Highlights: • H_2O is easier adsorbed on the CeO_2 (110) surface than COS. • When COS and H_2O jointly adsorb on the CeO_2 (110) surface, the H_2O molecule plays a role as a bridge. • Ce−O−H bond can enhance the adsorption effect. • Catalytic effect of CeO_2 in the hydrolysis of COS is mainly reflected on the C−O channel. - Abstract: Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the reaction pathways for catalytic hydrolysis of COS over CeO_2 (110) surface using Dmol"3 model. The thermodynamic stability analysis for the suggested routes of COS hydrolysis to CO_2 and H_2S was evaluated. The absolute values of adsorption energy of H_2O-CeO_2 are higher than that of COS-CeO_2. Meanwhile, the adsorption energy and geometries show that H_2O is easier adsorbed on the surface of CeO_2 (110) than COS. H_2O plays a role as a bridge in the process of joint adsorption. H_2O forms more Ce−O−H groups on the CeO_2 (110) surface. CeO_2 decreases the maximum energy barrier by 76.15 kcal/mol. The migration of H from H_2O to COS is the key for the hydrolysis reaction. C−O channel is easier to occur than C−S channel. Experimental result shows that adding of CeO_2 can increase COS removal rate and prolong the 100% COS removal rate from 180 min to 210 min. The difference between Fe_2O_3 and CeO_2 for the hydrolysis of COS is characterized in the atomic charge transfer and the formation of H−O bond and H−S bond. The transfer effect of H in H_2O to S in COS over CeO_2 decreases the energy barriers of hydrolysis reaction, and enhances the reaction activity of COS hydrolysis.

  13. Morphology, structure and optical properties of hydrothermally synthesized CeO2/CdS nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohanty, Biswajyoti; Nayak, J.

    2018-04-01

    CeO2/CdS nanocomposites were synthesized using a two-step hydrothermal technique. The effects of precursor concentration on the optical and structural properties of the CeO2/CdS nanoparticles were systematically studied. The morphology, composition and the structure of the CeO2/CdS nanocomposite powder were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrum analysis (EDXA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The optical properties of CeO2/CdS nanocomposites were studied by UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The optical band gaps of the CeO2/CdS nanopowders ranged from 2.34 eV to 2.39 eV as estimated from the UV-vis absorption. In the room temperature photoluminescence spectrum of CeO2/CdS nanopowder, a strong blue emission band was observed at 400 nm. Since the powder shows strong visible luminescence, it may be used as a blue phosphor in future. The original article published with this DOI was submitted in error. The correct article was inadvertently left out of the original submission. This has been rectified and the correct article was published online on 16 April 2018.

  14. Consensus on the leadership of hospital CEOs and its impact on the participation of physicians in improvement projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dückers, Michel L A; Stegeman, Inge; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Wagner, Cordula; Sanders, Karin; Groenewegen, Peter P

    2009-08-01

    The success of a Dutch program to disseminate quality improvement projects depends on the participation of physicians working in program hospitals. The leadership of hospital executives (CEOs) is considered an important explanation. This study aims to determine whether the relation, between the extent to which physicians notice their CEOs stimulate improvement initiatives and the number of projects joined by physicians, is moderated by the consensus among physicians working in the same hospital. Multilevel analyses are applied on data of 286 physicians from eight hospitals to: (1) estimate whether participation depends on noticing if CEOs stimulate improvement, (2) test if an individual's participation differs when more colleagues have the same opinion (effect modification). Significant moderator effects are found. The participation of physicians, noticing that CEOs stimulate improvement is higher when more colleagues share this opinion. For physicians not knowing whether improvement is encouraged, higher consensus coincides with lower participation. Project involvement of physicians depends on their consensus about encouragement by CEOs. This confirms the importance of strategic leaders in dissemination programs. Further research is recommended into causes of CEO leadership visibility and methods to strengthen leadership climate.

  15. Microstructure and corrosion resistance of Ni-based alloy laser coatings with nanosize CeO2 addition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shi Hong; Li, Ming Xi; Yoon, Jae Hong; Cho, Tong Yul; Zhu He, Yi; Lee, Chan Gyu

    2008-07-01

    Micron-size Ni-base alloy (NBA) powders were mixed with both 1.5 wt.% (hereinafter %) micron-size CeO2 (m-CeO2) and also 1.5% and 3.0% nano-size CeO2 (n- CeO2) powders. These mixtures were coated on low-carbon steel (Q235) by 2.0 kW CO2 laser cladding. The effects on the microstructures, phases and electrochemical corrosion of the coatings upon the addition of m- and n- CeO2 powders to NBA (m- and n- CeO2 /NBA) have been investigated. The results showed that a smooth coating was prepared under suitable processing parameters (P= 2.0 kW, V= 180 mm min- 1) by adding 1.5% n- CeO2. In addition to the primary phases of γ-Ni, Cr23 C6 and Ni3 B in the Ni-base alloy coating, CeNi3 was formed in Ni-base alloy coatings with both n- CeO2 and m-CeO2 particles, and CeNi5 appeared in the coating upon decreasing the size of CeO2 particles. Well-developed dendrites were observed in the Ni-base alloy coating; directional dendrites grew at the interface in the coating upon the addition of m-CeO2, whereas fine and multioriented dendrites grew upon decreasing the size of CeO2 particles to the nanoscale. Actinomorphic dendrites and compact equiaxed dendrites grew from the interface to near the surface upon increasing the content of n- CeO2 from 1.5 to 3.0%. In strongly acidic HNO3 solution, the severe corrosion of dendrites occurred and there were many corrosion pits in the Ni-base alloy coating; intercrystalline corrosion also has a dominant role upon the addition of m-CeO2, whereas uniform corrosion occurs in the coating as the size of CeO2 particles is decreased to nanoscale.

  16. Microstructure and corrosion resistance of Ni-based alloy laser coatings with nanosize CeO2 addition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi Hong Zhang et al

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Micron-size Ni-base alloy (NBA powders were mixed with both 1.5 wt.% (hereinafter % micron-size CeO2 (m-CeO2 and also 1.5% and 3.0% nano-size CeO2 (n- CeO2 powders. These mixtures were coated on low-carbon steel (Q235 by 2.0 kW CO2 laser cladding. The effects on the microstructures, phases and electrochemical corrosion of the coatings upon the addition of m- and n- CeO2 powders to NBA (m- and n- CeO2 /NBA have been investigated. The results showed that a smooth coating was prepared under suitable processing parameters (P= 2.0 kW, V= 180 mm min- 1 by adding 1.5% n- CeO2. In addition to the primary phases of γ-Ni, Cr23 C6 and Ni3 B in the Ni-base alloy coating, CeNi3 was formed in Ni-base alloy coatings with both n- CeO2 and m-CeO2 particles, and CeNi5 appeared in the coating upon decreasing the size of CeO2 particles. Well-developed dendrites were observed in the Ni-base alloy coating; directional dendrites grew at the interface in the coating upon the addition of m-CeO2, whereas fine and multioriented dendrites grew upon decreasing the size of CeO2 particles to the nanoscale. Actinomorphic dendrites and compact equiaxed dendrites grew from the interface to near the surface upon increasing the content of n- CeO2 from 1.5 to 3.0%. In strongly acidic HNO3 solution, the severe corrosion of dendrites occurred and there were many corrosion pits in the Ni-base alloy coating; intercrystalline corrosion also has a dominant role upon the addition of m-CeO2, whereas uniform corrosion occurs in the coating as the size of CeO2 particles is decreased to nanoscale.

  17. Characterization and synergetic antibacterial properties of ZnO and CeO2 supported by halloysite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Zhan; Zhang, Yi; Ouyang, Jing; Yang, Huaming

    2017-10-01

    A novel antibacterial nanocomposite, CeO2-ZnO/HNTs was prepared by a homogeneous co-precipitation method in ethanol solution. ZnO and CeO2 nanoparticles with sizes of approximately 8 and 4 nm, respectively, were dispersively precipitated onto the surface of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). HNTs served as a template for reducing the agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles and improving the interface reactions between the nanocomposite and bacteria cells. CeO2 nanoparticles were introduced to suppress the recombination of electron-hole pairs, and narrow the energy gap of ZnO nanoparticles. The synergistic effects of ZnO, CeO2 nanoparticles and HNTs led to the superior antibacterial activity of the CeO2-ZnO/HNTs nanocomposite against gram-negative Escherichia coli.

  18. Interaction of Pd single atoms with different CeO2 crystal planes: A first-principles study

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Bingling; Wang, Jinlong; Ma, Dongwei; Tian, Zhixue; Jiang, Lijuan; Xu, Yan; Cheng, Sujun

    2018-03-01

    The adsorption of single Pd atoms on the various CeO2 surfaces, including (111), (110), and (100), has been studied based on the first-principles calculations. It is found that, according to the calculated adsorption energy, interaction strength between Pd and the three CeO2 surfaces follows the order of (100) > (110) > (111). Interestingly, the effect of the electron localization on the surface Ce ions due to the Pd adsorption on its adsorption stability is more significant for the (110) surface than that for the (111) and (100) surfaces. We also find that the formal oxidation states of Pd0, Pdδ+ (δ < 1) and Pd1+ may appear on the CeO2 (111) surface, and Pdδ+ (δ < 1) and Pd1+ could coexist on the CeO2 (100) surfaces. However, under suitable conditions the CeO2 (110) surface may be covered with Pd2+ ions. Present theoretical results clearly suggest that the interaction between Pd and CeO2 nanocrystals significantly depends on the crystal planes of CeO2. It is expected that our study will give useful insights into the effect of CeO2 crystal plane on the physicochemical and catalytic properties of CeO2 supported Pd catalyst.

  19. Enhanced Colloidal Stability of CeO2 Nanoparticles by Ferrous Ions: Adsorption, Redox Reaction, and Surface Precipitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xuyang; Ray, Jessica R; Neil, Chelsea W; Li, Qingyun; Jun, Young-Shin

    2015-05-05

    Due to the toxicity of cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs), a better understanding of the redox reaction-induced surface property changes of CeO2 NPs and their transport in natural and engineered aqueous systems is needed. This study investigates the impact of redox reactions with ferrous ions (Fe2+) on the colloidal stability of CeO2 NPs. We demonstrated that under anaerobic conditions, suspended CeO2 NPs in a 3 mM FeCl2 solution at pH 4.8 were much more stable against sedimentation than those in the absence of Fe2+. Redox reactions between CeO2 NPs and Fe2+ lead to the formation of 6-line ferrihydrite on the CeO2 surfaces, which enhanced the colloidal stability by increasing the zeta potential and hydrophilicity of CeO2 NPs. These redox reactions can affect the toxicity of CeO2 NPs by increasing cerium dissolution, and by creating new Fe(III) (hydr)oxide reactive surface layers. Thus, these findings have significant implications for elucidating the phase transformation and transport of redox reactive NPs in the environment.

  20. The curse of the superstar CEO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khurana, Rakesh

    2002-09-01

    When struggling companies look for a new chief executive today, the one quality they prize above all others is charisma. But once they've recruited a larger-than-life leader, they often find that their troubles only get worse. Indeed, as the author's new research painfully reveals, the widespread belief in the powers of charismatic CEOs can be problematic. Why? First, Khurana says, there's no conclusive evidence that charismatic leadership affects an organization's performance. And yet--as Kodak's story over the past decade reveals--when a company is faltering, boards feel compelled to oust the incumbent chief executive and bring in a corporate savior. Second, the insistence on finding a charismatic leader, combined with the undefinable nature of charisma, results in selection processes that are overly conservative and even irrational. Boards end up considering only candidates who have already achieved the rank of CEO or president at a high-performing, high-profile company, even if they are not right for the job. Third, charismatic leaders deliberately destabilize organizations. This can result in a more vibrant company, as it did at General Electric during Jack Welch's tenure, but it can also leave a troubled legacy for the organization to overcome, as GE, Ford, and Enron have all found. Faith in a company, a product, or an idea can unleash tremendous innovation and productivity. But the extravagant hopes invested in charismatic CEOs resemble not mature faith but a belief in magic. If we are willing to reconsider our notion of leadership, this age of faith can be followed by an era of faith and reason.

  1. Daylight photocatalysis performance of biomorphic CeO2 hollow fibers prepared with lens cleaning paper as biotemplate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qian, Junchao; Chen, Feng; Wang, Fang; Zhao, Xiaobing; Chen, Zhigang

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A novel, simple and eco-friendly approach for hierarchical, biomorphic CeO 2 hollow fibers with mesoporous tube walls is presented by using paper as template. ► The biomorphic CeO 2 fibers was composed of nanosheets with bimodal pore-size mesoporous distribution and exhibited high light-harvesting under sunlight irradiation. ► The CeO 2 microfibers biomimicking the natural plant structures have promising application for photodegradation of organic pollutants in water. -- Abstract: Hierarchical, biomorphic CeO 2 hollow fibers with mesoporous tube walls have been fabricated using lens cleaning paper as biotemplates. After sintered at 550 °C in air, the cellulosic fibers of paper were converted into micro-tubes composing of CeO 2 crystallites with grain size about 8 nm. The photocatalytic activity of the CeO 2 fibers was evaluated by photodegradation efficiency of methylene blue in aqueous solution under daylight irradiation. The characterized results show that the CeO 2 fibers faithfully replicated micro-fibrous structure derived from original template and possessed dramatic enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with bulk CeO 2 . This simple biotemplate method provides a cost-effective and eco-friendly route to obtain high performance photocatalysts.

  2. New Firm Performance and the Replacement of Founder-CEOs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Jing; Thompson, Peter

    2015-01-01

    We study the causes and consequences of the replacement of founder-CEOs in a sample of 4,172 Danish start-ups. We propose that founder-CEO replacement is driven in part by mismatches between business quality and founder ability. Our framework suggests that replacements are more likely among...... the worst- and best-performing firms, with low (high)-ability founders replaced by manager with higher (lower) ability. Replacement is not unambiguously associated with better subsequent performance. Firms that replaced the founder were much more likely to fail, but the surviving firms among them grew...

  3. Fabrication, structure, and enhanced photocatalytic properties of hierarchical CeO2 nanostructures/TiO2 nanofibers heterostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, Tieping; Li, Yuejun; Wang, Changhua; Wei, Liming; Shao, Changlu; Liu, Yichun

    2010-01-01

    Combining the versatility of electrospinning technique and hydrothermal growth of nanostructures enabled the fabrication of hierarchical CeO 2 /TiO 2 nanofibrous mat. The as-prepared hierarchical heterostructure consisted of CeO 2 nanostructures growing on the primary TiO 2 nanofibers. Interestingly, not only were secondary CeO 2 nanostructures successfully grown on TiO 2 nanofibers substrates, but also the CeO 2 nanostructures were uniformly distributed without aggregation on TiO 2 nanofibers. By selecting different alkaline source, CeO 2 /TiO 2 heterostructures with CeO 2 nanowalls or nanoparticles were facilely fabricated. The photocatalytic studies suggested that the CeO 2 /TiO 2 heterostructures showed enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of photodegradation of dye pollutants compared with bare TiO 2 nanofibers under UV light irradiation.

  4. Can Benford's Law explain CEO pay?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mukherjee, Shibashish

    2018-01-01

    Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Issue: This study applies the statistical properties of Benford’s Law to CEO pay. Benford’s ‘Law’ states that in an unbiased dataset, the first digit values are usually unequally allocated when considering the logical expectations of equal distribution. In this

  5. Independent versus non-independent outside directors in European companies: Who has a say on CEO compensation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo de Andrés

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Our study reveals how two separate dimensions of board composition—the proportion of independent directors and of non-independent directors—influence CEO compensation in Western European firms. Controlling for the simultaneous determination of CEO pay structure and board design, we find that firms with a higher proportion of non-independent outsiders on their boards pay less direct compensation (salary + bonus and less equity-linked compensation to their CEOs. By contrast, CEOs working for firms with more independent boards receive more equity based-pay. When we control for the fact that equity linked is not granted systematically in Europe we find that firms with more independent directors on the board tend to grant equity-linked compensation more often than firms with more non independent outside directors. Our results challenge the commonly accepted view of independent directors as safeguards of shareholder value, uncovering the relevance of non-independent outsiders for pay moderation and incentives.

  6. Evaluation of effectiveness of class-based nutrition intervention on changes in soft drink and milk consumption among young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Eun-Jeong; Caine-Bish, Natalie; Holloman, Christopher; Lowry-Gordon, Karen

    2009-10-26

    During last few decades, soft drink consumption has steadily increased while milk intake has decreased. Excess consumption of soft drinks and low milk intake may pose risks of several diseases such as dental caries, obesity, and osteoporosis. Although beverage consumption habits form during young adulthood, which has a strong impact on beverage choices in later life, nutrition education programs on beverages are scarce in this population. The purpose of this investigation was 1) to assess soft drink and milk consumption and 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of 15-week class-based nutrition intervention in changing beverage choices among college students. A total of 80 college students aged 18 to 24 years who were enrolled in basic nutrition class participated in the study. Three-day dietary records were collected, verified, and analyzed before and after the intervention. Class lectures focused on healthful dietary choices related to prevention of chronic diseases and were combined with interactive hands on activities and dietary feedback. Class-based nutrition intervention combining traditional lecture and interactive activities was successful in decreasing soft drink consumption. Total milk consumption, specifically fat free milk, increased in females and male students changed milk choice favoring skim milk over low fat milk. (1% and 2%). Class-based nutrition education focusing on prevention of chronic diseases can be an effective strategy in improving both male and female college students' beverage choices. Using this type of intervention in a general nutrition course may be an effective approach to motivate changes in eating behaviors in a college setting.

  7. Evaluation of effectiveness of class-based nutrition intervention on changes in soft drink and milk consumption among young adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holloman Christopher

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background During last few decades, soft drink consumption has steadily increased while milk intake has decreased. Excess consumption of soft drinks and low milk intake may pose risks of several diseases such as dental caries, obesity, and osteoporosis. Although beverage consumption habits form during young adulthood, which has a strong impact on beverage choices in later life, nutrition education programs on beverages are scarce in this population. The purpose of this investigation was 1 to assess soft drink and milk consumption and 2 to evaluate the effectiveness of 15-week class-based nutrition intervention in changing beverage choices among college students. Methods A total of 80 college students aged 18 to 24 years who were enrolled in basic nutrition class participated in the study. Three-day dietary records were collected, verified, and analyzed before and after the intervention. Class lectures focused on healthful dietary choices related to prevention of chronic diseases and were combined with interactive hands on activities and dietary feedback. Results Class-based nutrition intervention combining traditional lecture and interactive activities was successful in decreasing soft drink consumption. Total milk consumption, specifically fat free milk, increased in females and male students changed milk choice favoring skim milk over low fat milk. (1% and 2%. Conclusion Class-based nutrition education focusing on prevention of chronic diseases can be an effective strategy in improving both male and female college students' beverage choices. Using this type of intervention in a general nutrition course may be an effective approach to motivate changes in eating behaviors in a college setting.

  8. Improving the Efficiency of DASC by Adding CeO2/CuO Hybrid Nanoparticles in Water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Midhun Mohan, V.; Sajeeb, A. M.

    Solar energy is the abundantly available source of renewable energy with least impact on environment. Direct absorption solar collector (DASC) is the commonly used device to absorb heat directly from sun and make use of it for different heating applications. In the past, many experiments have been done to increase the efficiency of DASC using nanofluids. In this paper, an examination of solar collector efficiency for hybrid CeO2/CuO-water (0.1% by volume) nanofluid under various flow rates and proportions of CeO2/CuO nanoparticles is investigated. The experiments were conducted at flow rates spanning from 20cc/min to 100cc/min and with CeO2/CuO nanoparticles proportions of 1:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, 0.5:1 and 0:1. The efficiency increases from 16.5% to 51.6% when the flow rate is increased from 20cc/min to 100cc/min for hybrid CeO2/CuO (1:1)-water nanofluid. The results also showed an increase in efficiency of 13.8%, 18.1%, 24.3%, 24.9% and 26.1% with hybrid combination of CeO2/CuO at ratios 1:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, 0.5:1 and 0:1, respectively, in comparison with water at a flow rate of 100cc/min.

  9. Optical and structural properties of nanostructured CeO2:Tb3+ film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansari, Anees A.; Singh, S.P.; Malhotra, B.D.

    2011-01-01

    Nanostructured CeO 2 :Tb 3+ film has been fabricated on glass substrate through sol-gel technique via dip-coating process. (NH 4 ) 2 Ce(NO 3 ) 6 , Tb(NO 3 ) 3 .6H 2 O, ethylene glycol have been used as precursors for sol preparation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV/VIS and photoluminescence (PL) spectral studies have been employed to analyze the structural and optical properties of the film. XRD pattern has been used to analyze the crystallite nature and calculated particle size by Scherrer equation of nanostructured CeO 2 :Tb 3+ film, found in the range 3-4 nm. SEM image has been observed to analyze the surface topography of the film which is well porous, highly agglomerated and uniformly distributed nanoparticles on the film surface. Optical band gap of nanostructured CeO 2 :Tb 3+ film has been estimated as 3.57 eV. A significant enhancement in band shape of CeO 2 :Tb 3+ spectrum has been observed in PL spectra, showed their promising usages as optical materials in optoelectronic devices.

  10. Enhanced spectral emissivity of CeO2 coating with cauliflower-like microstructure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Jianping; Li Yibin; He Xiaodong; Song Guangping; Fan Chenglei; Sun Yue; Fei Weidong; Du Shanyi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Cauliflower-like microstructured CeO 2 coating is prepared on Ni based substrate. ► The infrared emissive property at high temperature is investigated. ► Rough CeO 2 coating shows high emissivity, that is, 0.9 at 873 K and 0.87 at 1073 K. ► The emissivity enhancement mechanisms for the rough CeO 2 coating are discussed. - Abstract: Cerium dioxide is a transparent oxide with high refractive index (from 1.6 to 2.5 at 633 nm) in the visible and near-IR spectral regions. However, little attention has been paid to its optical property in mid-IR (2.5–25 μm). Here we report that the cauliflower-like microstructured CeO 2 coating deposited by electron beam physical vapor deposition technique shows high emissivity up to 0.9 at 873 K in the mid-IR spectral region. The high emissivity is attributed to the coupling between free propagating waves and space-variant polarizations caused by the cauliflower-like microstructure. This high emissivity coating shows a potential application in high temperature components.

  11. Morphologically controlled synthesis, structural and optical properties of CeO2/SnO2 nanocomposites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Usharani

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available CeO2/SnO2 nanocomposites with different dimensional nanostructures were synthesized by a wet chemical method, using various surfactants such as SDS, CTAB and Triton X-100. The prepared CeO2/SnO2 samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, UV-Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-DRS, and Photoluminescence (PL spectroscopy. The XRD patterns reveal the presence of a mixed phase of SnO2 and CeO2; The TEM analysis showed the mixed morphology of uniformly dispersed spherical with ellipsoidal shape in the SDS assisted CeO2/SnO2 nanocomposites; whereas the nanostructure with spherical with hexagonal shapes was observed for the Triton X-100 assisted CeO2/SnO2 nanocomposites. The one dimensional (1D nanorod like structure observed for the CTAB assisted CeO2/SnO2 nanocomposites shows CTAB acting as a face-specific capping agent to form rod-shaped micelles. The room temperature photoluminescence emission studies of the CeO2/SnO2 nanocomposites showed strong peaks in the UV region, and several peaks in the visible region, which are likely to have originated from the oxygen vacancies and are potential materials for optoelectronic device applications. The UV results showed the absorption edges shifted to a high energy region and the blue shifts that occurred in all the samples.

  12. Graphite oxide-mediated synthesis of porous CeO2 quadrangular prisms and their high-efficiency adsorptive performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Ling; Wang, Fengxian; Xie, Dong; Zhang, Jun; Du, Gaohui

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Porous CeO 2 quadrangular prisms have been prepared via graphite oxide-mediated synthesis. • Dual-pore hierarchical systems are formed with the pore distributions around 4 nm and 30 nm. • Porous CeO 2 exhibits a rapid adsorption to Rhodamine B with a removal efficiency of ∼99%. • Porous CeO 2 retains the same performances in different pH solutions. - Abstract: We report a graphite oxide-mediated approach for synthesizing porous CeO 2 through a facile hydrothermal process followed by thermal annealing in air. The phase structure, morphology, microstructure and porosity of the products have been revealed by a combination of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N 2 adsorption. The as-prepared CeO 2 products show well-defined quadrangular prism morphology, and they are composed of interconnected nanoparticles with diameters around 30–100 nm. In particular, the dual-pore hierarchical systems are created in the CeO 2 quadrangular prisms with the pore distributions around 4 nm and 30 nm. The dye sorption capacity of the porous CeO 2 is investigated, which exhibits a rapid adsorption to rhodamine B with a high removal efficiency of ∼99%. Moreover, the CeO 2 absorbent retains the same performances in different pH solutions

  13. New CeO2 nanoparticles-based topical formulations for the skin protection against organophosphates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zenerino, Arnaud; Boutard, Tifenn; Bignon, Cécile; Amigoni, Sonia; Josse, Denis; Devers, Thierry; Guittard, Frédéric

    2015-01-01

    To reinforce skin protection against organophosphates (OPs), the development of new topical skin protectants (TSP) has received a great interest. Nanoparticles like cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ) known to adsorb and neutralize OPs are interesting candidates for TSP. However, NPs are difficult to disperse into formulations and they are suspected of toxicological issues. Thus, we want to study: (1) the effect of the addition of CeO 2 NPs in formulations for the skin protection (2) the impact of the doping of CeO 2 NPs by calcium; (3) the effect of two methods of dispersion of CeO 2 NPs: an O/W emulsion or a suspension of a fluorinated thickening polymer (HASE-F) grafted with these NPs. As a screening approach we used silicone membranes as a skin equivalent and Franz diffusion cells for permeation tests. The addition of pure CeO 2 NPs in both formulations permits the penetration to decrease by a 3-4-fold factor. The O/W emulsion allows is the best approach to obtain a film-forming coating with a good reproducibility of the penetration results; whereas the grafting of NPs to a thickener is the best way to obtain an efficient homogenous suspension of CeO 2 NPs with a decreased of toxicological impact but the coating is less film-forming which slightly impacts the reproducibility of the penetration results.

  14. High Potentials: A CEO Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermans, Jeanine

    2007-01-01

    Finding high potentials has been identified as one of the major challenges for society and for higher education. But how does one find the talented individuals who will design the future of society? Can and should universities cooperate or compete with business and industry for these talents? Three CEOs reflect on this worldwide competition for…

  15. Toward transparent nanocomposites based on polystyrene matrix and PMMA-grafted CeO2 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parlak, Onur; Demir, Mustafa M

    2011-11-01

    The association of transparent polymer and nanosized pigment particles offers attractive optical materials for various potential and existing applications. However, the particles embedded into polymers scatter light due to refractive index (RI) mismatch and reduce transparency of the resulting composite material. In this study, optical composites based on polystyrene (PS) matrix and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-grafted CeO(2) hybrid particles were prepared. CeO(2) nanoparticles with an average diameter of 18 ± 8 nm were precipitated by treating Ce(NO(3))·6H(2)O with urea in the presence of a polymerizable surfactant, 3-methacyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane. PMMA chains were grafted on the surface of the nanoparticles upon free radical in situ solution polymerization. While blending of unmodified CeO(2) particles with PS resulted in opaque films, the transparency of the composite films was remarkably enhanced when prepared by PMMA-grafted CeO(2) hybrid particles, particularly those having a PMMA thickness of 9 nm. The improvement in transparency is presumably due to the reduction in RI mismatch between CeO(2) particles and the PS matrix when using PMMA chains at the interface.

  16. Influence of dopant concentration on spectroscopic properties of Sr2CeO4:Yb nanocrystals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefanski, M.; Kędziorski, A.; Hreniak, D.; Strek, W.

    2017-12-01

    Optical properties of Sr2CeO4:Yb nanocrystals synthesized via Pechini's method are reported. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction data measurements. The unit cell parameters were determined using Rietveld refinement. It was found that they decreased with increasing amount of Yb ions. The absorption, excitation, emission spectra and luminescence decay profiles of the Sr2CeO4:Yb nanocrystals were investigated. It was observed that optical properties were strongly dependent on Yb concentration. It was found that Yb3+-O2- charge transfer transitions have great influence on the absorption spectra. It can be seen in the emission spectra that in addition to standard bands/lines corresponding to Ce-O metal-to-ligand charge transfer of Sr2CeO4 and f-f transitions of Yb3+, there is emission band centered at 744 nm. Its intensity depends on the concentration of the dopant. Recorded decay times become shorter with increasing dopant concentration due to the Yb3+ concentration quenching. Excitation spectra indicate the energy transfer from Ce-O charge transfer states to Yb3+2F5/2 state. The issue of appearance of down-conversion process in Sr2CeO4:Yb nanocrystals is considered.

  17. Synthesis of Mn-doped CeO 2 nanorods and their application as ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Mn-doped CeO2 nanorods have been prepared from CeO2 particles through a facile compositehydroxide-mediated (CHM) approach. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis from the X-ray photoelectron ...

  18. Photocatalytic degradation mechanisms of self-assembled rose-flower-like CeO2 hierarchical nanostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabari Arul, N.; Mangalaraj, D.; Whan Kim, Tae

    2013-01-01

    Hierarchical rose-flower-like CeO 2 nanostructures were formed by using solvothermal and thermal annealing processes. The CeCO 3 OH thin film was transformed into CeO 2 roses due to thermal annealing. CeO 2 nanostructured roses exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity with a degradation rate of 65% for the azo dye acid orange 7 (AO7) under ultraviolet illumination. The fitting of the absorbance maximum versus time showed that the degradation of AO7 obeyed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity for the CeO 2 roses was attributed to the high adsorptivity resulting from the surface active sites and special 4f electron configuration.

  19. Who should set CEO pay? The press? Congress? Shareholders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brownstein, A R; Panner, M J

    1992-01-01

    Populist fervor in an election year has transformed executive compensation from a business issue into a political one. Critics, led by Graef Crystal, author of In Search of Excess: The Overcompensation of American Executives, charge that CEOs are ripping off shareholders with their outrageous salaries while running U.S. corporations into the ground. Politicians claim overpaid CEOs are the root cause of the U.S. competitiveness problem. Add a recessionary business climate to the fact that some CEOs earn 130 times more than their lowest paid employees, and you have the makings of a populist rebellion. In a bid to appease voters, Congress is considering several bills that would limit the deductibility of "excessive executive salaries," the SEC has opened the issue to shareholder comment, and the Financial Accounting Standards Board is looking at new accounting standards for granting stock options to executives as part of company compensation schemes. Andrew R. Brownstein and Morris J. Panner say it's time to put the debate back where it belongs--in a business context. The real question is not are executives paid too much, but are shareholders getting their money's worth. Most U.S. corporations use stock compensation to link company long-term performance to executive salaries. And because of the staggering market performance of U.S. corporations in the 1980s, an overwhelming majority of CEOs are actually paid in line with their performance. Rather than cut executive pay, Brownstein and Panner suggest that corporations extend incentive-based compensation plans to all employees, thus narrowing the salary gap and establishing pay for performance at every level of the organization.

  20. 2013 CEO leadership forum, leading the 21st century DOT : a summary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-01

    This report summarizes the 2013 CEO Leadership Forum : for state departments of transportation (DOTs). Over : three days, transportation leaders from across the nation : explored a range of issues and developed action plans to : support CEOs and thei...

  1. Diesel/biodiesel soot oxidation with ceo2 and ceo2-zro2-modified cordierites: a facile way of accounting for their catalytic ability in fuel combustion processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo F. Silva

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available CeO2 and mixed CeO2-ZrO2 nanopowders were synthesized and efficiently deposited onto cordierite substrates, with the evaluation of their morphologic and structural properties through XRD, SEM, and FTIR. The modified substrates were employed as outer heterogeneous catalysts for reducing the soot originated from the diesel and diesel/biodiesel blends incomplete combustion. Their activity was evaluated in a diesel stationary motor, and a comparative analysis of the soot emission was carried out through diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The analyses have shown that the catalyst-impregnated cordierite samples are very efficient for soot oxidation, being capable of reducing the soot emission in more than 60%.

  2. Effect of CeO2 on TiC Morphology in Ni-Based Composite Coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Yangchuan; Luo, Zhen; Chen, Yao

    2018-03-01

    The TiC/Ni composite coating with different content of CeO2 was fabricated on the Cr12MoV steel by laser cladding. The microstructure of cladding layers with the different content of CeO2 from the bottom to the surface is columnar crystal, cellular crystal, and equiaxed crystal. When the content of CeO2 is 0 %, the cladding layer has a coarse and nonuniform microstructure and TiC particles gathering in the cladding layer, and then the wear resistance was reduced. Appropriate rare-earth elements refined and homogenised the microstructure and enhanced the content of carbides, precipitated TiC particles and original TiC particles were spheroidised and refined, the wear resistance of the cladding layer was improved significantly. Excessive rare-earth elements polluted the grain boundaries and made the excessive burning loss of TiC particles that reduced the wear resistance of the cladding layer.

  3. Irradiation effects in UO2 and CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye, Bei; Oaks, Aaron; Kirk, Mark; Yun, Di; Chen, Wei-Ying; Holtzman, Benjamin; Stubbins, James F.

    2013-01-01

    Single crystal CeO 2 , as a surrogate material to UO 2 , was irradiated with 500 keV xenon ions at 800 °C while being observed using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Experimental results show the formation and growth of defect clusters including dislocation loops and cavities as a function of increasing atomic displacement dose. At high dose, the dislocation loop structure evolves into an extended dislocation line structure, which appears to remain stable to the high dose levels examined in this study. A high concentration of cavities was also present in the microstructure. Despite high atomic displacement doses, the specimen remained crystalline to a cumulated dose of 5 × 10 15 ions/cm 2 , which is consistent with the known stability of the fluorite structure under high dose irradiation. Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations show that oxygen mobility is substantially higher in hypo-stoichiometric UO 2 /CeO 2 than hyper-stoichiometric systems. This result is consistent with the ability of irradiation damage to recover even at intermediate irradiation temperatures

  4. Investigation of the physical, optical, and photocatalytic properties of CeO2/Fe-doped InVO4 composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaison, Jindaporn; Wetchakun, Khatcharin; Wetchakun, Natda

    2017-12-01

    The CeO2/Fe-doped InVO4 composites with various Fe concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 and 6.0 mol%) was synthesized by homogeneous precipitation and hydrothermal methods. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer Emmett and Teller (BET)-specific surface area, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Fe-doping into InVO4 crystal induces the distortion of the crystalline structure, the transformation of InVO4 morphology, and the new energy subband level generation of Fe between the CB and VB edge of InVO4. The electron excitation from the VB to Fe orbitals results in the decreased band gap and the extended absorption of visible-light, and thus enhances its photocatalytic performance. Visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in water was used to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of CeO2/Fe-doped InVO4 composites. The results revealed that there is an optimum Fe (5.0 mol %) doping level. The composite with the optimum doping level obtains high photocatalytic activity of CeO2/Fe-doped InVO4 composite compared to pure CeO2 and pure InVO4 host. The increase of photocatalytic activity of CeO2/Fe-doped InVO4 composite was ascribed to the surface area, crystal defect, and band gap energy. Moreover, the photocatalytic enhancement is also because iron ions act as a trapping site, which results in the higher separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes pairs in the CeO2/InVO4 composite. The evaluation of radical scavengers confirmed that hydroxyl radical was the main active species during the photodegradation of RhB. These synergistic effects are responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of CeO2/Fe-doped InVO4 composite. Furthermore, the possible enhanced photocatalytic mechanism

  5. New CeO2 nanoparticles-based topical formulations for the skin protection against organophosphates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arnaud Zenerino

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available To reinforce skin protection against organophosphates (OPs, the development of new topical skin protectants (TSP has received a great interest. Nanoparticles like cerium dioxide (CeO2 known to adsorb and neutralize OPs are interesting candidates for TSP. However, NPs are difficult to disperse into formulations and they are suspected of toxicological issues. Thus, we want to study: (1 the effect of the addition of CeO2 NPs in formulations for the skin protection (2 the impact of the doping of CeO2 NPs by calcium; (3 the effect of two methods of dispersion of CeO2 NPs: an O/W emulsion or a suspension of a fluorinated thickening polymer (HASE-F grafted with these NPs. As a screening approach we used silicone membranes as a skin equivalent and Franz diffusion cells for permeation tests. The addition of pure CeO2 NPs in both formulations permits the penetration to decrease by a 3–4-fold factor. The O/W emulsion allows is the best approach to obtain a film-forming coating with a good reproducibility of the penetration results; whereas the grafting of NPs to a thickener is the best way to obtain an efficient homogenous suspension of CeO2 NPs with a decreased of toxicological impact but the coating is less film-forming which slightly impacts the reproducibility of the penetration results.

  6. CeO2 nanoparticles induce no changes in phenanthrene toxicity to the soil organisms Porcellionides pruinosus and Folsomia candida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tourinho, Paula S; Waalewijn-Kool, Pauline L; Zantkuijl, Irene; Jurkschat, Kerstin; Svendsen, Claus; Soares, Amadeu M V M; Loureiro, Susana; van Gestel, Cornelis A M

    2015-03-01

    Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are used as diesel fuel additives to catalyze oxidation. Phenanthrene is a major component of diesel exhaust particles and one of the most common pollutants in the environment. This study aimed at determining the effect of CeO2 NPs on the toxicity of phenanthrene in Lufa 2.2 standard soil for the isopod Porcellionides pruinosus and the springtail Folsomia candida. Toxicity tests were performed in the presence of CeO2 concentrations of 10, 100 or 1000mg Ce/kg dry soil and compared with results in the absence of CeO2 NPs. CeO2 NPs had no adverse effects on isopod survival and growth or springtail survival and reproduction. For the isopods, LC50s for the effect of phenanthrene ranged from 110 to 143mg/kg dry soil, and EC50s from 17.6 to 31.6mg/kg dry soil. For the springtails, LC50s ranged between 61.5 and 88.3mg/kg dry soil and EC50s from 52.2 to 76.7mg/kg dry soil. From this study it may be concluded that CeO2 NPs have a low toxicity and do not affect toxicity of phenanthrene to isopods and springtails. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Multiple Compensation Consultants and CEO Pay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kabir, Mohammed Rezaul; Minhat, Marizah

    The study examines the practice of employing multiple compensation consultants. Data for a sample of UK companies over the period 2003-2006 are analyzed using a variety of econometric methods. We find that CEOs receive higher equity-based pay when firms employ more than one compensation consultant.

  8. Transformation of pristine and citrate-functionalized CeO2 nanoparticles in a laboratory-scale activated sludge reactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Lauren E; Auffan, Melanie; Bertrand, Marie; Barakat, Mohamed; Santaella, Catherine; Masion, Armand; Borschneck, Daniel; Olivi, Luca; Roche, Nicolas; Wiesner, Mark R; Bottero, Jean-Yves

    2014-07-01

    Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are used to enhance the properties of many manufactured products and technologies. Increased use of ENMs will inevitably lead to their release into the environment. An important route of exposure is through the waste stream, where ENMs will enter wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), undergo transformations, and be discharged with treated effluent or biosolids. To better understand the fate of a common ENM in WWTPs, experiments with laboratory-scale activated sludge reactors and pristine and citrate-functionalized CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were conducted. Greater than 90% of the CeO2 introduced was observed to associate with biosolids. This association was accompanied by reduction of the Ce(IV) NPs to Ce(III). After 5 weeks in the reactor, 44 ± 4% reduction was observed for the pristine NPs and 31 ± 3% for the citrate-functionalized NPs, illustrating surface functionality dependence. Thermodynamic arguments suggest that the likely Ce(III) phase generated would be Ce2S3. This study indicates that the majority of CeO2 NPs (>90% by mass) entering WWTPs will be associated with the solid phase, and a significant portion will be present as Ce(III). At maximum, 10% of the CeO2 will remain in the effluent and be discharged as a Ce(IV) phase, governed by cerianite (CeO2).

  9. Stock Market Reaction to CEO Appointment – Preliminary Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Byrka-Kita

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine shareholders’ reaction to the decision of the supervisory board to appoint a CEO in companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Methodology: An event study and the mean-adjusted model were applied. The abnormal returns were measured as the CAAR in the entire (-60, + 60 window and selected sub-windows. Findings: The obtained values of abnormal returns indicate the shareholder’s negative reaction. Throughout the observation window, they oscillate slightly below zero, and in the window (0, +20 they are negative at -1.566%. Irrespective of the observation window, negative abnormal returns were obtained for over half of the observation (52–57%. Therefore, preliminary results indicate the predominance of the information effect over the real one. The decrease in market value as a result of the event may result from an increase in investors’ uncertainty as to the effects of changes in strategy and skills of the new CEO. Originality: The research is a unique one. To date, no one has carried out research into shareholders’ reaction to a CEO appointment in either the Polish or Central and Eastern European capital markets. They primarily bring the value of cognition of shareholders’ behaviour in the analysed event, which is reflected in share prices. They extend the literature on the signalization instruments, i.e. the activities that boards can undertake due to the new information transmitted to the capital market participants and stakeholders. The market reaction to a CEO appointment will without a doubt interest investors; the institutions responsible for supervision (which in the case of Poland is the Financial Oversight Commission and the legislator in charge of regulations that prevent insider trading while promoting corporate disclosure transparency.

  10. The relationship between South African CEO compensation and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1A study of corporate financial performance and CEO compensation by Firth, Lohne,. Ropstad .... requires both a qualitative and quantitative analysis. REMCOs, in ...... 'Executive compensation as an agency problem', Journal of. Economic ...

  11. Consistency in behavior of the CEO regarding corporate social responsibility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elving, W.J.L.; Kartal, D.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose - When corporations adopt a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program and use and name it in their external communications, their members should act in line with CSR. The purpose of this paper is to present an experiment in which the consistent or inconsistent behavior of a CEO was

  12. Ultraviolet-visible electroluminescence from metal-oxide-semiconductor devices with CeO2 films on silicon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lv, Chunyan; Zhu, Chen; Wang, Canxing; Li, Dongsheng; Ma, Xiangyang; Yang, Deren

    2015-01-01

    We report on ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) electroluminescence (EL) from metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices with the CeO 2 films annealed at low temperatures. At the same injection current, the UV-Vis EL from the MOS device with the 550 °C-annealed CeO 2 film is much stronger than that from the counterpart with the 450 °C-annealed CeO 2 film. This is due to that the 550 °C-annealed CeO 2 film contains more Ce 3+ ions and oxygen vacancies. It is tentatively proposed that the recombination of the electrons in multiple oxygen-vacancy–related energy levels with the holes in Ce 4f 1 energy band pertaining to Ce 3+ ions leads to the UV-Vis EL

  13. Does a “Ceo Chairman” Guarantee Better Performance from a Firm?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srbek Pavel

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper provides a brief review of the state of knowledge in the field of agency theory. The managerial power approach assumes that a chief executive officer is able to affect the scale of his or her pay. However, Kaplan (2012 and others see a different picture of the corporate-governance landscape, hence they provide certain market-based explanations for high compensation. Our paper examines the relationship between a firm’s performance and the amount of managerial compensation, and the ability of a CEO to affect a board’s decision regarding his or her total compensation. The dataset consists of 75 companies traded in the capital market in the US. Our panel dataset covers a 10-year period from 2004 to 2013. We developed a single equation panel data model. The resulting parameter values provide a different picture of CEO power and the interconnection between a firm’s performance and CEO pay in both sectors.

  14. Solid state speciation of uranium and its local structure in Sr2CeO4 using photoluminescence spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahu, M.; Gupta, Santosh K.; Jain, D.; Saxena, M. K.; Kadam, R. M.

    2018-04-01

    An effort was taken to carry our speciation study of uranium ion in technologically important cerate host Sr2CeO4 using time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Such studies are not relevant only to nuclear industry but can give rich insight into fundamentals of 5f electron chemistry in solid state systems. In this work both undoped and varied amount of uranium doped Sr2CeO4 compound is synthesized using complex polymerization method and is characterized systematically using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of pure Sr2CeO4 which has tendency to decompose peritectically to SrCeO3 and SrO at higher temperature. Uranium doping is confirmed by XRD. Uranium exhibits a rich chemistry owing to its variable oxidation state from +3 to +6. Each of them exhibits distinct luminescence properties either due to f-f transitions or ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT). We have taken Sr2CeO4 as a model host lattice to understand the photophysical characteristics of uranium ion in it. Emission spectroscopy revealed the stabilization of uranium as U (VI) in the form of UO66- (octahedral uranate) in Sr2CeO4. Emission kinetics study reflects that uranate ions are not homogeneously distributed in Sr2CeO4 and it has two different environments due to its stabilization at both Sr2+ as well as Ce4+ site. The lifetime population analysis interestingly pinpointed that majority of uranate ion resided at Ce4+ site. The critical energy-transfer distance between the uranate ion was determined based on which the concentration quenching mechanism was attributed to electric multipolar interaction. These studies are very important in designing Sr2CeO4 based optoelectronic material as well exploring it for actinides studies.

  15. 75As-NQR study of the hybridization gap semiconductor CeOs4As12

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yogi, M; Niki, H; Higa, N; Kawata, T; Sekine, C

    2016-01-01

    We performed an 75 As nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurement on CeOs 4 As 12 . The 75 As-NQR spectrum shape demonstrates that the Ce-site filling fraction of our high-pressure synthesized sample is close to unity. A presence of the c — f hybridization gap is confirmed from the temperature dependence of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T 1 . An increase of 1/T 1 below ∼3 K indicates a development of the spin fluctuations. The 1/T 1 for CeOs 4 As 12 shows similar behavior as that for CeOs 4 Sb 12 with different magnitude of the c — f hybridization gap. An absence of phase transition in CeOs 4 As 12 may be caused by the increase of the c — f hybridization, which increases the gap magnitude and reduces the residual density of state inside the gap. (paper)

  16. Sintering Studies of Ga-Doped CeO2 (Ga-Doped PuO2 Surrogate) for Mixed Oxide Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haertling, C.; Huling, J.; Park, Y.S.

    1999-01-01

    Sintering studies of CeO 2 and CeO 2 + 2 wt. % Ga 2 O 3 were completed. Firing temperatures studied were 1250-1650 C with 2 to 4 hour firing soak times in air. Powders fabricated by three methods (as-received, attrition-mill and nitrite-derived) were studied. Attrition-milled CeO 2 improved densities as compared with as-received CeO 2 . Attrition-milled CeO 2 with 2 wt.% Ga 2 O 3 showed decreased densities with increasing temperatures. As-received CeO 2 with 2 wt.% Ga 2 O 3 showed a opposite trend, increasing in density with increased firing temperature. Two pellet preparation methods were studied, a one-step-press method and a two-step-press method. The two-step-press method showed greater densities at lower firing temperatures and times as compared with the one-step-press method, however for CeO 2 + 2 wt.% Ga 2 O 3 , the two methods gave equivalent results at 1650 C, 6 hr. firing conditions

  17. In situ DRIFTS investigation of NH3-SCR reaction over CeO2/zirconium phosphate catalyst

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qiulin; Fan, Jie; Ning, Ping; Song, Zhongxian; Liu, Xin; Wang, Lanying; Wang, Jing; Wang, Huimin; Long, Kaixian

    2018-03-01

    A series of ceria modified zirconium phosphate catalysts were synthesized for selective catalytic reduction of NO with ammonia (NH3-SCR). Over 98% NOx conversion and 98% N2 selectivity were obtained by the CeO2/ZrP catalyst with 20 wt.% CeO2 loading at 250-425 °C. The interaction between CeO2 and zirconium phosphate enhanced the redox abilities and surface acidities of the catalysts, resulting in the improvement of NH3-SCR activity. The in situ DRIFTS results indicated that the NH3-SCR reaction over the catalysts followed both Eley-Rideal and Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanisms. The amide (sbnd NH2) groups and the NH4+ bonded to Brønsted acid sites were the important intermediates of Eley-Rideal mechanism.

  18. Structural, morphological and optical properties of spray deposited Mn-doped CeO2 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavan Kumar, CH.S.S.; Pandeeswari, R.; Jeyaprakash, B.G.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Spray deposited undoped and Mn-doped CeO 2 thin films were polycrystalline. • Complete changeover of surface morphology upon 4 wt% Mn doping. • 4 wt% Mn-doped CeO 2 thin film exhibited a hydrophobic nature. • Optical band-gap decreases beyond 2 wt% Mn doping. - Abstract: Cerium oxide and manganese (Mn) doped cerium oxide thin films on glass substrates were prepared by home built spray pyrolysis system. The effect of Mn doping on the structural, morphological and optical properties of CeO 2 films were studied. It was found that both the undoped and doped CeO 2 films were polycrystalline in nature but the preferential orientation and grain size changed upon doping. Atomic force micrograph showed a complete changeover of surface morphology from spherical to flake upon doping. A water contact angle result displayed the hydrophobic nature of the doped CeO 2 film. Optical properties indicated an increase in band-gap and a decrease in transmittance upon doping owing to Moss–Burstein effect and inverse Moss–Burstein effects. Other optical properties such as refractive index, extinction coefficient and dielectric constant as a function of doping were analysed and reported

  19. Interchange core/shell assembly of diluted magnetic semiconductor CeO2 and ferromagnetic ferrite Fe3O4 for microwave absorption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiaheng Wang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Core/shell-structured CeO2/Fe3O4 and Fe3O4/CeO2 nanocapsules are prepared by interchange assembly of diluted magnetic semiconductor CeO2 and ferromagnetic ferrite Fe3O4 as the core and the shell, and vice versa, using a facile two-step polar solvothermal method in order to utilize the room-temperature ferromagnetism and abundant O-vacancies in CeO2, the large natural resonance in Fe3O4, and the O-vacancy-enhanced interfacial polarization between CeO2 and Fe3O4 for new generation microwave absorbers. Comparing to Fe3O4/CeO2 nanocapsules, the CeO2/Fe3O4 nanocapsules show an improved real permittivity of 3–10% and an enhanced dielectric resonance of 1.5 times at 15.3 GHz due to the increased O-vacancy concentration in the CeO2 cores of larger grains as well as the O-vacancy-induced enhancement in interfacial polarization between the CeO2 cores and the Fe3O4 shells, respectively. Both nanocapsules exhibit relatively high permeability in the low-frequency S and C microwave bands as a result of the bi-magnetic core/shell combination of CeO2 and Fe3O4. The CeO2/Fe3O4 nanocapsules effectively enhance permittivity and permeability in the high-frequency Ku band with interfacial polarization and natural resonance at ∼15 GHz, thereby improving absorption with a large reflection loss of -28.9 dB at 15.3 GHz. Experimental and theoretical comparisons with CeO2 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles are also made.

  20. Varamiento de cetáceos en Tacna, Perú (2002-2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Pizarro-Neyra

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Se presentan datos de varamientos de cetáceos producidos entre abril del año 2002 y enero de 2010 en las localidades de Los Palos, Vila-vila, Morro Sama e Ite, ubicadas en la región Tacna. Los resultados indican que: 85% de los ejemplares varados corresponden a Phocoena spinipinnis, 8% a Tursiops truncatus, y el resto a cetáceos de las especies: Grampus griseus, Eubalaena australis y Physeter macrocephalus. Los varamientos de cetáceos grandes solo se observaron en Los Palos, mientras la mayor cantidad de varamientos observados se produjeron en Ite (80%. La causa del varamiento de algunas marsopas (P. spinipinnis es la captura incidental en redes usadas por la pesca artesanal. Se relaciona el varamiento de P. macrocephalus con anomalías de la temperatura superficial del mar.

  1. Investigating the effect of Mn-doped CeO2 nanoparticles by co-precipitation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prabaharan, D.D.M.; Sadaiyandi, K.; Mahendran, M.; Sagadevan, Suresh

    2018-01-01

    The paper exhibits a detailed study about the synthesis and characterization in analysis of structural, morphological, optical and electrical investigations of pure and Mn-doped Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles which were synthesized by co-precipitation technique. Phase formation of the prepared sample was analyzed with powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) examines, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination. The PXRD comes about affirmed partial crystallinity having cubic phases and the crystallite sizes of the pure and Mn-doped Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) were estimated by utilizing Debye-Scherrer's formula and they were calculated to be 12 and 14 nm individually. SEM pictures revealed that the particles were profoundly accumulated and were of permeable nature. The optical properties of pure and Mn-doped CeO 2 were ascertained by using UV-visible absorption spectrum. The estimated band gap values for the pure and the Mn-doped CeO 2 nanoparticles were observed to be 2.7 and 2.6 eV, respectively, utilizing UV-Vis spectroscopy. At different frequencies and temperatures the dielectric properties of the Mn-doped Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles, for example, the dielectric consistent, the dielectric loss and the AC conductivity, were studied. (orig.)

  2. CEO must have authority to coordinate governance, management, medical staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, R L

    1984-04-01

    As hospitals attempt to survive in today's new competitive environment, they will find that the traditional organizational structure does not work. This structure can be characterized as a three-legged stool. Governance, management, and medical staff existed in relative harmony, with each able to attend to its own distinct, separate responsibilities. The medical staff regulated itself, the governing board had no serious difficulties in coping with the institution's finances, and the CEO was concerned solely with the physical plant and hospital personnel. In a riskless economic environment, this three-legged stool could remain stable. In the coming years,however, a hospital will need a clear-cut, identifiable leader if it is to survive. To centralize authority primarily in the CEO's hands will be a difficult step for nonprofit hospitals, particularly those sponsored by religious institutions, because of their tradition of operating much as a charitable social agency rather than a business. But this step must be taken, even to the extent of naming the CEO as chairman of the board, for a leader is required who has the authority to make quick decisions in the competitive marketplace. Timeliness is of strategic importance in such an environment, and governing boards increasingly will find it impossible to make timely decisions on a collective basis. Moreover, CEOs will have to coordinate the activities of management, medical staff, and the governing board. They will need to play a strong role in ensuring that target levels in DRG costs are met, and they will need the authority to mediate in issues in which the hospital's economic interests are pitted against physicians'.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  3. Synthesis of feather-like CeO2 microstructures and enzymatic electrochemical catalysis for trichloroacetic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Xin; Zhang, Dong En; Zhang, Fan; Gong, Jun Yan; Zhang, Xiao Bo; Wang, Yi Hui; Ma, Juan Juan; Tong, Zhi Wei

    Novel feather-like CeO2 microstructures were achieved by a thermal decomposition approach of Ce(OH)CO3 precursor. The Ce(OH)CO3 was obtained from a solvothermal method employing Ce(NO3)3.6H2O with C6H12N4 and C16H33(CH3)3NBr (CTAB) at 190∘C in a water-PEG-200 mixed solution. The feather-like CeO2 dendrite was obtained by thermal conversion of the feather-like Ce(OH)CO3 at 650∘C in air. A reasonable growth mechanism was proposed with the soft-template effect of PEG-200. The electrochemical behavior and enzyme activity of myoglobin (Mb) immobilized on CeO2-Nafion modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) are demonstrated by cyclic voltammetric measurements. The results indicate that CeO2 can obviously promote the direct electron transfer between the Mb redox centers and the electrode. The Mb on CeO2-Nafion behaves as an elegant performance on the electrochemical reduction of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) from 0.32μM to 2.28μM. The detection limit is estimated to be 0.08μM.

  4. An open aperture z-scan study of Sr2CeO4 blue phosphor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seema, R.; Sandeep, C.S. Suchand; Philip, Reji; Kalarikkal, Nandakumar

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Sr 2 CeO 4 blue phosphor has been prepared by a solid state reaction method. → The XRD study confirms that the structure of the system is orthorhombic. → The TEM reveals that Sr 2 CeO 4 is composed of elongated spherical structures of length ∼0.2-0.6 μm. → The FFT of TEM, XRD peaks and the JCPDS values are compared, from which the Sr 2 CeO 4 phase is reconfirmed. → A z-scan measurement gives the effective two-photon absorption coefficient to be 3.9 x 10 -11 m/W. - Abstract: Sr 2 CeO 4 blue phosphor has been prepared by the solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirms the structure of the system to be orthorhombic. High resolution electron transmission microscopy reveals that Sr 2 CeO 4 prepared by the solid state reaction method is composed of elongated spherical structures of length ∼0.2-0.6 μm and width ∼90-150 nm. The excitation spectrum shows a broad band which peaks at 275 nm. The emission spectrum shows a broad band which peaks at 467 nm when excited at 275 nm. The emission band is assigned to the energy transfer between the molecular orbital of the ligand and charge transfer (CT) state of the Ce 4+ ion. The Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) co-ordinates are x = 0.15, and y = 0.23. The nonlinear absorption behavior of Sr 2 CeO 4 has been investigated using the open aperture z-scan technique. The calculated effective two-photon absorption coefficient shows that the Sr 2 CeO 4 blue phosphor is a promising optical limiting material.

  5. Integration of atomic layer deposition CeO2 thin films with functional complex oxides and 3D patterns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coll, M.; Palau, A.; Gonzalez-Rosillo, J.C.; Gazquez, J.; Obradors, X.; Puig, T.

    2014-01-01

    We present a low-temperature, < 300 °C, ex-situ integration of atomic layer deposition (ALD) ultrathin CeO 2 layers (3 to 5 unit cells) with chemical solution deposited La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 (LSMO) functional complex oxides for multilayer growth without jeopardizing the morphology, microstructure and physical properties of the functional oxide layer. We have also extended this procedure to pulsed laser deposited YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (YBCO) thin films. Scanning force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and macroscopic magnetic measurements were used to evaluate the quality of the perovskite films before and after the ALD process. By means of microcontact printing and ALD we have prepared CeO 2 patterns using an ozone-robust photoresist that will avoid the use of hazardous lithography processes directly on the device components. These bilayers, CeO 2 /LSMO and CeO 2 /YBCO, are foreseen to have special interest for resistive switching phenomena in resistive random-access memory. - Highlights: • Integration of atomic layer deposition (ALD) CeO 2 layers on functional complex oxides • Resistive switching is identified in CeO 2 /La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 and CeO 2 /YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 bilayers. • Study of the robustness of organic polymers for area-selective ALD • Combination of ALD and micro-contact printing to obtain 3D patterns of CeO 2

  6. Defect Study of MgO-CaO Material Doped with CeO2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han Zhang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available MgO-CaO refractories were prepared using analytical reagent chemicals of Ca(OH2 and Mg(OH2 as starting materials and CeO2 as dopant, then sintered at 1650°C for 3 h. The effect of CeO2 powders on the defect of MgO-CaO refractories was investigated. The sample characterizations were analyzed by the techniques of XRD and SEM. According to the results, with the addition of CeO2, the lattice constant of CaO increased, and the bulk density of the samples increased while apparent porosity decreased. The densification of MgO-CaO refractories was promoted obviously. In the sintering process, MgO grains grew faster than CaO, pores at the MgO-CaO grain boundaries decreased while pores in the MgO grains increased gradually, and no pores were observed in the CaO grains. The nature of the CeO2 promoting densification lies in the substitution and solution with CaO. Ce4+ approaches into CaO lattices, which enlarges the vacancy concentration of Ca2+ and accelerates the diffusion of Ca2+.

  7. CEO Business Education and Firm Financial Performance: A Case for Humility Rather than Hubris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindorff, Margaret; Jonson, Elizabeth Prior

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between CEO business education and firm financial performance. Design/methodology/approach: An analysis of the relationship between three-year and five-year shareholder return as measured by dividend and change in share price and CEO educational qualification was performed.…

  8. A CEO View of Key Issues in Australian Information Systems Management - 1997

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graham Pervan

    1998-05-01

    Full Text Available As part of a research programme on key information systems management issues, a survey of Australasia's largest 500 organisations was conducted to identify which issues were perceived by their chief executive officers (CEOs as being important, problematic and critical over the next three to five years. The results reported are based on a relatively low response rate (though perhaps reasonable for the target group so should be regarded as only exploratory. The most critical issues were revealed to be a mix of technology management issues (IT infrastructure, disaster recovery, strategic management issues (BPR, competitive advantage, information architecture, people management issues (organisational learning, systems development and data management issues (effective use of the data resource, effectiveness/productivity of IS, effectiveness of software development, and their own support systems (EIS/DSS. This reflects their interest in a wide range of issues, but all with an organisation-wide focus. Non-critical issues were mostly related to the individual technologies and the place and role of IS in the organisation. While the CEOs showed some agreement with their chief information officers (CIOs on issues such as the IT infrastructure, competitive advantage, and organisational learning some distinct differences exist, particularly in relation to the quality and effectiveness of systems and processes and also how CEOs and CIOs perceive each other.

  9. Women CEOs and financial performance of banks: An empirical research of Indian private sector banks

    OpenAIRE

    Chandani, Arti; Mehta, Mita; Neeraja, B.

    2014-01-01

    A woman in the workplace is not a new phenomenon, a woman who is a member of the board could be called a moderate phenomenon but a woman who is the CEO is undoubtedly a recent phenomenon, at least in India. At present, the top private sector bank, i.e. ICICI bank, is headed by a woman, Ms. Chanda Kochhar. In addition, the Axis bank, the 3rd largest private sector bank in India is also headed by a woman CEO, Mrs. Shikha Sharma. This paper focuses on women CEOs in the private banking sector and...

  10. Raman scattering study of the anharmonic effects in CeO2-y nanocrystals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popović, Z. V.; Dohčević-Mitrović, Z.; Cros, A.; Cantarero, A.

    2007-12-01

    We have studied the temperature dependence of the F2g Raman mode phonon frequency and broadening in CeO2-y nanocrystals. The phonon softening and phonon linewidth are calculated using a model which takes into account the three-and four-phonon anharmonic processes. A detailed comparison of the experimental data with theoretical calculations revealed the predominance of four-phonon anharmonic processes in the temperature dependence of the phonon energy and broadening of the nanocrystals. On the other hand, three-phonon processes dominate the temperature behavior of phonons in polycrystalline samples. The anti-Stokes/Stokes peak intensity ratio was also investigated and found to be smaller for nanosized CeO2 powders than in the bulk counterpart.

  11. Raman scattering study of the anharmonic effects in CeO2-y nanocrystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popovic, Z V; Dohcevic-Mitrovic, Z; Cros, A; Cantarero, A

    2007-01-01

    We have studied the temperature dependence of the F 2g Raman mode phonon frequency and broadening in CeO 2-y nanocrystals. The phonon softening and phonon linewidth are calculated using a model which takes into account the three-and four-phonon anharmonic processes. A detailed comparison of the experimental data with theoretical calculations revealed the predominance of four-phonon anharmonic processes in the temperature dependence of the phonon energy and broadening of the nanocrystals. On the other hand, three-phonon processes dominate the temperature behavior of phonons in polycrystalline samples. The anti-Stokes/Stokes peak intensity ratio was also investigated and found to be smaller for nanosized CeO 2 powders than in the bulk counterpart

  12. Effects of CeO2 nanoparticles on sludge aggregation and the role of extracellular polymeric substances – Explanation based on extended DLVO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    You, Guoxiang; Hou, Jun; Wang, Peifang; Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao; Miao, Lingzhan; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang; Luo, Hao

    2016-01-01

    The extended DLVO (XDLVO) theory was applied to elucidate the potential effects of CeO 2 nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) on sludge aggregation and the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In this study, seven different concentrations of CeO 2 NPs were added to activated sludge cultured in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) and compared with a control test that received no CeO 2 NPs. After exposure to 50 mg/L CeO 2 NPs, a negligible change (p>0.1) occurred in the sludge volume index (SVI), whereas the flocculability and aggregation of the sludge decreased by 18.8% and 11.2%, respectively, resulting in a high effluent turbidity. The XDLVO theory demonstrated that the adverse effects of the CeO 2 NPs on sludge aggregation were due to an enhanced barrier energy. Compared to the van der Waals energies (W A ) and the electric double layer (W R ), the acid-base interaction (W AB ) markedly changed for the various concentrations of CeO 2 NPs. The EPS played a decisive role in the sludge surface characteristics, as the removal of EPS equals to the negative effects induced by 5–10 mg/L CeO 2 NPs on the sludge flocculability and aggregation. The presence of CeO 2 NPs induced negative contributions to the tight boundary EPS (TB-EPS) and core bacteria while positive contributions to the total interaction energy of the loose boundary EPS (LB-EPS). - Highlights: • CeO 2 NPs adversely affected the flocculability and aggregation of the sludge. • The presence of CeO 2 NPs increased the energy barrier and led to a stable suspension. • The removal of EPS equals to the negative effects induced by 5–10 mg/L CeO 2 NPs. • The acid-base interaction was dominate and markedly changed for the CeO 2 NPs. • CeO 2 NPs induced negative contributions to the TB-EPS while positive to the LB-EPS.

  13. Faceting of (001) CeO2 Films: The Road to High Quality TFA-YBa2Cu3O7 Multilayers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coll, M; Gazquez, J; Sandiumenge, F; Pomar, A; Puig, T; Obradors, X; Espinos, J P; Gonzalez-Elipe, A R

    2006-01-01

    CeO 2 films are technologically important as a buffer layer for the integration of superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 films on biaxially textured Ni substrates. The growth of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 layers on the CeO 2 cap layers by the trifluoroacetate (TFA) route remains a critical issue. To improve the accommodation of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 on CeO 2 , surface conditioning or CeO 2 is required. In this work we have applied ex-situ post-processes at different atmospheres to the CeO 2 layers deposited on YSZ single crystals using rf sputtering. XPS analysis showed that post-annealing CeO 2 layer in Ar/H 2 /H 2 O catalyses in an unexpected way the growth of (001)- terraces. We also report on the growth conditions of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 -TFA on CeO 2 buffered YSZ single crystal grown by chemical solution deposition and we compare them with those leading to optimized YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 -TFA films on LaAlO 3 single crystals. Critical currents up to 1.6 MA/cm 2 at 77 K have been demonstrated in 300 nm thick YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 layers on CeO 2 /YSZ system. The optimized processing conditions have then been applied to grow YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 -TFA films on Ni substrates having vacuum deposited cap layers of CeO 2

  14. CEO Emoluments Determination of Non Governmental Organisations (NGO in Melaka: A Concept Paper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Masita

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Non-governmental organisations (NGOs are formed by mutual members in conducting activities to enhance social welfare of its members and public. The issue of governance of NGO arises when such social welfare fail to be achieved. Principal-agent theory explains that agent (elected CEO or key committees is responsible to carry out NGO activities aligned with principal’s interest (which described in NGO missions and goals. If CEO or key committees are being paid to govern NGO, emolument is primarily perceived as a signal to level of governance of NGO. This study objectively to determine factors that influence the decision of emoluments paid to elected CEO or key committees. Subsequently, this study is to analyze the level of governance of NGO. NGO registered in Melaka will be selected from Registrar of Societies (ROS in Melaka. Therefore, data for this study will be collected using data from ROS Melaka. 594 registered NGO that located in Melaka will be contacted and interviewed to complete structured questionnaire. Data collected will be analyzed using SPSS software to determine the factors that influences emolument decision. Subsequently, data will be analyzed to determine the level of governance of NGOs in Malaysia, which related to emoluments decision making.

  15. DOWNSIZING TO CORPORATE ANOREXIA WHILE DISMANTLING THE MIDDLE CLASS: ARE WE IN DANGER OF RECREATING THE 1920S?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas R. Winpenny

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Corporate downsizing has run rampant on the American scene during the 1990s. Indeed, Business Week claimed it had become a fad. Ironically, the new “lean and mean” look did not apply to CEO compensation packages. More critically, corporate downsizing hurt middle class purchasing power. The Big Lie that emerged from this was that America could dismantle the middle class and have a booming economy. Much of this reasoning sounds, sadly enough, like the thinking so prevalent in the 1920s.

  16. Diversity begets diversity? The effects of board composition on the appointment and success of women CEOs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Alison; Glass, Christy

    2015-09-01

    Previous research on the effects of leadership diversity on firm outcomes has produced inconsistent and inconclusive findings. While some scholars argue that diversity increases organizational equity and enhances performance, others argue that diversity increases conflict, reduces cooperation and harms performance. This study tests the impact of a variety of compositional factors on firm outcomes. Specifically, we analyze whether and how board composition affects the advancement and mobility of women CEOs and firm performance. Our analysis relies on a unique data set of all Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Board of Directors (BODs) in Fortune 500 companies over a ten-year period. We find a marginally significant positive relationship between board diversity and the likelihood of a woman being appointed CEO. We further find that board diversity significantly and positively influences the post-promotion success of women CEOs. Our findings suggest that board composition is critical for the appointment and success of women CEOs, and increasing board diversity should be central to any organizational diversity efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Study of the growth of CeO2 nanoparticles onto titanate nanotubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marques, Thalles M. F.; Ferreira, Odair P.; da Costa, Jose A. P.; Fujisawa, Kazunori; Terrones, Mauricio; Viana, Bartolomeu C.

    2015-12-01

    We report the study of the growth of CeO2 nanoparticles on the external walls and Ce4+ intercalation within the titanate nanotubes. The materials were fully characterized by multiple techniques, such as: Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ion exchange processes in the titanate nanotubes were carried out using different concentrations of Ce4+ in aqueous solution. Our results indicate that the growth of CeO2 nanoparticles grown mediated by the hydrolysis in the colloidal species of Ce and the attachment onto the titanate nanotubes happened and get it strongly anchored to the titanate nanotube surface by a simple electrostatic interaction between the nanoparticles and titanate nanotubes, which can explain the small size and even distribution of nanoparticles on titanate supports. It was demonstrated that it is possible to control the amount and size of CeO2 nanoparticles onto the nanotube surface, the species of the Ce ions intercalated between the layers of titanate nanotubes, and the materials could be tuned for using in specific catalysis in according with the amount of CeO2 nanoparticles, their oxygen vacancies/defects and the types of Ce species (Ce4+ or Ce3+) present into the nanotubes.

  18. The role of facial appearance on CEO selection after firm misconduct.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomulya, David; Wong, Elaine M; Ormiston, Margaret E; Boeker, Warren

    2017-04-01

    [Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 102(4) of Journal of Applied Psychology (see record 2017-10684-001). The wrong figure files were used. All versions of this article have been corrected.] We investigate a particular aspect of CEO successor trustworthiness that may be critically important after a firm has engaged in financial misconduct. Specifically, drawing on prior research that suggests that facial appearance is one critical way in which trustworthiness is signaled, we argue that leaders who convey integrity, a component of trustworthiness, will be more likely to be selected as successors after financial restatement. We predict that such appointments garner more positive reactions by external observers such as investment analysts and the media because these CEOs are perceived as having greater integrity. In an archival study of firms that have announced financial restatements, we find support for our predictions. These findings have implications for research on CEO succession, leadership selection, facial appearance, and firm misconduct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. Strong performance. Healthcare executives reaped big rewards in 2010, with returning hospital CEOs seeing a 58.2% gain in compensation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galloro, Vince

    2011-08-15

    Healthcare CEOs saw their compensation slip relative to other industries but still earned big paydays last year. "2010 was a great year for corporate earnings and stock performance," says Steve Kaplan, left, a professor of finance and entrepreneurship. "Part of the reason for the increase in pay is that the CEOs delivered in 2010."

  20. The CEOS Atmospheric Composition Constellation: Enhancing the Value of Space-Based Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckman, Richard; Zehner, Claus; Al-Saadi, Jay

    2015-01-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) coordinates civil space-borne observations of the Earth. Participating agencies strive to enhance international coordination and data exchange and to optimize societal benefit. In recent years, CEOS has collaborated closely with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in implementing the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) space-based objectives. The goal of the CEOS Atmospheric Composition Constellation (ACC) is to collect and deliver data to improve monitoring, assessment and predictive capabilities for changes in the ozone layer, air quality and climate forcing associated with changes in the environment through coordination of existing and future international space assets. A project to coordinate and enhance the science value of a future constellation of geostationary sensors measuring parameters relevant to air quality supports the forthcoming European Sentinel-4, Korean GEMS, and US TEMPO missions. Recommendations have been developed for harmonization to mutually improve data quality and facilitate widespread use of the data products.

  1. Confined NaAlH4 nanoparticles inside CeO2 hollow nanotubes towards enhanced hydrogen storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Qili; Xia, Guanglin; Yu, Xuebin

    2017-10-05

    NaAlH 4 has been widely regarded as a potential hydrogen storage material due to its favorable thermodynamics and high energy density. The high activation energy barrier and high dehydrogenation temperature, however, significantly hinder its practical application. In this paper, CeO 2 hollow nanotubes (HNTs) prepared by a simple electrospinning technique are adopted as functional scaffolds to support NaAlH 4 nanoparticles (NPs) towards advanced hydrogen storage performance. The nanoconfined NaAlH 4 inside CeO 2 HNTs, synthesized via the infiltration of molten NaAlH 4 into the CeO 2 HNTs under high hydrogen pressure, exhibited significantly improved dehydrogenation properties compared with both bulk and ball-milled CeO 2 HNTs-catalyzed NaAlH 4 . The onset dehydrogenation temperature of the NaAlH 4 @CeO 2 composite was reduced to below 100 °C, with only one main dehydrogenation peak appearing at 130 °C, which is 120 °C and 50 °C lower than for its bulk counterpart and for the ball-milled CeO 2 HNTs-catalyzed NaAlH 4 , respectively. Moreover, ∼5.09 wt% hydrogen could be released within 30 min at 180 °C, while only 1.6 wt% hydrogen was desorbed from the ball-milled NaAlH 4 under the same conditions. This significant improvement is mainly attributed to the synergistic effects contributed by the CeO 2 HNTs, which could act as not only a structural scaffold to fabricate and confine the NaAlH 4 NPs, but also as an effective catalyst to enhance the hydrogen storage performance of NaAlH 4 .

  2. The possible role of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results showed that CeO2NPs resulted in partial neuroprotection against disturbances in motor performance. It also partially decreased apoptosis and oxidative stress in preventive group, while it failed to increase striatal dopamine level as compared to untreated rats. The present study verified some neuroprotective effects ...

  3. Study of effect of co-doping on CIE coordinates of strontium cerium oxide phosphor (Sr_2CeO_4)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zambare, Pradip Z.; Ahirrao, P.B.; Chaudhari, D.B.; Zambare, A.P.; Mahajan, O.H.

    2016-01-01

    The phosphors Sr_2CeO_4 doped europium and gadolinium were synthesized by modified solid state diffusion method. From emission spectra, the CIE coordinates (x, y) of x% Eu"3"+ and 0.5 %Gd"3"+ doped Sr_2CeO_4 phosphors was calculated. In present paper, we investigate luminescence properties and colorimetric study of Sr_2CeO_4 doped 0.5% Gd"3"+, x% Eu"3"+. The phosphors Sr_2CeO_4 doped europium and gadolinium were successfully synthesized by modified solid state diffusion method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile confirms the orthorhombic nature of Eu"3"+ and 0.5% Gd"3"+ doped Sr_2CeO_4 phosphors. In addition, scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transformation IR spectroscopy (FTIR), was also used to study the synthesized phosphors

  4. How long a tenure is long enough: CEOs tenure and its impact on firm’s performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naseem Ahamed

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In a typical corporate setting, a CEO is analogous to the captain of a ship with ultimate authority vested in him by the board of directors, which in turn is elected by the owners (shareholders of the firm (Fama, E. F., & Jensen, M. C. 1983. During the period he heads the firm, it is expected from him to take wise decisions which benefits the firm in long/short term and the stakeholders of the firm become well off. However, the length of the tenure varies to a great degree from firm to firm. This paper attempts to find out the impacts of these different tenures on the performance of the firm per se. In addition to that it tries to unearth any possible discernible pattern in the CEO tenure over the time. It also looks if the remuneration generally increases with the number of years spent in a firm or is it attached to performance and tenure is meaningless for remuneration. Do CEOs with long tenure try to tweak with the firm’s capex (expenditure policy, existing dividend policy etc. are few of the questions attempted to be addressed in here. A change in the previously mentioned characteristics of the firm, would lead to a radical transformation in the fundamental structure of the same. Hence, the article asks if CEOs turn the firm into a completely different entity from what they took over, when given long tenure. The study utilizes data from the Compustat/Execucomp database from a period ranging back to 1990 till date. However, it also analyses data before 1990, as it was found that CEOs held their positions for considerably longer tenure before the introduction of SOX in 2002. That analysis gives a first-hand experience of the changes experienced by the firms in the event of CEO change. The findings indicate, that the CEOs take some time to settle themselves in and subsequently increase their bargaining power with the board. Subsequent to which CEOs, who enjoy longer tenure tweaks with the firm’s existing policies and practices.

  5. Prevention of postnatal distress or depression: an evaluation of an intervention at preparation for parenthood classes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthey, Stephen; Kavanagh, David J; Howie, Pauline; Barnett, Bryanne; Charles, Margaret

    2004-04-01

    To determine the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention, provided to expectant couples in routine antenatal classes, on the postpartum psychosocial adjustment of women and men. A 3*3 between subjects randomised control design was utilised. The two factors were condition and self-esteem. Preparation for Parenthood programs were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: usual service ('control'), experimental ('empathy'), or non-specific control ('baby-play'). The latter condition controlled for the non-specific effects of the intervention, these being: the provision of an extra class; asking couples to consider the early postpartum weeks; and receiving booster information after the antenatal class, and again shortly after the birth. Women and men were categorised into three levels of self-esteem, as measured antenatally: low, medium and high. 268 participants were recruited antenatally. Interview data and self-report information was collected from 202 of these women at 6 weeks postpartum, and 180 women at 6 months postpartum. The intervention consisted of a session focusing on psychosocial issues related to becoming first-time parents. Participants discussed possible postpartum concerns in separate gender groups for part of the session, and then discussed these issues with their partners. Hypothetical scenarios depicting stressful situations in the early postpartum weeks for women and men were discussed, with solutions that parents have found useful given to the participants. In the non-specific control condition, the session focused on the importance of play with a baby, with videotapes and discussion around how parents can play with infants. At 6 weeks postpartum there was a significant interaction effect between condition and self-esteem on maternal adjustment. Women with low self-esteem, who had received the intervention, were significantly better adjusted on measures of mood and sense of competence than low-self-esteem women in either of the two

  6. CEO and Businesses are Losing Trust: Comparison of EU, USA, Czech and Slovak Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denisa Kasl Kollmannová

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This article presents an in-depth study based on open-source data analysis (Edelman Trust Barometer and EuropeanCommunication Monitor concerning the general loss of trust, which both commercial companies, governments and,on a minor scale, also NGOs have been experiencing since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. Trust is an essentialline of corporate communications, public relations and reputation management of companies and it is personalizedby the CEOs and top management. According to the data, the trust of CEOs saw the biggest decline in the U.S.while in Slovakia the trust is still quite high; on the contrary, in the E.U. in general, the level of trust of CEOs reacheda historical minimum of 30%. The overall shift from trusting the traditional authorities, such as government, CEOsand offi cial representatives to academics, stakeholders, employees and general “vox populi” can be seen globally.The aim of this article is to defi ne trust and the social and communications context of building trust as a key factorin a company´s reputation. Finally, clear managerial implications on reputation management focusing on Czech andSlovak CEOs and businesses will be given.

  7. What's behind the leadership shift in sustainable development from politicians to CEOs?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zoeteman, B.C.J.

    2013-01-01

    Leadership in sustainable development has gradually shifted during the past decades, with forward-thinking CEOs of prominent multinational corporations increasingly taking over the role formerly played exclusively by national politicians. This paper discusses possible drivers for a growing divide in

  8. A Facile Method for Loading CeO2 Nanoparticles on Anodic TiO2 Nanotube Arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Yulong; Yuan, Botao; Zhang, Dainan; Wang, Xiaoyi; Li, Yuanxun; Wen, Qiye; Zhang, Huaiwu; Zhong, Zhiyong

    2018-04-03

    In this paper, a facile method was proposed to load CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) on anodic TiO 2 nanotube (NT) arrays, which leads to a formation of CeO 2 /TiO 2 heterojunctions. Highly ordered anatase phase TiO 2 NT arrays were fabricated by using anodic oxidation method, then these individual TiO 2 NTs were used as tiny "nano-containers" to load a small amount of Ce(NO 3 ) 3 solutions. The loaded anodic TiO 2 NTs were baked and heated to a high temperature of 450 °C, under which the Ce(NO 3 ) 3 would be thermally decomposed inside those nano-containers. After the thermal decomposition of Ce(NO 3 ) 3 , cubic crystal CeO 2 NPs were obtained and successfully loaded into the anodic TiO 2 NT arrays. The prepared CeO 2 /TiO 2 heterojunction structures were characterized by a variety of analytical technologies, including XRD, SEM, and Raman spectra. This study provides a facile approach to prepare CeO 2 /TiO 2 films, which could be very useful for environmental and energy-related areas.

  9. Long-term aging of a CeO2 based nanocomposite used for wood protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Auffan, Melanie; Masion, Armand; Labille, Jerome; Diot, Marie-Ange; Liu, Wei; Olivi, Luca; Proux, Olivier; Ziarelli, Fabio; Chaurand, Perrine; Geantet, Christophe; Bottero, Jean-Yves; Rose, Jerome

    2014-01-01

    A multi-scale methodology was used to characterize the long-term behavior and chemical stability of a CeO 2 -based nanocomposite used as UV filter in wood stains. ATR-FTIR and 13 C NMR demonstrated that the citrate coated chelates with Ce(IV) through its central carboxyl- and its α-hydroxyl- groups at the surface of the unaged nanocomposite. After 42 days under artificial daylight, the citrate completely disappeared and small amount of degradation products remained attached to the surface even after 112 days. Moreover, the release/desorption of the citrate layer led to a surface reorganization of the nano-sized CeO 2 core observed by XANES (Ce L 3 -edge). Such a surface and structural transformation of the commercialized nanocomposite could have implications in term of fate, transport, and potential impacts towards the environment. - Highlights: • Organic coating of the nano-composite is degradated after 1.5 month. • Structural reorganization of the nano-sized CeO 2 core over aging. • Potential implications in term of exposure and impact towards biological organisms. - The long-term aging of a CeO 2 nanocomposite lead to surface chemistry and structural changes in aquatic environments

  10. Effect of CeO2 addition on electrical and optical properties of lithium borate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gedam, R.S.; Ramteke, D.D.

    2011-01-01

    Rare earth (RE) ions play an important role in modern technology as an active ion in many optical materials. RE-doped glasses were used in many optical devices because of abundant number of the absorption and emission bands arising from the transitions between the RE elements energy levels. Among all rare earth, glasses containing CeO 2 are extensively studied for scintillating applications. Radiation length of CeO 2 containing lithium silicate glasses decreases and absorption edge in transmittance shift towards longer wavelength. In the present study an attempt has been made to verify similar results in borate containing glasses. Therefore glass series 15Li 2 O-xCeO 2 -(85''x)B 2 O 3 where x= 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 mol% was prepared by conventional melt quench technique. Their electrical and optical properties have been investigated. It is observed that the conductivity of these glasses decreases while density, glass transition temperature and refractive index increases with the addition of CeO 2 . The conductivity of the glasses is mostly controlled by the activation energy. Since the lithium fraction in the present series is kept constant, the decrease in conductivity for glasses may be attributed to the reduction in the number of available vacant sites for the mobile lithium ions when boron is substituted with CeO 2 . The radiation length was determined using density values and it was found to decrease with the addition of CeO 2 . The absorption coefficient a were determined near the absorption edge of different photon energy for all glass samples and plot of (αhν) 1/2 Vs. hν (Tauc's plot) is shown. It is observed that the optical band gap energy (E g Opt ) decreases with the addition of CeO 2

  11. Why are so few females promoted into CEO and vice-president positions?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smith, Nina; Smith, Valdemar; Verner, Mette

    In most OECD countries, only very few women succeed in reaching top executive positions. In this paper, the probability of promotion into VP and CEO positions is estimated based on employer-employee data on all Danish companies observed during the period 1997-2007. After controlling for a large...... number of family-related variables, including take-up history of maternity and paternity leave and proxies for 'female-friendly' companies, there is still a considerable gap in the promotion probabilities for CEO positions, but not for VP positions. Thus, the results cannot confirm recent theories...

  12. Synergic effect of the TiO2-CeO2 nanoconjugate system on the band-gap for visible light photocatalysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Contreras-García, M.E.; García-Benjume, M. Lorena; Macías-Andrés, Víctor I.; Barajas-Ledesma, E.; Medina-Flores, A.; Espitia-Cabrera, M.I.

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nanostructured TiO 2 -CeO 2 films are successfully synthesized by combining of sputtering and electrophoresis methods. • Synergic effect of CeO 2 on TiO 2 band gap was demonstrated, CeO 2 diminishes it from 3.125 to 2.74. • Morphologic characterization of the nanoconjugate TiO 2 -CeO 2 films by different microscopy techniques. - Abstract: The TiO 2 -CeO 2 photocatalytic system in films is proposed here, in order to obtain photocatalytic systems that can be excited by solar light. The films were obtained through the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of TiO 2 -CeO 2 gel on sputtered Ti Corning glass substrates. The synergic effect of CeO 2 in TiO 2 films was analyzed as a function of the optical band gap reduction at different concentrations (1, 5, 10, and 15 mol%). The effect of two thermal treatments was also evaluated. The lowest band gap value was obtained for the sample with 5 mol% ceria that was thermally treated at 700 °C. The nanostructured films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high angle annular dark field (HAADF), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The nanocomposites were formed by TiO 2 and CeO 2 nanoparticles in the anatase and fluorite type phases, respectively

  13. Fabrication of multianalyte CeO2 nanograin electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor biosensors by using CF4 plasma treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chyuan Haur Kao

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Multianalyte CeO2 biosensors have been demonstrated to detect pH, glucose, and urine concentrations. To enhance the multianalyte sensing capability of these biosensors, CF4 plasma treatment was applied to create nanograin structures on the CeO2 membrane surface and thereby increase the contact surface area. Multiple material analyses indicated that crystallization or grainization caused by the incorporation of flourine atoms during plasma treatment might be related to the formation of the nanograins. Because of the changes in surface morphology and crystalline structures, the multianalyte sensing performance was considerably enhanced. Multianalyte CeO2 nanograin electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor biosensors exhibit potential for use in future biomedical sensing device applications. Keywords: Multianalyte biosensor, CeO2 nanograin, EIS, CF4 plasma treatment, Membrane surface

  14. The CEO's role in business model reinvention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govindarajan, Vijay; Trimble, Chris

    2011-01-01

    Fending off new competitors is a perennial struggle for established companies. Govindarajan and Trimble, of Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, explain why: Many corporations become too comfortable with their existing business models and neglect the necessary work of radically reinventing them. The authors map out an alternative in their "three boxes" framework. They argue that while a CEO manages the present (box 1), he or she must also selectively forget the past (box 2) in order to create the future (box 3). Infosys chairman N.R. Narayana Murthy mastered the three boxes to reinvigorate his company and greatly increased its changes of enduring for generations.

  15. Structure and properties of PbO2-CeO2 anodes on stainless steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Yuehai; Wei, Gang; Xiong, Rongchun

    2007-01-01

    The lack of ideal anodes with excellent activity and stability is one of the critical problems in electrochemical oxidation for organic wastewater treatment. It is reported in this paper that the PbO 2 -CeO 2 films electrodeposited on stainless steel were used as catalytic electrodes for treating antibiotic wastewater. The PbO 2 -CeO 2 films on stainless steel were proved to be high stability, good activity and relatively low cost. Because of these properties, the films are more attractive than any other electrocatalytic materials among conventional dimensionally stable anodes (DSA). Experimental results showed that the PbO 2 -CeO 2 electrode has a service life of 1100 h in 3 M H 2 SO 4 solution under a current density of 1 A cm -2 at 35 o C, compared with 300 h for PbO 2 under the same conditions. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and SEM images indicated that the PbO 2 -CeO 2 films on stainless steel have a dense structure and the preferred crystalline orientation on the substrate surface was changed. Color and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of antibiotics wastewater were studied by electrolysis by using these electrodes as anode and stainless steel as cathode. The results indicated that the anodes have excellent activity in antibiotic wastewater treatment. The PbO 2 -CeO 2 electrodes have high chemical stability which contributed by the superstable nature of the electrode, dense microstructure, good conductivity and the improvement of bonding with the stainless steel during electrodeposition

  16. Antimicrobial potential of green synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles from Olea europaea leaf extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maqbool, Qaisar; Nazar, Mudassar; Naz, Sania; Hussain, Talib; Jabeen, Nyla; Kausar, Rizwan; Anwaar, Sadaf; Abbas, Fazal; Jan, Tariq

    This article reports the green fabrication of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) using Olea europaea leaf extract and their applications as effective antimicrobial agents. O. europaea leaf extract functions as a chelating agent for reduction of cerium nitrate. The resulting CeO 2 NPs exhibit pure single-face cubic structure, which is examined by X-ray diffraction, with a uniform spherical shape and a mean size 24 nm observed through scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy confirms the characteristic absorption peak of CeO 2 NPs at 315 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reflects stretching frequencies at 459 cm -1 , showing utilization of natural components for the production of NPs. Thermal gravimetric analysis predicts the successful capping of CeO 2 NPs by bioactive molecules present in the plant extract. The antimicrobial studies show significant zone of inhibition against bacterial and fungal strains. The higher activities shown by the green synthesized NPs than the plant extract lead to the conclusion that they can be effectively used in biomedical application. Furthermore, reduction of cerium salt by plant extract will reduce environmental impact over chemical synthesis.

  17. Magnetic ordered mesoporous Fe3O4/CeO2 composites with synergy of adsorption and Fenton catalysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Keyan; Zhao, Yongqin; Song, Chunshan; Guo, Xinwen

    2017-12-01

    Magnetic Fe3O4/CeO2 composites with highly ordered mesoporous structure and large surface area were synthesized by impregnation-calcination method, and the mesoporous CeO2 as support was synthesized via the hard template approach. The composition, morphology and physicochemical properties of the materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, Raman spectra and N2 adsorption/desorption analysis. The mesoporous Fe3O4/CeO2 composite played a dual-function role as both adsorbent and Fenton-like catalyst for removal of organic dye. The methylene blue (MB) removal efficiency of mesoporous Fe3O4/CeO2 was much higher than that of irregular porous Fe3O4/CeO2. The superior adsorption ability of mesoporous materials was attributed to the abundant oxygen vacancies on the surface of CeO2, high surface area and ordered mesoporous channels. The good oxidative degradation resulted from high Ce3+ content and the synergistic effect between Fe and Ce. The mesoporous Fe3O4/CeO2 composite presented low metal leaching (iron 0.22 mg L-1 and cerium 0.63 mg L-1), which could be ascribed to the strong metal-support interactions for dispersion and stabilization of Fe species. In addition, the composite can be easily separated from reaction solution with an external magnetic field due to its magnetic property, which is important to its practical applications.

  18. Sr(1.7)Zn(0.3)CeO4: Eu3+ novel red-emitting phosphors: synthesis and photoluminescence properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Haifeng; Zhao, Ran; Jia, Yonglei; Sun, Wenzhi; Fu, Jipeng; Jiang, Lihong; Zhang, Su; Pang, Ran; Li, Chengyu

    2014-03-12

    A series of novel red-emitting Sr1.7Zn0.3CeO4:Eu(3+) phosphors were synthesized through conventional solid-state reactions. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns and Rietveld refinement verified the similar phase of Sr1.7Zn0.3CeO4:Eu(3+) to that of Sr2CeO4. The photoluminescence spectrum exhibits that peak located at 614 nm ((5)D0-(7)F2) dominates the emission of Sr1.7Zn0.3CeO4:Eu(3+) phosphors. Because there are two regions in the excitation spectrum originating from the overlap of the Ce(4+)-O(2-) and Eu(3+)-O(2-) charge-transfer state band from 200 to 440 nm, and from the intra-4f transitions at 395 and 467 nm, the Sr1.7Zn0.3CeO4:Eu(3+) phosphors can be well excited by the near-UV light. The investigation of the concentration quenching behavior, luminescence decay curves, and lifetime implies that the dominant mechanism type leading to concentration quenching is the energy transfer among the nearest neighbor or next nearest neighbor activators. The discussion about the dependence of photoluminescence spectra on temperature shows the better thermal quenching properties of Sr1.7Zn0.3CeO4:0.3Eu(3+) than that of Sr2CeO4:Eu(3+). The experimental data indicates that Sr1.7Zn0.3CeO4:Eu(3+) phosphors have the potential as red phosphors for white light-emitting diodes.

  19. Ag nanocrystals anchored CeO2/graphene nanocomposite for enhanced supercapacitor applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanitha, M.; Keerthi; Cao, P.; Balasubramanian, N.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Quasi spherical Ag and CeO 2 nanoparticles were decorated on rGO matrix. • The Ag/CeO 2 /rGO nanocomposite exhibits specific capacitance of 710 F g −1 . • Ag plays an imperative role in improving the electrochemical performance. - Abstract: A novel ternary Ag decorated CeO 2 /reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as surface directing agent and was designed as an electrode material for supercapacitors application. The structure and morphology of the nanocomposites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synergistic effect between the CeO 2 nanoparticles wrapped rGO matrix with Ag nanoparticles gives rise to a nanostructure, empowering the material with enhanced electrochemical performance. The electrochemical characterization was performed using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies in 3 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. The nanocomposite electrode materials possess a high specific capacitance of 710.42 F g −1 at an applied current density of 0.2 A g −1 , which was nearly two fold higher than CeO 2 /rGO nanocomposite. This work endows a new route for building Ag/CeO 2 /rGO ternary nanocomposite which will have some impact on the exploitation of novel ternary electrode materials for supercapacitor applications

  20. A TIMELY APPOINTMENT – SAMA'S NEW CEO

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nicky

    Her middle name might mean 'the one who came before her time', but Dr. Aquina Motlakapele Thulare, 42, the new CEO of the South African Medical. Association, is determined to see doctors better paid and properly valued during her tenure. Ratified by the full board last month, her historic appointment follows the.

  1. Formic Acid Modified Co3O4-CeO2 Catalysts for CO Oxidation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruishu Shang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available A formic acid modified catalyst, Co3O4-CeO2, was prepared via facile urea-hydrothermal method and applied in CO oxidation. The Co3O4-CeO2-0.5 catalyst, treated by formic acid at 0.5 mol/L, performed better in CO oxidation with T50 obtained at 69.5 °C and T100 obtained at 150 °C, respectively. The characterization results indicate that after treating with formic acid, there is a more porous structure within the Co3O4-CeO2 catalyst; meanwhile, despite of the slightly decreased content of Co, there are more adsorption sites exposed by acid treatment, as suggested by CO-TPD and H2-TPD, which explains the improvement of catalytic performance.

  2. Bulk modulus of CeO2 and PrO2-An experimental and theoretical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerward, L.; Staun Olsen, J.; Petit, L.; Vaitheeswaran, G.; Kanchana, V.; Svane, A.

    2005-01-01

    The high-pressure structural behaviour of CeO 2 and PrO 2 has been investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction at pressures up to 20 and 35 GPa, respectively. The experiments are accompanied by first principles calculations using the self-interaction corrected local spin density (SIC-LSD) approximation. The experimental values for the zero-pressure bulk modulus of CeO 2 and PrO 2 are 220(9) and 187(8) GPa, respectively. Our calculations reproduce the lattice constants with good accuracy, but find identical bulk modulii for CeO 2 (176.9 GPa) and PrO 2 (176.8 GPa)

  3. Relationship between CEO remuneration and company financial performance in the South African retail and consumer goods sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Bussin

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This study was motivated by the need to better understand the effects of the global financial crisis in 2008 on the relationship between company financial performance and CEO guaranteed cost to company (CTC. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between company financial performance using DuPont analysis and CEO guaranteed CTC in the South African retail and consumer goods sector. Design: The research was a quantitative, archival study of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE, measured over a period of six years (2006–2011. The statistical analysis included regression and correlation analysis. Findings: The research found that CEO guaranteed CTC has shown no sensitivity towards company financial performance in terms of DuPont analysis over the six-year period, which included the global financial crises in 2008. Furthermore, a negative relationship existed between the return on equity and the guaranteed CTC of CEOs in the retail and consumer goods sector during this period. Practical implications: The findings suggest that there is misalignment between company strategy and performance and the guaranteed CTC of CEOs. A practical implication would be to have independent and competent remuneration committees ensuring alignment of the interests of a company with those of its leaders in this regard.

  4. Impact of real-time electronic alerting of acute kidney injury on therapeutic intervention and progression of RIFLE class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colpaert, Kirsten; Hoste, Eric A; Steurbaut, Kristof; Benoit, Dominique; Van Hoecke, Sofie; De Turck, Filip; Decruyenaere, Johan

    2012-04-01

    To evaluate whether a real-time electronic alert system or "AKI sniffer," which is based on the RIFLE classification criteria (Risk, Injury and Failure), would have an impact on therapeutic interventions and acute kidney injury progression. Prospective intervention study. Surgical and medical intensive care unit in a tertiary care hospital. A total of 951 patients having in total 1,079 admission episodes were admitted during the study period (prealert control group: 227, alert group: 616, and postalert control group: 236). Three study phases were compared: A 1.5-month prealert control phase in which physicians were blinded for the acute kidney injury sniffer and a 3-month intervention phase with real-time alerting of worsening RIFLE class through the Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology telephone system followed by a second 1.5-month postalert control phase. A total of 2593 acute kidney injury alerts were recorded with a balanced distribution over all study phases. Most acute kidney injury alerts were RIFLE class risk (59.8%) followed by RIFLE class injury (34.1%) and failure (6.1%). A higher percentage of patients in the alert group received therapeutic intervention within 60 mins after the acute kidney injury alert (28.7% in alert group vs. 7.9% and 10.4% in the pre- and postalert control groups, respectively, p μ .001). In the alert group, more patients received fluid therapy (23.0% vs. 4.9% and 9.2%, p μ .01), diuretics (4.2% vs. 2.6% and 0.8%, p μ .001), or vasopressors (3.9% vs. 1.1% and 0.8%, p μ .001). Furthermore, these patients had a shorter time to intervention (p μ .001). A higher proportion of patients in the alert group showed return to a baseline kidney function within 8 hrs after an acute kidney injury alert "from normal to risk" compared with patients in the control group (p = .048). The real-time alerting of every worsening RIFLE class by the acute kidney injury sniffer increased the number and timeliness of early therapeutic interventions

  5. Environmentally friendly synthesis of CeO2 nanoparticles for the catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and selective detection of nitrite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamizhdurai, P; Sakthinathan, Subramanian; Chen, Shen-Ming; Shanthi, K; Sivasanker, S; Sangeetha, P

    2017-04-13

    Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) are favorable in nanotechnology based on some remarkable properties. In this study, the crystalline CeO 2 NPs are successfully prepared by an efficient microwave combustion (MCM) and conventional route sol-gel (CRSGM) methods. The structural morphology of the as-prepared CeO 2 NPs was investigated by various spectroscopic and analytical techniques. Moreover, the XRD pattern confirmed the formation of CeO 2 NPs as a face centered cubic structure. The magnetometer studies indicated the low saturation magnetization (23.96 emu/g) of CeO 2 NPs for weak paramagnetic and high saturation magnetization (32.13 emu/g) of CeO 2 NPs for super paramagnetic. After that, the oxidation effect of benzyl alcohol was investigated which reveals good conversion and selectivity. Besides, the CeO 2 NPs modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) used for the detection of nitrite with linear concentration range (0.02-1200 μM), low limit of detection (0.21 μM) and higher sensitivity (1.7238 μAμM -1 cm -2 ). However, the CeO 2 NPs modified electrode has the fast response, high sensitivity and good selectivity. In addition, the fabricated electrode is applied for the determination of nitrite in various water samples. Eventually, the CeO 2 NPs can be regarded as an effective way to enhance the catalytic activity towards the benzyl alcohol and nitrite.

  6. Group cohesion and social support in exercise classes: results from a danish intervention study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Ulla; Schmidt, Lone; Budtz-Jørgensen, Esben

    2006-01-01

    This study examines the formation of group cohesion and social support in exercise classes among former sedentary adults, participating in a Danish community-based intervention. Furthermore, the aim is to analyze the impact of this process on exercise activity among the participants. A multimethod...... approach was used, analyzing both survey data and 18 personal interviews collected among 87 participants who completed the intervention project. Analysis was performed according to the grounded theory method. The formation of group cohesion was conditioned by the social composition of the group......, the teaching ability by the instructors, and the activity by itself. The cohesive group was characterized by an attitude of mutual support toward exercise activities. This mutual support facilitated development of self-efficacy beliefs among the participants improving their mastery expectation regarding...

  7. The relationship between South African CEO compensation and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This exploratory study is based on a statistical data analysis to determine whether a long-term correlation is present between South African CEO compensation and company performance in the banking sector. The detailed analysis, using a seven-year time period, is performed at individual company level as well as at ...

  8. A Fitness Intervention Program within a Physical Education Class on Cardiovascular Endurance among Malaysia Secondary School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rengasamy, Shabeshan; Raju, Subramaniam; Lee, Wee Akina Sia Seng; Roa, Ramachandran

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a physical fitness intervention program within a physical education class on cardiovascular endurance of Malaysian secondary school boys and girls. A quasi experimental design was adopted for the study. Two schools in a district were randomly selected. In each school, two classes were randomly…

  9. A novel high-performance supercapacitor based on high-quality CeO2/nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heydari, Hamid; Gholivand, Mohammad Bagher

    2017-03-01

    In this work, we have developed a novel nanocomposite via deposition of ceria (CeO2) on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene (CeO2/NRGO). NRGO was synthesized through a facile, safe, and scalable method to achieve simultaneous thermal reduction along with nitrogen doping of graphene oxide (GO) in air at much lower reaction temperature. CeO2/NRGO was prepared via a sonochemical method in which ceria nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on NRGO sheets. The structure and morphology of CeO2/NRGO nanocomposites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical properties of the proposed nanocomposite electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge, continuous cyclic voltammetry (CCV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. CeO2-NRGO nanocomposite electrodes showed excellent supercapacitive behavior, including much higher specific capacitance (230 F g-1 at 2 mV s-1) and higher rate capability compared to pure N-graphene. The cycling stability of the electrodes was measured by continues cyclic voltammetry (CCV) technique. The CCV showed that the specific capacitance of the CeO2/NRGO and NRGO nanocomposite maintained at 94.1 and 93.2% after 4000 cycles. The results suggest its promising potential as efficient electrode material for supercapacitors.

  10. Aging IQ Intervention with Older Korean Americans: A Comparison of Internet-Based and In-Class Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Yuri; Yoon, Hyunwoo; Marti, C. Nathan; Kim, Miyong T.

    2015-01-01

    Using the translated contents of the National Institute on Aging (NIA)'s Aging IQ, an educational intervention was delivered to older Korean Americans. The educational program was delivered via two different modalities, Internet-based education (n = 12) and in-class education (n = 11), and the overall feasibility and efficacy were evaluated by the…

  11. Plasma-assisted adsorption of elemental mercury on CeO2/TiO2 at low temperatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lu; Zheng, Chenghang; Gao, Xiang

    2017-11-01

    Mercury is a kind of pollutants contained in flue gas which is hazardous for human beings. In this work, CeO2 was packed in the discharge zone of a plasma reactor to adsorb elemental mercury at low temperatures. Plasma-catalyst reactor can remove Hg0 efficiently with CeO2/TiO2 catalysts packed in the discharge zone. The Hg0 concentration continued to decrease gradually when the plasma was turned on, but not sank rapidly. This tendency was different with other catalysts. The treatment of plasma to CeO2/TiO2 catalysts has a promotion effect on the adsorption of Hg0. Plasma has the effect of changing the surface properties of the catalysts and the changes would restitute if the condition changed. The long-running test demonstrated that this method is an effective way to remove Hg0. The removal efficiency remained at above 99% throughout 12 hours when plasma had been turned on (15kV, 0.5 g packed CeO2/TiO2).

  12. Characteristics of CEOs and corporate boards with women inside directors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah Dahlen Zelechowski

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Women corporate inside (executive directors constitute an elite minority of leaders of large corporations. This study examines the characteristics of CEOs and boards of Fortune 1000 firms that had women who held the dual leadership positions of corporate director and executive officer in 1998 in order to determine whether firms with women insiders had substantially different characteristics than firms without. We find that compared with firms without women inside directors, firms with women inside directors were characterized by CEOs with longer board tenure, more family ties, and fewer director interlocks, and by boards that were larger, with more insiders, and that utilize a management Chair of the board. Corporate governance implications are drawn for the presence of women at the top of the executive hierarchy.

  13. Hydrophilic CeO2 nanocubes protect pancreatic β-cell line INS-1 from H2O2-induced oxidative stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyu, Guang-Ming; Wang, Yan-Jie; Huang, Xue; Zhang, Huai-Yuan; Sun, Ling-Dong; Liu, Yan-Jun; Yan, Chun-Hua

    2016-04-01

    Oxidative stress plays a key role in the occurrence and development of diabetes. With their unique redox properties, CeO2 nanoparticles (nanoceria) exhibit promising potential for the treatment of diabetes resulting from oxidative stress. Here, we develop a novel preparation of hydrophilic CeO2 nanocubes (NCs) with two different sizes (5 nm and 25 nm) via an acetate assisted hydrothermal method. Dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements and thermogravimetric analyses were utilized to investigate the changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of CeO2 NCs when exposed to in vitro cell culture conditions. CCK-8 assays revealed that the CeO2 NCs did not impair cell proliferation in the pancreatic β-cell line INS-1 at the highest dose of 200 μg mL-1 over the time scale of 72 h, while being able to protect INS-1 cells from H2O2-induced cytotoxicity even after protein adsorption. It is also noteworthy that nanoceria with a smaller hydrodynamic radius exhibit stronger antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects, which is consistent with their H2O2 quenching capability in biological systems. These findings suggest that nanoceria can be used as an excellent antioxidant for controlling oxidative stress-induced pancreatic β-cell damage.Oxidative stress plays a key role in the occurrence and development of diabetes. With their unique redox properties, CeO2 nanoparticles (nanoceria) exhibit promising potential for the treatment of diabetes resulting from oxidative stress. Here, we develop a novel preparation of hydrophilic CeO2 nanocubes (NCs) with two different sizes (5 nm and 25 nm) via an acetate assisted hydrothermal method. Dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements and thermogravimetric analyses were utilized to investigate the changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of CeO2 NCs when exposed to in vitro cell culture conditions. CCK-8 assays revealed that the CeO2 NCs did not impair cell proliferation in the pancreatic β-cell line INS-1 at

  14. A comparative investigation of SO2 oxidative transfer over CuO with a CeO2 surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yifeng; Shen, Benxian; Pi, Zhipeng; Chen, Hua; Zhao, Jigang

    2017-04-01

    To further improve the catalytic desulfurization function of the Mg-Al spinel sulfur transfer agent in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, the reaction paths of SO2 oxidation by O2 over the metal oxide surface of CuO (111) and CeO2 (111) were investigated. In reference to the fact that SO2 reacting with O2 over CuO was a Mars-van Krevelen cycle, a similar reaction law for SO2 oxidation over CeO2 was also verified by characterization methods (e.g., IR, XPS). Meanwhile, the molecular simulation results indicated that the rate-control step of SO2 oxidation over CeO2 (111) and CuO (111) was a SO3 desorption step. The lower energy barrier in the rate-control step corresponded to better catalytic performance; hence, it could explain the reason that CeO2 had a better sulfur oxidization transfer performance than CuO.

  15. Gender bias in hospital leadership: a qualitative study on the experiences of women CEOs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soklaridis, Sophie; Kuper, Ayelet; Whitehead, Cynthia R; Ferguson, Genevieve; Taylor, Valerie H; Zahn, Catherine

    2017-04-10

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of gender bias among women hospital CEOs and explore to what these female leaders attribute their success within a male-dominated hospital executive leadership milieu. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study involved 12 women hospital CEOs from across Ontario, Canada. Purposeful sampling techniques and in-depth qualitative interview methods were used to facilitate discussion around experiences of gender and leadership. Findings Responses fell into two groups: the first group represented the statement "Gender inequality is alive and well". The second group reflected the statement "Gender inequity is not significant, did not happen to me, and things are better now". This group contained a sub-group with no consciousness of systemic discrimination and that claimed having no gendered experiences in their leadership journey. The first group described gender issues in various contexts, from the individual to the systemic. The second group was ambivalent about gender as a factor impacting leadership trajectories. Originality/value Representations of women's leadership have become detached from feminism, with major consequences for women. This study reveals how difficult it is for some women CEOs to identify gender bias. The subtle everyday norms and practices within the workplace make it difficult to name and explain gender bias explicitly and may explain the challenges in understanding how it might affect a woman's career path.

  16. Effect of processing conditions and methods on residual stress in CeO2 buffer layers and YBCO superconducting films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong Jie; Qin Wenfeng; Cui Xumei; Tao Bowan; Tang Jinlong; Li Yanrong

    2006-01-01

    CeO 2 layers have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique on (1 1 0 2) sapphire substrate. Microstructure of CeO 2 layers is characterized by X-ray diffraction as functions of substrate temperature. The effects of the substrate temperature on the residual stress have been studied. The results show that residual stress in CeO 2 film decreased with increasing substrate temperature, not the same development tendency as that of thermal stress. This means that the thermal stress is only a fraction of the residual stress. Moreover, YBCO superconducting films were prepared by direct current (DC) sputtering and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The residual stress and thermal stress of both YBCO films were measured. PLD processing apparently generated higher intrinsic compressive stresses in comparison to DC sputtering

  17. Evaluation of Pd Nanoparticle-Decorated CeO2-MWCNT Nanocomposite as an Electrocatalyst for Formic Acid Fuel Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleem, Junaid; Safdar Hossain, SK.; Al-Ahmed, Amir; Rahman, Ateequr; McKay, Gordon; Hossain, Mohammed M.

    2018-04-01

    In this work, CeO2-modified Pd/CeO2-carbon nanotube (CNT) electrocatalyst for the electro-oxidation of formic acid has been investigated. The support CNT was first modified with different amounts (5-30 wt.%) of CeO2 using a precipitation-deposition method. The electrocatalysts were developed by dispersing Pd on the CeO2-CNT supports using the borohydride reduction method. The synthesized electrocatalysts were analyzed for composition, morphology and electronic structure using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. The formation of Pd nanoparticles on the CeO2-CNT support was confirmed using TEM. The activity of Pd/CeO2-CNT and of Pd-CNT samples upon oxidation of formic acid was evaluated by using carbon monoxide stripping voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. The addition of moderate amounts of cerium oxide (up to 10 wt.%) significantly improved the activity of Pd/CeO2-CNT compared to the unmodified Pd-CNT. Pd/10 wt.% CeO2-CNT showed a current density of 2 A mg-1, which is ten times higher than that of the unmodified Pd-CNT (0.2 A mg-1). Similarly, the power density obtained for Pd/10 wt.% CeO2-CNT in an air-breathing formic acid fuel cell was 6.8 mW/cm2 which is two times higher than Pd-CNT (3.2 mW/cm2), thus exhibiting the promotional effects of CeO2 to Pd/CeO2-CNT. A plausible justification for the improved catalytic performance and stability is provided in the light of the physical characterization results.

  18. Inhibition of Neuroblastoma cancer cells viability by ferromagnetic Mn doped CeO_2 monodisperse nanoparticles mediated through reactive oxygen species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbas, Fazal; Jan, Tariq; Iqbal, Javed; Haider Naqvi, M. Sajjad; Ahmad, Ishaq

    2016-01-01

    Here we report the Mn doping induced effects on structural, Raman, optical, magnetic and anticancer properties of CeO_2 nanoparticles prepared via soft chemical route. Structural and microstructural results infer that the synthesized nanoparticles have single phase cubic fluorite structure of CeO_2 and that Mn doping results in enhancement of the structural defects. Scanning electron microscopy results reveal the formation of monodisperse nanoparticles having average particle size ranging from 30 to 41 nm. The optical absorbance spectroscopy analysis discloses the band gap energy tailoring of CeO_2 nanoparticles via Mn doping. Room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) has been found in both as-prepared and Mn doped CeO_2 nanoparticles. This RTFM of the synthesized nanoparticles have been attributed to the Mn ions and surface defects such as oxygen vacancies. Finally, the influence of Mn dopant on the cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation levels of CeO_2 nanoparticles in the presence of healthy and cancerous cells have been studied. It has been observed that the differential cytotoxicity of the synthesized nanoparticles is strongly correlated with level of ROS generation. - Highlights: • Mn doped CeO_2 nanoparticles with cubic fluorite structure were synthesized. • Mn dopant significantly tailored the band gap of CeO_2 nanoparticles. • The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited room temperature ferromagnetic behavior. • The cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles was reported for the first time. • The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited differential cytotoxicity.

  19. Synthesis and characterization of Sr2CeO4: Eu3+ phosphor by different forms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murthy, K.V.R.; Rao, Ch. Atchyutha; Suresh, K.; Ratna Kumar, B.W.; Nageswara Rao, B.; Poornachandra Rao, N.V.; Subba Rao, B.

    2011-01-01

    High temperature solid state reaction method was explored to synthesize undoped Sr 2 CeO 4 and Eu 3+ RE doped Sr 2 CeO 4 phosphor using inorganic materials taking in three different forms like, form (i) Strontium Carbonate (SrCO 3 ), Cerium Oxide (CeO 2 ), (ii) Strontium Nitrate (Sr(NO 3 ) 2 ), Cerium Oxide (CeO 2 ) and (iii) Strontium Nitrate (Sr(NO 3 ) 2 ), Cerium Nitrate (Ce(NO 3 ) 3 .6(NH 2 .CO.NH 2 ) in stoichiometric proportions of Sr:Ce as 2:1 and ground into a fine powder using agate mortar and pestle about an hour. The grounded samples were placed in an alumina crucible and fired at 1200 deg C for 3 hours in a muffle furnace with a heating rate of 5 deg C/min. To investigate the crystal structure, phase, morphology and luminescent properties of the synthesized phosphors XRD, SEM, Photoluminescence (PL) spectra, TL and CIE techniques were used. The Photoluminescence (PL) emission and excitation spectra were measured by Spectrofluorophotometer (SHIMADZU, RF-5301 PC) using Xenon lamp as excitation source. To identify the crystal phase, XRD analysis was carried out with a powder diffractometer (Rigaku-D/max 2500) using CuKα radiation. The microstructures of the samples were studied using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (XL 30 CP Philips). All the analysis was recorded at room temperature. We have compared the results of the prepared samples by different forms. From the XRD analysis it was found that the prepared phosphors are mostly in single phase of Sr 2 CeO 4 with an orthorhombic structure. From the XRD data, using Scherrer's formula the calculated average crystallite size is (i) ∼ 28 nm (ii) ∼ 9 nm (iii) ∼ 7 nm using FWHM. This indicates that, the prepared phosphors via high temperature solid state reaction method is in nano size. Sr 2 CeO 4 exhibits photoluminescence due to the charge transfer (CT) mechanism. The sample displays a broad excitation spectrum range from ∼ 220 to 400 nm. Under 350 nm excitation, the undoped Sr 2 CeO 4 shows

  20. Isolated centres versus defect associates in Sm3+-doped CeO2: a spectroscopic investigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tiseanu, Carmen; Avram, Daniel; Cojocaru, Bogdan; Parvulescu, Vasile I; Vela-Gonzalez, Andrea V; Sanchez-Dominguez, Margarita

    2013-01-01

    The interactions between Sm 3+ and oxygen vacancies in CeO 2 are probed by the use of tuneable laser excited time-resolved photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopies. It is found that Sm 3+ (with doping concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, 1 and 5 wt%) substitutes largely for Ce 4+ in sites with cubic symmetry and the corresponding emission is sensitized via the Ce 4+ –O 2− charge-transfer band of CeO 2 . It is established from the photoluminescence spectra measured at long delay after the laser pulse that the local environment around cubic Sm 3+ centres is not changed with concentration and ceria size. In addition to cubic symmetry Sm 3+ centres, low-symmetry Sm 3+ centres tentatively assigned to the Sm 3+ –oxygen vacancy associates of nearest-neighbour type are also observed. Their emission is preferentially excited via the weak f–f absorption transitions of Sm 3+ . A relatively strong concentration-induced quenching of Sm 3+ emission was inferred from the decrease in the average emission lifetimes from 2.1 ms (0.1 wt%) to 0.87 ms (5 wt%). The local environments of Sm 3+ and Eu 3+ in CeO 2 are also compared on the basis of their emission spectra and decays. (paper)

  1. Physical properties of nanostructured CeO2 thin films grown by SILAR method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Ishaque Ahmed; Belkhedkar, M. R.; Salodkar, R. V.; Ubale, A. U.

    2018-05-01

    Nanostructured CeO2 thin films have been deposited by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method onto glass substrate using (CeNO3)3 6H2O and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors respectively. The structural and morphological characterizations were carried out by means of X-ray diffraction, FTIR, FESEM and EDX studies. The highly resistive (1010 Ω cm) semiconducting CeO2 film exhibits 2.95 eV optical band gap.

  2. Does obfuscating excessive CEO pay work? The influence of remuneration report readability on say-on-pay votes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hooghiemstra, Reggy; Kuang, Yu Flora; Qin, Bo

    2017-01-01

    This paper assesses whether reducing ‘readability’ is an effective obfuscation strategy for influencing the level of shareholder say-on-pay voting dissent in firms with excessive CEO pay. Based on a sample of UK-listed firms, our results indicate that in cases of excessive CEO pay, a less readable

  3. A facile synthesis for cauliflower like CeO2 catalysts from Ce-BTC precursor and their catalytic performance for CO oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaodong; Hou, Fulin; Yang, Yang; Wang, Yuxin; Liu, Ning; Chen, Dan; Yang, Yiqiong

    2017-11-01

    The paper presents a novel and facile method for preparing cauliflowerlike CeO2 through direct decomposition of cerium based metal-organic framework (MOF) Ce-BTC (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) straw in air. Several analytical tools such as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric (TG), N2 adsorption-desorption, Temperature programmed reduction (TPR), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) and Photoluminescence (PL) have been used to characterize Ce-BTC and CeO2. The Ce-BTC calcined at 500 °C (CeO2-500) maintains the morphology of its template ;Ce-BTC; and forms a special cauliflower-like structure. XRD patterns showed that the catalyst has a perfect CeO2 crystal structure and has a smaller particle size. The prepared CeO2 cauliflowers exhibit excellent catalytic activities, long-term stability, and cycling stability for CO oxidation. The improved catalytic activities could be attributed to porous nanorods of CeO2 cauliflowers, which provide more active sites and oxygen vacancy for CO oxidation.

  4. Us Knows Us in the UK : On Director Networks and CEO Compensation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Renneboog, L.D.R.; Zhao, Y.

    2011-01-01

    We analyze the relation between CEO compensation and networks of executive and non-executive directors for all listed UK companies over the period 1996-2007. We examine whether networks are built for reasons of information gathering or for the accumulation of managerial influence. Both indirect

  5. Enhancement of photocatalytic properties of TiO2 nanoparticles doped with CeO2 and supported on SiO2 for phenol degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hao, Chunjing; Li, Jing; Zhang, Zailei; Ji, Yongjun; Zhan, Hanhui; Xiao, Fangxing; Wang, Dan; Liu, Bin; Su, Fabing

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • CeO 2 -TiO 2 /SiO 2 composites were prepared via a facile co-precipitation method. • Introduction of SiO 2 support increases the dispersion of CeO 2 -TiO 2 . • CeO 2 -TiO 2 /SiO 2 exhibits an enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for phenol degradation. • Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ pair coexisting in CeO 2 improves electron–hole pairs separation efficiency. - Abstract: A series of CeO 2 -TiO 2 and CeO 2 -TiO 2 /SiO 2 composites were prepared with TiCl 4 and Ce (NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O as precursors via a facile co-precipitation method. The obtained samples were characterized by various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption (N 2 -BET), Fourier transformation infrared spectrum (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–Vis spectroscopy measurements. The results indicated that TiO 2 doped with CeO 2 and supported on SiO 2 could reduce the crystallite size, inhibit the phase transformation, enhance the thermal stability, and effectively extend the spectral response from UV to visible range. When applied to the phenol photodegradation on a homemade batch reactor with an external cooling jacket, the CeO 2 -TiO 2 /SiO 2 catalysts exhibited significantly enhanced photodegradation efficiency in comparison with commercial Degussa P25 and CeO 2 -TiO 2 . The unique catalytic properties of CeO 2 -TiO 2 /SiO 2 were ascribed to improved electron–hole pairs separation efficiency and formation of more reactive oxygen species owing to the presence of Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ , as well as high dispersion of active component of CeO 2 -TiO 2 as a result of the introduction of SiO 2 support. Furthermore, the catalysts can be easily recovered from the reaction solution by centrifugation and reused for four cycles without significant loss of activity

  6. Nanocrystalline Sr2CeO4 thin films grown on silicon by laser ablation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perea, Nestor; Hirata, G.A.

    2006-01-01

    Blue-white luminescent Sr 2 CeO 4 thin films were deposited by using pulsed laser ablation (λ = 248 nm wavelength) on 500 deg. C silicon (111) substrates under an oxygen pressure of 55 mTorr. High-resolution electron transmission microscopy, electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the films were composed of nanocrystalline Sr 2 CeO 4 grains of the order of 20-30 nm with a preferential orientation in the (130) crystallographic direction. The excitation and photoluminescence spectra measured on the films maintained the characteristic emission of bulk Sr 2 CeO 4 however, the emission peak appeared narrower and blue-shifted as compared to the luminescence spectrum of the target. The blue-shift and a preferential crystallographic orientation during the growth formation of the film is related to the nanocrystalline nature of the grains due to the quantum confinement behavior and surface energy minimization in nanostructured systems

  7. The Lived Experiences of Asian Americans Who Became Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of California Community Colleges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramones, Eric

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Asian Americans who became chief executive officers (CEOs) of a California Community College District. This study discussed the experiences, the influence of Asian culture, the perception of Asian Americans, and the challenges encountered by Asian American CEOs. To…

  8. Infrared to visible upconversion luminescence in Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped CeO2 inverse opal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Zhengwen; Wu, Hangjun; Liao, Jiayan; Li, Wucai; Song, Zhiguo; Yang, Yong; Zhou, Dacheng; Wang, Rongfei; Qiu, Jianbei

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • UC emission of Er 3+ was modified by introducing the structure of inverse opal. • Color tuning of CeO 2 :Yb, Er inverse opal was realized by inhibition of UC emission. • Two-photon excitation processes were observed in CeO 2 :Yb, Er inverse opal. -- Abstract: Infrared to visible upconversion luminescence has been investigated in Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped CeO 2 inverse opal. Under the excitation of 980 nm diode lasers, visible emissions centered at 525, 547, 561, 660 and 680 nm are observed, which are assigned to the Er 3+ transitions of 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 15/2 (525 nm), 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 (547, 561 nm), 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 (660 and 680 nm), respectively. The effect of photonic band gap on the upconversion luminescence intensity was also obtained. Additionally, the upconversion luminescence mechanism was studied. The dependence of Er 3+ upconversion emission intensity on pump power reveals that it is a two-photon excitation process

  9. Finishing occlusion in Class II or Class III molar relation: therapeutic Class II and III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nangia, A; Darendeliler, M A

    2001-11-01

    The most frequent extraction regime consists of the removal of upper and lower premolars. Depending on anchorage requirements, camouflage treatment options, surgical intervention, or the absence of teeth in only one arch, it may become necessary to finalize the occlusion with a one-dental-unit discrepancy between the upper and lower dental arches. Guidelines are presented for finishing occlusions in Class II or Class III molar relation.

  10. Promoting Effect of CeO2 Addition on Activity and Catalytic Stability in Steam Reforming of Methane over Ni/Al2O3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rakib, A.; Gennequin, C.; Ringot, S.; Aboukais, A.; Abi-Aad, E.; Dhainaut, T.

    2011-01-01

    Hydrogen production by steam reforming of methane was studied over Ni catalysts supported on CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and CeO 2 -Al 2 O 3 . These catalysts were prepared using the impregnation method and characterized by XRD. The effect of CeO2 promoter on the catalytic performance of Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst for methane steam reforming reaction was investigated. In fact, CeO 2 had a positive effect on the catalytic activity in this reaction. Experimental results demonstrated that Ni/CeO 2 -Al 2 O 3 catalyst showed excellent catalytic activity and high reaction performance. In addition, the effects of reaction temperature and metal content on the conversion of CH 4 and H 2 /CO ratio were also investigated. Results indicated that CH4 conversion increased significantly with the increase of the reaction temperature and metal content. (author)

  11. Oral health in Brazil - Part II: Dental Specialty Centers (CEOs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinícius Pedrazzi

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available The concepts of health promotion, self-care and community participation emerged during the 1970s and, since then, their application has grown rapidly in the developed world, showing evidence of effectiveness. In spite of this, a major part of the population in the developing countries still has no access to specialized dental care such as endodontic treatment, dental care for patients with special needs, minor oral surgery, periodontal treatment and oral diagnosis. This review focuses on a program of the Brazilian Federal Government named CEOs (Dental Specialty Centers, which is an attempt to solve the dental care deficit of a population that is suffering from oral diseases and whose oral health care needs have not been addressed by the regular programs offered by the SUS (Unified National Health System. Literature published from 2000 to the present day, using electronic searches by Medline, Scielo, Google and hand-searching was considered. The descriptors used were Brazil, Oral health, Health policy, Health programs, and Dental Specialty Centers. There are currently 640 CEOs in Brazil, distributed in 545 municipal districts, carrying out dental procedures with major complexity. Based on this data, it was possible to conclude that public actions on oral health must involve both preventive and curative procedures aiming to minimize the oral health distortions still prevailing in developing countries like Brazil.

  12. Synthesis and physico-chemical characterization of CeO2/ZrO2-SO42- mixed oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez E, J. M.; Silva R, R.; Garcia A, R.; Garcia S, L. A.; Handy, B. E.; Cardenas G, G.; Cueto H, A.

    2012-01-01

    Environmentally friendly solid-acid catalysts CeO 2 /ZrO 2 -SO 4 2- were prepared by the sol gel method varying CeO 2 content (10, 20 and 30 wt %) and using sulfation in situ, maintaining the sulfate ions amount present in the materials at 20 wt %. ZrO 2 and ZrO 2 -SO 4 2- were also prepared for comparison proposes using the same synthesis method. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, potentiometric titration with n-butylamine, decomposition of 2-propanol and n-pentane isomerization. The specific surface area of ZrO 2 -SO 4 2- was high (160 m 2 /g) compared with the unmodified ZrO 2 (80 m 2 /g), however this area decreased with increasing the CeO 2 content (37-100 m 2 /g). There was no significant effect of CeO 2 on the tetragonal structure of ZrO 2 -SO 4 2- . The variation of acid sites amount runs parallel to the change of specific surface area. The acid sites amount decreased with increasing cerium oxide content. The decomposition of 2-propanol results fundamentally in the formation of dehydration products such as propylene and diisopropyl ether, both involving acid sites. In addition, a good performance during the n-pentane isomerization was observed for these materials. The selectivity towards isopentane reaches 84% when the Pt/CeO 2 /ZrO 2 -SO 4 2- catalyst with the highest CeO 2 content was used. (Author)

  13. DIAGNOSTIC GUIDANCE AND EARLY INTERVENTION IN CLASS III MALOCCLUSION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rinandri Charea Runizar

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Timing of orthodontic treatment for Class III malocclusion has always been somewhat controversial. Many orthodontic pioneers like Angle, Tweed, and Graber have advocated early interception of class II malocclusion because this kind of skeletal discrepancy once established, would usually progress rapidly. What kind of early treatment would be appropriate for this malocclusion? Would this approach be effective and promises a stable result? Early orthodontic treatment is defined as a treatment that is initiated during the primary or mixed dentition stage to enhance skeletal and dental development. It is usually done in two phases. The first phase is intended to correct skeletal discrepancy by taking advantage of growth and development period. The second phase followed to improve occlusal relationship. Early treatment of Class III malocclusion is a possible alternative to improve skeletal discrepancy or at the very east may serve to prevent a worsening malocclusion. Principles of Class III early treatment depend on whether it is dental Class III, functional Class III, or skeletal Class III. Practitioners should consider positive and negative factors of a patient before initiating treatment. Likewise, they should understand factors that affect prognosis and stability of the results.

  14. CeO2-stabilized tetragonal ZrO2 polycrystals (Ce-TZP ceramics)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade Nono, M.C. de.

    1990-12-01

    This work presents the development and the characterization of CeO 2 -stabilized tetragonal ZrO 2 polycrystals (Ce-TZP ceramics), since it is considered candidate material for applications as structural high performance ceramics. Sintered ceramics were fabricated from mixtures of powders containing different CeO 2 content prepared by conventional and nonconventional techniques. These powders and their resultant sintered ceramics were specified by chemical and physical characterization, compactation state and mechanical properties. The chemical characteristics were determined by chemical analysis and the physical characteristics were evaluated by phase content, particle and agglomerate size and aspect, and powder porosity. (author)

  15. Luminescent and morphological study of Sr2CeO4 blue phosphor prepared from oxalate precursors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferrari, Jefferson L.; Pires, Ana M.; Serra, Osvaldo A.; Davolos, Marian R.

    2011-01-01

    Luminescent and morphological studies of Sr 2 CeO 4 blue phosphor prepared from cerium-doped strontium oxalate precursor are reported. Powder samples were prepared from 5 and 25 mol% Ce 3+ -doped strontium oxalate as well as from a mechanical mixture of strontium oxalate and cerium oxalate at a 4:1 ratio, respectively. All the samples were characterized by XRD, IR, PLS, and SEM. The luminescent and structural properties of the Sr 2 CeO 4 material are little affected by the SrCO 3 remaining from precursors. The Sr 2 CeO 4 material consists in one-dimensional chains of edge-sharing CeO 6 octahedra that are linked together by Sr 2+ ions. The carbonate ion might be associated with oxygen ions of the linear chain, and also with the oxygen atoms located in the equatorial position, which consequently affects the charge transfer bands between O 2- and Ce 4+ . As observed by SEM, the morphological changes are related to each kind of precursor and thermal treatment, along with irregular powder particles within the size range 0.5-2 μm.

  16. Meta-analysis of the Effectiveness of Educational and Therapeutic Interventions on the Four Classes of Learning Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Mesrabadi

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Learning disorders is one of the most common problems of students, which attracted the attention of many psychologists and many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of various interventions on different classes of learning disorder. The present study aimed to conclude general conclusions about the effectiveness of various educational and therapeutic interventions and the discovery of possible moderating variables. Materials and Methods: In order to achieve the research purpose by using meta-analysis method, quantitative results of 128 selected researches which were obtained according to the criteria for entering and leaving and using keywords were used. In total, 623 primary effect sizes were obtained and analyzed by using CMA2 software. Results: The results of the analysis showed that amount of combined effect size of the educational and therapeutic interventions on learning disorders was 1.13, and after dividing into multiple predecessor and consequence variables, the amounts of the combined effect size for educational interventions and therapeutic interventions for overall class of learning disabilities were respectively 0.74 and 1.26, for reading disorder 0.87 and 1.01, for writing disorder 1.20 and 1.22, and for mathematical disorder 1.29 and 1.26 that all of these effects size were significant (p≤0.001. Also, the results of independent t-test showed that the difference in the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on reading disorder and educational interventions on mathematical disorder is significant (p≤0.001. Conclusion: Based on the size of the effects obtained, it can be said that educational and therapeutic interventions have a very high effect on learning disabilities, and the use of therapeutic interventions for reading disorder and educational interventions for mathematical disorder is more effective.

  17. CeO2-TiO2 Photocatalyst: Ionic Liquid-Mediated Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance for Diisopropanolamine Visible Light Degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jagath Retchahan Sivalingam

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst with Ce:Ti molar ratio of 1:9 was synthesized via co-precipitation method in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium octylsulfate, [EMIM][OctSO4] (CeO2-TiO2-IL. The ionic liquid acts as a templating agent for particle growth. The CeO2-TiO2 and TiO2 photocatalysts were also synthesized without any ionic liquid for comparison. Calcination was conducted on the as-synthesized materials at 400˚C for 2 h. The photocatalysts were characterized using diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy (DR-UV-Vis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, and surface area and pore size analyzer (SAP. The presence of CeO2 has changed the optical property of TiO2. It has extended the absorption edge of TiO2 from UV to visible region. The calculated band gap energy decreased from 2.82 eV (TiO2 to 2.30 eV (CeO2-TiO2-IL. The FESEM morphology showed that samples forms aggregates and the surface smoothens when ionic liquid was added. The average crystallite size of TiO2, CeO2-TiO2, and CeO2-TiO2-IL were 20.8 nm, 5.5 nm, and 4 nm. In terms of performance, photodegradation of 1000 ppm of diisopropanolamine (DIPA was conducted in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 and visible light irradiation which was provided by a 500 W halogen lamp. The best performance was displayed by CeO2-TiO2-IL calcined at 400˚C. It was able to remove 82.0% DIPA and 54.8% COD after 6 h reaction.  Copyright © 2018 BCREC Group. All rights reserved Received: 26th July 2017; Revised: 22nd October 2017; Accepted: 29th October 2017; Available online: 22nd January 2018; Published regularly: 2nd April 2018 How to Cite: Sivalingam, J.R., Kait, C.F., Wilfred, C.D. (2018. CeO2-TiO2 Photocatalyst: Ionic Liquid-Mediated Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance for Diisopropanolamine Visible Light Degradation. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 13 (1: 170-178 (doi:10.9767/bcrec.13.1.1396.170-178

  18. A Conversation with Howard Schultz CEO of Starbucks

    OpenAIRE

    Christopher Muller

    2014-01-01

    At the 12th annual European Food Service Summit in Zurich, Switzerland in September 2011, Professor Christopher Muller sat down with Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks to discuss a wide range of topics. Their discussion touched on best management and business practices and the techniques that Schultz used to bring Starbucks back from the brink of bankruptcy to the international coffee corporation it is today.

  19. A. C. conduction behaviour in amorphous WO 3 /CEO 2 thin film ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A. C. conduction behaviour in amorphous WO3/CEO2 thin film. B Yagoubi, C A Hogarth, A Boukorrt. Abstract. No Abstract. Technologies Avancees Vol. 17 2005: pp. 5-8. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ta.v17i1.18478.

  20. Electrochemical and optical properties of CeO2-SnO2 and CeO2-SnO2:X (X = Li, C, Si films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berton Marcos A.C.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Thin solid films of CeO2-SnO2 (17 mol% Sn and CeO2-SnO2:X (X = Li, C and Si were prepared by the sol-gel route, using an aqueous-based process. The addition of Li, C and Si to the precursor solution leads to films with different electrochemical performances. The films were deposited by the dip-coating technique on ITO coated glass (Donnelly Glass at a speed of 10 cm/min and submitted to a final thermal treatment at 450 °C during 10 min in air. The electrochemical and optical properties of the films were determined from the cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry measurements using 0.1 M LiOH as supporting electrolyte. The ion storage capacity of the films was investigated using in situ spectroelectrochemical method and during the insertion/extraction process the films remained transparent. The powders were characterized by thermal analysis (DSC/TGA and X-ray diffraction.

  1. A Conversation with Howard Schultz CEO of Starbucks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher Muller

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available At the 12th annual European Food Service Summit in Zurich, Switzerland in September 2011, Professor Christopher Muller sat down with Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks to discuss a wide range of topics. Their discussion touched on best management and business practices and the techniques that Schultz used to bring Starbucks back from the brink of bankruptcy to the international coffee corporation it is today.

  2. CO2 methanation on the catalyst of Ni/MCM-41 promoted with CeO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoliu; Zhu, Lingjun; Liu, Yincong; Wang, Shurong

    2018-06-01

    CO 2 as a raw feed combined with renewable hydrogen for the production of useful chemicals and alternative energy products is one of the solutions to environmental and energy problems. In this study, a series of Ni-xCeO 2 /MCM-41 catalysts with a nickel content of 20wt% were prepared through deposition precipitation method for CO 2 methanation. Different characterization methods, including BET, XRD, TEM, SEM, H 2 -TPR and H 2 -TPD were applied to help explore the influence mechanism of CeO 2 on Ni/MCM-41 in CO 2 methanation. It was found that all CeO 2 -promoted catalysts exhibited enhanced catalytic activity when compared to Ni/MCM-41. The catalyst modified with 20wt% CeO 2 showed the best catalytic performance, with CO 2 conversion and CH 4 selectivity of 85.6% and 99.8%, respectively, at the temperature of 380°C under atmospheric pressure. The synergetic effects among Ni 0 active sites, the promoter and the support, including nickel dispersion improvement and increased CO 2 adsorption sites due to the addition of CeO 2 , were considered as important factors for high reactivity of the promoted catalysts. The stability test showed that the promoted catalyst maintained its high reactivity after 30h. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Electronic structure study of Co doped CeO2 nanoparticles using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Shalendra; Gautam, Sanjeev; Song, T.K.; Chae, Keun Hwa; Jang, K.W.; Kim, S.S.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The electronic structural of Co–CeO 2 nanoparticles is investigated using XAFS. • Ce M 5,4 , Ce L 3 and O K edge NEXAFS reveal that the Ce-ions are in +4 valence state. • The NEXAFS spectrum performed at Co L3,2-edge confirms Co-ion in 2+ state. • The EXAFS analysis also show that Co ions are occupying Ce position in doped CeO 2 . • The distances between Ce–O and Ce–Ce/Co in all shells decreases with Co doping. - Abstract: We investigated the electronic structure of well characterized Co doped CeO 2 nanoparticles using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra at Ce M 5,4 , Ce L 3 and O K-edge conclude that the Ce-ions are in +4 valence state in pure as well as in Co doped CeO 2 nanoparticles. The local structure around Ce-atom in Co doped CeO 2 nanoparticles was also determined using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at Ce L 3 edge. The EXAFS analysis suggest that the inter-atomic distance of Ce–O, Ce–Ce/Co decreases with Co doping, which indicate a contraction of the lattice. The decease in Ce–O distance also reflect that there is a formation of oxygen vacancies in CeO 2 matrix. The Debye–Waller factor also shows the consistent behaviour for all the coordination shells. The atomic multiplet calculations for Co L 3,2 -edge was performed to determine the valence state, symmetry and field splitting, which reflect that Co-ions are in 2+ state and substituted at Ce-site with crystal field splitting of 10Dq=-0.57eV. The XAFS measurements reveal that the Co-ions occupy the Ce position in the CeO 2 host matrix and create a oxygen vacancy

  4. The influence of CeO2 on the microstructure and electrical behaviour of ZnO-Bi2O3 based varistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lei Ming; Li Shengtao; Jiao Xiaodong; Li Jianying; Alim, Mohammad A

    2004-01-01

    The processing-microstructure-property relations have been studied in order to understand the role of the addition of CeO 2 (up to 0.9 mole%) in the ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 based varistor recipe. The microstructural investigation suggests that CeO 2 is segregated at the corners of the ZnO grains in addition to the existence of the Zn 7 Sb 2 O 12 spinel phase. However, the α -spinel phase was observed instead of the β -spinel phase that is usually found in most commercial and laboratory ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 based varistors. The α -spinel phase is more stable than the β -spinel phase and does not transform to the pyrochlore phase during the cooling process. The most significant effect of the CeO 2 particles is the ZnO grain refinement owing to the pinning effect of the grain growth. The average grain size decreases from 7.8 to 5.7 μm when compared to the 0.9 mole% CeO 2 -added sample against the CeO 2 -free sample. This grain refinement results in a significantly enhanced breakdown field when compared to the CeO 2 -free sample. The coefficient of nonlinearity of the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics is found to be nearly identical for the CeO 2 added varistor materials. However, when a slower cooling cycle (1 deg. C min -1 instead of 4 deg. C min -1 ) is used in the sintering process, these varistor materials exhibited a high nonlinear coefficient (α = 29 ± 5) as extracted from the I-V behaviour

  5. Construction of g-C3N4/CeO2/ZnO ternary photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Yuan; Huang, Gui-Fang; Hu, Wang-Yu; Xiong, Dan-Ni; Zhou, Bing-Xin; Chang, Shengli; Huang, Wei-Qing

    2017-07-01

    Promoting the spatial separation of photoexcited charge carriers is of paramount significance for photocatalysis. In this work, binary g-C3N4/CeO2 nanosheets are first prepared by pyrolysis and subsequent exfoliation method, then decorated with ZnO nanoparticles to construct g-C3N4/CeO2/ZnO ternary nanocomposites with multi-heterointerfaces. Notably, the type-II staggered band alignments existing between any two of the constituents, as well as the efficient three-level transfer of electron-holes in unique g-C3N4/CeO2/ZnO ternary composites, leads to the robust separation of photoexcited charge carriers, as verified by its photocurrent increased by 8 times under visible light irradiation. The resulting g-C3N4/CeO2/ZnO ternary nanocomposites unveil appreciably increased photocatalytic activity, faster than that of pure g-C3N4, ZnO and g-C3N4/CeO2 by a factor of 11, 4.6 and 3.7, respectively, and good stability toward methylene blue (MB) degradation. The remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4/CeO2/ZnO ternary heterostructures can be interpreted in terms of lots of active sites of nanosheet shapes and the efficient charge separation owing to the resulting type-II band alignment with more than one heterointerface and the efficient three-level electron-hole transfer. A plausible mechanism is also elucidated via active species trapping experiments with various scavengers, which indicating that the photogenerated holes and •OH radicals play a crucial role in photodegradation reaction under visible light irradiation. This work suggest that the rational design and construction of type II multi-heterostructures is powerful for developing highly efficient and reusable visible-light photocatalysts for environmental purification and energy conversion.

  6. A study on the growth kinetics of CeO2-modified aluminide coating and its computer fitting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Jiuba; Yang Liusong; Zhu Limin; Zhang Jinmin; Li QuanAn

    2009-01-01

    A CeO 2 -modified aluminide coating was obtained by composite electro-deposition Ni and CeO 2 particles on 20 steel with different holding time using pack cementation. The growth kinetics curve was given with computer fitting by measuring the thickness of the layer. Scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry were used to analyze the microstructure and components of the layer. The results showed that the content of CeO 2 was up to 5.21 wt.% in the rich area of NiAl coatings, which restrain the interdiffusion between the coating and the base during the oxidation process at high temperature. Meanwhile, the growth curve obtained could offer an important basis to forecasting and controlling the depth of the coating

  7. Randomized controlled trial of computerized alcohol intervention for college students: role of class level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strohman, Ashleigh Sweet; Braje, Sopagna Eap; Alhassoon, Omar M; Shuttleworth, Sylvie; Van Slyke, Jenna; Gandy, Sharareh

    2016-01-01

    Because of their ability to reach a much wider audience than face-to-face counseling or psychoeducation, computer-delivered interventions for risky or potentially problematic use have been increasing on college campuses. However, there are very few studies that examine who benefits most from such interventions. The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in Alcohol-Wise, a computerized intervention, is associated with changes in alcohol drinking behavior and its consequences, perceptions of college drinking norms, and expectancies. It was hypothesized that class level (i.e. freshman/sophomore versus junior/senior) would moderate the effectiveness of Alcohol-Wise. College students (n = 58) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (i) the computer-delivered intervention or (ii) wait-list control. Measures were completed at baseline and approximately 30-days later. At follow-up, freshman and sophomore students in the intervention group showed significant reduction in peak number of standard drinks and blood alcohol concentration, but the effect was not observed for juniors and seniors. The intervention group reported more accurate estimates of drinking norms at follow-up relative to controls. There were no significant changes over time in alcohol expectancies in either group. This study provides support for the potential usefulness of Alcohol-Wise intervention at reducing short-term drinking among underclassmen but not upperclassmen in a 4-year college setting. These findings suggest that computerized interventions may be more effective when provided early, but not later, in a student's college career.

  8. Exposure of agricultural crops to nanoparticle CeO2 in biochar-amended soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Servin, Alia D; De la Torre-Roche, Roberto; Castillo-Michel, Hiram; Pagano, Luca; Hawthorne, Joseph; Musante, Craig; Pignatello, Joseph; Uchimiya, Minori; White, Jason C

    2017-01-01

    Biochar is seeing increased usage as an amendment in agricultural soils but the significance of nanoscale interactions between this additive and engineered nanoparticles (ENP) remains unknown. Corn, lettuce, soybean and zucchini were grown for 28 d in two different soils (agricultural, residential) amended with 0-2000 mg engineered nanoparticle (ENP) CeO 2  kg -1 and biochar (350 °C or 600 °C) at application rates of 0-5% (w/w). At harvest, plants were analyzed for biomass, Ce content, chlorophyll and lipid peroxidation. Biomass from the four species grown in residential soil varied with species and biochar type. However, biomass in the agricultural soil amended with biochar 600 °C was largely unaffected. Biochar co-exposure had minimal impact on Ce accumulation, with reduced or increased Ce content occurring at the highest (5%) biochar level. Soil-specific and biochar-specific effects on Ce accumulation were observed in the four species. For example, zucchini grown in agricultural soil with 2000 mg CeO 2  kg -1 and 350 °C biochar (0.5-5%) accumulated greater Ce than the control. However, for the 600 °C biochar, the opposite effect was evident, with decreased Ce content as biochar increased. A principal component analysis showed that biochar type accounted for 56-99% of the variance in chlorophyll and lipid peroxidation across the plants. SEM and μ-XRF showed Ce association with specific biochar and soil components, while μ-XANES analysis confirmed that after 28 d in soil, the Ce remained largely as CeO 2 . The current study demonstrates that biochar synthesis conditions significantly impact interactions with ENP, with subsequent effects on particle fate and effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Investigation of CeO2 Buffer Layer Effects on the Voltage Response of YBCO Transition-Edge Bolometers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mohajeri, Roya; Nazifi, Rana; Wulff, Anders Christian

    2016-01-01

    The effect on the thermal parameters of superconducting transition-edge bolometers produced on a single crystalline SrTiO3 (STO) substrate with and without a CeO2 buffer layer was investigated. Metal-organic deposition was used to deposit the 20-nm CeO2 buffer layer, whereas RF magnetron sputtering...

  10. Microstructure and fatigue behaviors of a biomedical Ti–Nb–Ta–Zr alloy with trace CeO2 additions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Xiu; Wang, Lei; Niinomi, Mitsuo; Nakai, Masaaki; Liu, Yang; Zhu, Miaoyong

    2014-01-01

    The new β-type Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr (TNTZ) alloy containing trace amounts of CeO 2 additions has been designed as a biomedical implant with improved fatigue properties achieved by keeping Young's modulus to a low value. The results show that the microstructure is refined by the addition of CeO 2 ; the β grain size becomes a little larger when Ce content increases from 0.05% to 0.10%. This occurs because dispersed CeO 2 particles can act as nucleation sites for β grains; thus, the effect of rare earth oxides on microstructure refinement mainly depends on the size and dispersion of the rare earth oxides. Young's moduli of TNTZ with CeO 2 additions are maintained as low as those of TNTZ without CeO 2 , while the fatigue limit is highly improved. The 0.10% Ce alloy exhibits the best fatigue strength among the experimental alloys; its fatigue strength is increased by 66.7% compared to that of pure TNTZ. The mechanism by which rare earth oxides affect fatigue performance is dominated by dispersion strengthening. The stiff rare earth oxides can hinder the movement of dislocations, resulting in resistance to the formation of fatigue cracks. Rare earth oxides also change the crack propagation direction and the crack propagation route, effectively decreasing the crack propagation rate

  11. Role of CeO2 promoter in NiO/α-Al2O3 catalyst for dry reforming of methane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loc, Luu Cam; Phuong, Phan Hong; Tri, Nguyen

    2017-09-01

    A series of Ni/α-Al2O3 (NiAl) catalysts promoted by CeO2 was prepared by co-impregnation methods with content of (NiO+CeO2) being in the range of 10-30 wt%. The NiO:CeO2 weight ratio was fluctuated at 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3. Several techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate catalysts' physico-chemical properties. The activity of these catalysts in dry reforming of CH4 was investigated at temperature range of 550-800 °C. The results revealed that the most suitable CeO2 promoted Ni catalyst contained 20 wt% of (NiO+CeO2) and NiO:CeO2 weight ratio of 1:2. The best catalytic performance of catalyst [20(1Ni2Ce)Al] due to a better reducibility resulted in a higher amount of free small particle NiO. At 700 °C and CH4:CO2 molar ratio of 1:1, the conversion of CH4 and CO2 on the most suitable CeO2 promoted Ni catalyst reached 86% and 67%, respectively; H2 and CO selectivity of 90% and H2:CO molar ratio of 1.15 were obtained. Being similar to MgO [1], promoter CeO2 could improve catalytic activity of Ni/α-Al2O3 catalyst at a lower range of temperature. Besides, both MgO and CeO2 had a great impact on improving coke resistance of Ni catalysts. At higher temperature, the role of CeO2 as well as MgO in preventing coke formation on catalyst was clarified by temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) technique. Coke amount formed after 30-h TOS on 20(1Ni2Ce) catalyst was found to be 22.18 mgC/gcat, being less than on non-promoted catalyst (36.75 mgC/gcat), but more than on 20(1Ni2Mg)Al one (5.25 mgC/gcat).

  12. Structural, luminescence and photophysical properties of novel trimetallic nanocomposite CeO2·ZnO·ZnAl2O4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subhan, Md Abdus; Ahmed, Tanzir; Sarker, Prosenjit; Pakkanen, Tuula T.; Suvanto, Mika; Horimoto, Masahiro; Nakata, Hiroyasu

    2014-01-01

    A novel trimetallic nanocomposite was prepared at a temperature of around 220 °C using co-precipitation of their carbonates from aqueous solutions of the metal nitrates. The morphology of the composite was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The X-ray, FTIR and SEM/EDS analyses data indicate that as-synthesized composite which was heated at around 220 °C exists in a nanosized form consisting of crystalline Zn 6 Al 2 (OH) 16 CO 3 ·4H 2 O and CeO 2 . Annealing at temperatures between 400 and 920 °C converts the as-synthesized composite to CeO 2 ·ZnO·ZnAl 2 O 4 multi-metal oxide consisting of crystalline CeO 2 , ZnO and semicrystalline ZnAl 2 O 4 . Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the as-synthesized sample showed emissions at 440 and 590 nm. PL spectra of CeO 2 ·ZnO·ZnAl 2 O 4 annealed at 920 °C was recorded and three sharp lines were observed at 627 nm (1.98 eV), 530 nm (2.34 eV) and 465 nm (2.67 eV) with broad peaks at 540 nm (2.3 eV) and 400 nm (3.1 eV). These sharp lines resemble to those of CeO 2 and the broad peaks originate from ZnO. The indirect band gap of the as-synthesized composite was found to be 2.44 eV. The luminescence lifetime at 4 K was measured to be 38 μs. -- Highlights: • A novel trimetallic nanocomposite, CeO 2 ·ZnO·ZnAl 2 O 4 has been synthesized and characterized. • At around 220 °C as-synthesized samples exist in crystalline Zn 6 Al 2 (OH) 16 CO 3 ·4H 2 O and CeO 2 . • Annealing at temperatures between 400 and 920 °C converts the composite to CeO 2 ·ZnO·ZnAl 2 O 4 . • The luminescence lifetime of the composite at 4 K was measured to be 38 μs. • PL of CeO 2 ·ZnO·ZnAl 2 O 4 shows three sharp peaks at 627 nm, 530 nm and 465 nm

  13. Optical characterization of hydrogen-free CeO2 doped DLC films deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zhenyu; Zhou Hongxiu; Guo Dongming; Gao Hang; Kang Renke

    2008-01-01

    A novel kind of hydrogen-free CeO 2 doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with thickness of 180-200 nm were deposited on silicon by unbalanced magnetron sputtering. Reduced reflectance and increased lifetime are expected with respect to pure DLC films, making these coatings good candidates as optical protective coatings for IR windows and solar cells. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms that CeO 2 is formed within the DLC films. Auger electron spectroscopy exhibits that the C, O, and Ce elements distribute uniformly across the film thickness, and C element diffuses into the Si substrate at the interface between the substrate and film. AFM shows that nanoparticles with diameter of around 50 nm are formed on the surface of deposited films, whose surface roughness is in the range of 1.3-2.3 nm. Raman spectra show the CeO 2 doped DLC films are amorphous DLC films, and both the G frequency and relative intensity ratio I D /I G are higher than those of pure DLC films. The photoluminescence of CeO 2 doped DLC films is obviously more intense than that of a pure DLC film, which indicates a promising potential as optical protective films for solar cells and IR window

  14. Novel nanostructured CeO2 as efficient catalyst for energy and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    as counter ion shows lower-temperature oxidation of soot as compared to the mesoflower morphol- ... of CeO2 to Pt/C for ethanol electro-oxidation reaction in acidic media. Results show that ..... 3.1 Morphology dependent CO oxidation activity.

  15. Rational design of octahedron and nanowire CeO2@MnO2 core-shell heterostructures with outstanding rate capability for asymmetric supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Shi Jin; Jia, Jia Qi; Wang, Tian; Zhao, Dong; Yang, Jian; Dong, Fan; Shang, Zheng Guo; Zhang, Yu Xin

    2015-10-14

    Two kinds of novel CeO2@MnO2 nanostructures have been synthesized via a self-assembly strategy. The as-prepared CeO2 nanowire@MnO2 nanostructures exhibited unprecedented pseudocapacitance performance (255 F g(-1)) with outstanding rate capability. A new mechanism based on the synergistic effect between CeO2 and MnO2 was proposed to interpret this phenomenon. When assembled as an asymmetric supercapacitor, an energy density of 27.5 W h kg(-1) with a maximum power density of 1.6 kW kg(-1) was achieved for CeO2 nanowire@MnO2 nanostructures.

  16. Estudos higiênicos sôbre os crustáceos e moluscos da Baía de Guanabara (Rio de Janeiro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lejeune Pacheco Henriques de Oliveira

    1944-04-01

    Full Text Available Revisão da literatura médica sôbre higiene de crustáceos e moluscos marinhos. Intoxicações por elementos extranhos às carnes de crustáceos e moluscos: por sais de cobre, vegetais tóxicos; estranho e chumbo nas conservas de crustáceos; botulismo. Putrefação de ostras e doenças de ostras provocadas por cogumelos; crustáceos e moluscos guardados em geladeiras bolorentas. Lista das espécies de moluscos comestíveis da Bahia de Guanabara. Lista das espécies de crustáceos comestíveis da Bahia de Guanabara. Veiculação de micro-organismos patogênicos ao homem por intermédio das carnes de crustáceos e de moluscos: veiculação do vibrião colérico, dos bacilos tíficos e paratíficos e de germes do grupo coli e do gênero Proteus. Vitalidade dos bacilos tíficos nas ostras. Listas dos moluscos veiculadores dos agentes causadores das febres tíficas e paratíficas. Conceitos antigos e modernos sõbre intoxicações por crustáceos; partidas de crustáceos salubres ou não conforme o local de venda. Estudos experimentais sôbre a "talassina" princípio tóxico existente em alguns crustáceos. "Mitilotoxina", intoxicações por mexilhões e outros acidentes incriminados aos moluscos. Enterotoxina estavfilocócica em ostras. Métodos de determinação da salubridade dos moluscos; verificações nas ostras brasileiras. Depuração dos crustáceos pelas soluções cloradas. Estabulação de caranguejos denominados vulgarmente de "guaiamus" e "ussás".Recording main medical publication on Hygiene of Mollusca and Crustacea. Food-poisoning. Decomposing oysters, and shell-fish sickness by fungi. Catalogue of eatable Crustacea and Mollusca of Rio de Janeiro. Significance of Mollusca and Crustacea in the spread of diseases. Longevity of Vibrio comma, Eberthella typhosa, Salmonella schottmuelleri, Salmonella paratiphi. Escherichia coli in oysters, Microorganisms in marked oysters. Comparison old written papers with moderns publications on food

  17. Kinetic Monte Carlo model of defect transport and irradiation effects in La-doped CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oaks, Aaron; Yun Di; Ye Bei; Chen Weiying; Stubbins, James F.

    2011-01-01

    A generalized Kinetic Monte Carlo code was developed to study oxygen mobility in UO 2 type nuclear fuels, using lanthanum doped CeO 2 as a surrogate material. Molecular Statics simulations were performed using interatomic potentials for CeO 2 developed by Gotte, Minervini, and Sayle to calculate local configuration-dependent oxygen vacancy migration energies. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of oxygen vacancy diffusion were performed at varying lanthanum dopant concentrations using the developed generalized Kinetic Monte Carlo code and the calculated configuration-dependent migration energies. All three interatomic potentials were found to confirm the lanthanum trapping effect. The results of these simulations were compared with experimental data and the Gotte potential was concluded to yield the most realistic diffusivity curve.

  18. Dopant induced variations in microstructure and optical properties of CeO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohanty, Bhaskar Chandra; Lee, Jong Won; Yeon, Deuk-Ho; Jo, Yeon-Hwa; Kim, Jong Hak; Cho, Yong Soo

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Dopant (Zr 4+ , La 3+ , and Ca 2+ ) induced phase stability, and changes in microstructure and optical properties of CeO 2 nanoparticles have been studied. → The nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis of nitrate solutions. → The results show modification of the unit cell parameter by -0.39, +0.83 and +0.16% for doping of 20% Zr 4+ , La 3+ , and Ca 2+ , respectively. → For each batch prepared, nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution of 5-15 nm have been obtained. These particles are single crystals mostly having polygonal two-dimensional projections. → UV-visible spectra of doped particles exhibit shift of the absorption edge and absorption peak with respect to those of the undoped ones and has been attributed to compensation of Ce 3+ and decreasing crystallite size as result of doping. -- Abstract: Nanocrystalline CeO 2 particles doped in the range of 0-20% of Ca 2+ , La 3+ , and Zr 4+ have been prepared from hydrothermal synthesis of nitrate solutions at 200 o C and the influences of the dopants on microstructure and optical properties of the nanoparticles have been investigated. The unit cell parameter is found to be modified by -0.39, +0.83 and +0.16% for doping of 20% Zr 4+ , La 3+ , and Ca 2+ , respectively. For each batch prepared, nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution of 5-15 nm have been obtained. A high-resolution transmission electron microscopy investigation reveals that these particles are single crystals mostly having hexagonal, square or circular two-dimensional projections. UV-visible spectra of doped powders exhibit shift of the absorption edge and absorption peak with respect to those of the undoped CeO 2 particles and has been attributed to compensation of Ce 3+ and decreasing crystallite size as result of doping.

  19. Latent class analysis of need descriptors within an Irish youth mental health early intervention program toward a typology of need.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peiper, Nicholas; Illback, Robert J; O'Reilly, Aileen; Clayton, Richard

    2017-02-01

    Significant overlap and comorbidity has been demonstrated among young people with mental health problems. This paper examined demographic characteristics, heterogeneity of need descriptors and services provided among young people (12-25 years) engaging in brief interventions at Jigsaw in the Republic of Ireland. Between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013, a total of 2571 young people sought help from 1 of 10 Jigsaw sites. Of these, 1247 engaged in goal-focused brief interventions, typically consisting of one to six face-to-face sessions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize social and demographic factors. Latent class analysis was used to cluster young people into relevant typologies of presenting issues. Multinomial logistic regression was then performed to determine significant predictors of class membership. The most common age of young people was 16. More women (59.6%) than men engaged in brief interventions, 56% attended school, 74% lived with their family of origin or with one parent, and 54.2% came from families where parents were married. Using established fit criteria, four relevant typologies emerged: Developmental (26.8%), Comorbid (15.8%), Anxious (42.7%) and Externalising (14.6%). Predictors varied by class membership, but general family problems and lack of adult support emerged as the strongest predictors for all classes. This study demonstrated that the mental health needs of young people in Ireland are significant and diverse. Because Jigsaw favours a more descriptive approach to problem identification, the four typologies suggest a need to determine program capacity in engaging youth with heterogeneous presenting issues and to tailor brief interventions to each group's clinical profiles. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Ethanol Sensor of CdO/Al2O3/CeO2 Obtained from Ce-DOPED Layered Double Hydroxides with High Response and Selectivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Dongmei; Guan, Meiyu; Xu, Qinghong; Guo, Ying; Wang, Yao

    2013-04-01

    In this paper, Ce-doped CdAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) was first synthesized and the derivative CdO/Al2O3/CeO2 composite oxide was prepared by calcining Ce-doped CdAl LDH. The structure, morphology and chemical state of the Ce doped CdAl LDH and CdO/Al2O3/CeO2 were also investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The gas sensing properties of CdO/Al2O3/CeO2 to ethanol were further studied and compared with CdO/Al2O3 prepared from CdAl LDH, CeO2 powder as well as the calcined Ce salt. It turns out that CdO/Al2O3/CeO2 sensor shows best performance in ethanol response. Besides, CdO/Al2O3/CeO2 possesses short response/recovery time (12/72 s) as well as remarkable selectivity in ethanol sensing, which means composite oxides prepared from LDH are very promising in gas sensing application.

  1. MOD approach for the growth of epitaxial CeO2 buffer layers on biaxially textured Ni-W substrates for YBCO coated conductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhuiyan, M S; Paranthaman, M; Sathyamurthy, S; Aytug, T; Kang, S; Lee, D F; Goyal, A; Payzant, E A; Salama, K

    2003-01-01

    We have grown epitaxial CeO 2 buffer layers on biaxially textured Ni-W substrates for YBCO coated conductors using a newly developed metal organic decomposition (MOD) approach. Precursor solution of 0.25 M concentration was spin coated on short samples of Ni-3 at%W (Ni-W) substrates and heat-treated at 1100 C in a gas mixture of Ar-4%H 2 for 15 min. Detailed x-ray studies indicate that CeO 2 films have good out-of-plane and in-plane textures with full-width-half-maximum values of 5.8 deg. and 7.5 deg., respectively. High temperature in situ XRD studies show that the nucleation of CeO 2 films starts at 600 C and the growth completes within 5 min when heated at 1100 C. SEM and AFM investigations of CeO 2 films reveal a fairly dense microstructure without cracks and porosity. Highly textured YSZ barrier layers and CeO 2 cap layers were deposited on MOD CeO 2 -buffered Ni-W substrates using rf-magnetron sputtering. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) was used to grow YBCO films on these substrates. A critical current, J c , of about 1.5 MA cm -2 at 77 K and self-field was obtained on YBCO (PLD)/CeO 2 (sputtered)/YSZ (sputtered)/CeO 2 (spin-coated)/Ni-W

  2. Synthesis of nanostructured mixed oxide CeO2-Mn2O3 and investigation of their sorption ability for arsenic, ammoniac, iron, manganese

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luu Minh Dai; Dao Ngoc Nhiem; Duong Thi Lim

    2012-01-01

    The nanostrutured mixed oxide CeO 2 -Mn 2 O 3 have been synthesised at low temperature (350 o C) by the combustion of gel prepared from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Ce (NO 3 ) 4 and Mn(No 3 ) 3 , CeO 2 -Mn 2 O 3 characterizations were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and BET (Brunauce-Emmet-Teller) measurements. The phase of CeO 2 -Mn 2 O 3 , with large specific surface ares 65.3 m 2 /g was obtained at 350 o C for 2 hours. The nanostructured CeO 2 -Mn 2 O 3 has been investigated for removing iron, manganese, arsenic and ammoniac from water. The sorption characteristics of the nanostrutured CeO 2 -Mn 2 O 3 for AS(V), NH4 + , Fe(III), Mn(II) according to the langmuir isotherm. The sorption capacities of nanostrutured CeO 2 -Mn 2 O 3 are 57.10 mg As(V)g; 154.54 mg NH4 + /g; 72.97 mg Fe(III)/g; 60.27 Mn(II) / g. (author)

  3. CEOS Theory: A Comprehensive Approach to Understanding Hard to Maintain Behaviour Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borland, Ron

    2017-03-01

    This paper provides a brief introduction to CEOS theory, a comprehensive theory for understanding hard to maintain behaviour change. The name CEOS is an acronym for Context, Executive, and Operational Systems theory. Behaviour is theorised to be the result of the moment by moment interaction between internal needs (operational processes) in relation to environmental conditions, and for humans this is augmented by goal-directed, executive action which can transcend immediate contingencies. All behaviour is generated by operational processes. Goal-directed behaviours only triumph over contingency-generated competing behaviours when operational processes have been sufficiently activated to support them. Affective force can be generated around executive system (ES) goals from such things as memories of direct experience, vicarious experience, and emotionally charged communications mediated through stories the person generates. This paper makes some refinements and elaborations of the theory, particularly around the role of feelings, and of the importance of stories and scripts for facilitating executive action. It also sketches out how it reconceptualises a range of issues relevant to behaviour change. CEOS provides a framework for understanding the limitations of both informational and environmental approaches to behaviour change, the need for self-regulatory strategies and for taking into account more basic aspects of human functioning. © 2016 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Applied Psychology.

  4. Effects of lifestyle interventions that include a physical activity component in class II and III obese individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurélie Baillot

    Full Text Available In class II and III obese individuals, lifestyle intervention is the first step to achieve weight loss and treat obesity-related comorbidities before considering bariatric surgery. A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression were performed to assess the impact of lifestyle interventions incorporating a physical activity (PA component on health outcomes of class II and III obese individuals.An electronic search was conducted in 4 databases (Medline, Scopus, CINAHL and Sportdiscus. Two independent investigators selected original studies assessing the impact of lifestyle interventions with PA components on anthropometric parameters, cardiometabolic risk factors (fat mass, blood pressure, lipid and glucose metabolism, behaviour modification (PA and nutritional changes, and quality of life in adults with body mass index (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2. Estimates were pooled using a random-effect model (DerSimonian and Laird method. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by the Cochran's chi-square test and quantified through an estimation of the I².Of the 3,170 identified articles, 56 met our eligibility criteria, with a large majority of uncontrolled studies (80%. The meta-analysis based on uncontrolled studies showed significant heterogeneity among all included studies. The pooled mean difference in weight loss was 8.9 kg (95% CI, 10.2-7.7; p < 0.01 and 2.8 kg/m² in BMI loss (95% CI, 3.4-2.2; p < 0.01. Long-term interventions produced superior weight loss (11.3 kg compared to short-term (7.2 kg and intermediate-term (8.0 kg interventions. A significant global effect of lifestyle intervention on fat mass, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides and fasting insulin was found (p<0.01, without significant effect on HDL-C and fasting blood glucose.Lifestyle interventions incorporating a PA component can improve weight and various cardiometabolic risk factors in class II and III obese individuals. However, further

  5. Effect of CeO2-coating on the electrochemical performances of LiFePO4/C cathode material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao Jingwen; Wu Feng; Qiu Xinping; Li Ning; Su Yuefeng

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The first study the effect of CeO 2 coating on LiFePO 4 /C at low temperature. → Coated cathode shows improved capacities at high rates and low temperature. → CeO 2 -coating decreases electrode polarization and increases charge-transfer reaction activity. - Abstract: The effect of CeO 2 coating on LiFePO 4 /C cathode material has been investigated. The crystalline structure and morphology of the synthesized powders have been characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and their electrochemical performances both at room temperature and low temperature are evaluated by CV, EIS and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests. It is found that, nano-CeO 2 particles distribute on the surface of LiFePO 4 without destroying the crystal structure of the bulk material. The CeO 2 -coated LiFePO 4 /C cathode material shows improved lithium insertion/extraction capacity and electrode kinetics, especially at high rates and low temperature. At -20 deg. C, the CeO 2 -coated material delivers discharge capacity of 99.7 mAh/g at 0.1C rate and the capacity retention of 98.6% is obtained after 30 cycles at various charge/discharge rates. The results indicate that the surface treatment should be an effective way to improve the comprehensive properties of the cathode materials for lithium ion batteries.

  6. Development of La3+ Doped CeO2 Thick Film Humidity Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunjie Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The humidity sensitive characteristics of the sensor fabricated from 10 mol% La2O3 doped CeO2 nanopowders with particle size 17.26 nm synthesized via hydrothermal method were investigated at different frequencies. It was found that the sensor shows high humidity sensitivity, rapid response-recovery characteristics, and narrow hysteresis loop at 100 Hz in the relative humidity range from 11% to 95%. The impedance of the sensor decreases by about five orders of magnitude as relative humidity increases. The maximum humidity hysteresis is about 6% RH, and the response and recovery time is 12 and 13 s, respectively. These results indicate that the nanosized La2O3 doped CeO2 powder has potential application as high-performance humidity sensor.

  7. CEOS Ocean Variables Enabling Research and Applications for Geo (COVERAGE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsontos, V. M.; Vazquez, J.; Zlotnicki, V.

    2017-12-01

    The CEOS Ocean Variables Enabling Research and Applications for GEO (COVERAGE) initiative seeks to facilitate joint utilization of different satellite data streams on ocean physics, better integrated with biological and in situ observations, including near real-time data streams in support of oceanographic and decision support applications for societal benefit. COVERAGE aligns with programmatic objectives of CEOS (the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites) and the missions of GEO-MBON (Marine Biodiversity Observation Network) and GEO-Blue Planet, which are to advance and exploit synergies among the many observational programs devoted to ocean and coastal waters. COVERAGE is conceived of as 3 year pilot project involving international collaboration. It focuses on implementing technologies, including cloud based solutions, to provide a data rich, web-based platform for integrated ocean data delivery and access: multi-parameter observations, easily discoverable and usable, organized by disciplines, available in near real-time, collocated to a common grid and including climatologies. These will be complemented by a set of value-added data services available via the COVERAGE portal including an advanced Web-based visualization interface, subsetting/extraction, data collocation/matchup and other relevant on demand processing capabilities. COVERAGE development will be organized around priority use cases and applications identified by GEO and agency partners. The initial phase will be to develop co-located 25km products from the four Ocean Virtual Constellations (VCs), Sea Surface Temperature, Sea Level, Ocean Color, and Sea Surface Winds. This aims to stimulate work among the ocean VCs while developing products and system functionality based on community recommendations. Such products as anomalies from a time mean, would build on the theme of applications with a relevance to CEOS/GEO mission and vision. Here we provide an overview of the COVERAGE initiative with an

  8. Ultrafine Nanocrystalline CeO2@C-Containing NaAlH4 with Fast Kinetics and Good Reversibility for Hydrogen Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin; Liu, Yongfeng; Wang, Ke; Li, You; Gao, Mingxia; Pan, Hongge

    2015-12-21

    A nanocrystalline CeO2@C-containing NaAlH4 composite is successfully synthesized in situ by hydrogenating a NaH-Al mixture doped with CeO2@C. Compared with NaAlH4 , the as-prepared CeO2@C-containing NaAlH4 composite, with a minor amount of excess Al, exhibits significantly improved hydrogen storage properties. The dehydrogenation onset temperature of the hydrogenated [NaH-Al-7 wt % CeO2@C]-0.04Al sample is 77 °C lower than that of the pristine sample because of a reduced kinetic barrier. More importantly, the dehydrogenated sample absorbs ∼4.7 wt % hydrogen within 35 min at 100°C and 10 MPa of hydrogen. Compositional and structural analyses reveal that CeO2 is converted to CeH2 during ball milling and that the newly formed CeH2 works with the excess of Al to synergistically improve the hydrogen storage properties of NaAlH4. Our findings will aid in the rational design of novel catalyst-doped complex hydride systems with low operating temperatures, fast kinetics, and long-term cyclability. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Closing the social-class achievement gap: a difference-education intervention improves first-generation students' academic performance and all students' college transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephens, Nicole M; Hamedani, MarYam G; Destin, Mesmin

    2014-04-01

    College students who do not have parents with 4-year degrees (first-generation students) earn lower grades and encounter more obstacles to success than do students who have at least one parent with a 4-year degree (continuing-generation students). In the study reported here, we tested a novel intervention designed to reduce this social-class achievement gap with a randomized controlled trial (N = 168). Using senior college students' real-life stories, we conducted a difference-education intervention with incoming students about how their diverse backgrounds can shape what they experience in college. Compared with a standard intervention that provided similar stories of college adjustment without highlighting students' different backgrounds, the difference-education intervention eliminated the social-class achievement gap by increasing first-generation students' tendency to seek out college resources (e.g., meeting with professors) and, in turn, improving their end-of-year grade point averages. The difference-education intervention also improved the college transition for all students on numerous psychosocial outcomes (e.g., mental health and engagement).

  10. CEO emotional bias and investment decision, Bayesian network method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarboui Anis

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This research examines the determinants of firms’ investment introducing a behavioral perspective that has received little attention in corporate finance literature. The following central hypothesis emerges from a set of recently developed theories: Investment decisions are influenced not only by their fundamentals but also depend on some other factors. One factor is the biasness of any CEO to their investment, biasness depends on the cognition and emotions, because some leaders use them as heuristic for the investment decision instead of fundamentals. This paper shows how CEO emotional bias (optimism, loss aversion and overconfidence affects the investment decisions. The proposed model of this paper uses Bayesian Network Method to examine this relationship. Emotional bias has been measured by means of a questionnaire comprising several items. As for the selected sample, it has been composed of some 100 Tunisian executives. Our results have revealed that the behavioral analysis of investment decision implies leader affected by behavioral biases (optimism, loss aversion, and overconfidence adjusts its investment choices based on their ability to assess alternatives (optimism and overconfidence and risk perception (loss aversion to create of shareholder value and ensure its place at the head of the management team.

  11. Electrical and microstructural properties of Yb-doped CeO2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Matović

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Nanopowdered Ce1−xYbxO2−δ solid solutions (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2 were synthesized by a self-propagating room temperature synthesis. XRD and SEM were used to study the properties of these materials as well as the Yb solubility in CeO2 lattice. Results showed that all the obtained powders were solid solutions with a fluorite-type crystal structure and with nanometric particle size. The average size of Ce1−xYbxO2−δ particles was approximately 3 nm. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for the sintered pellets depicted that it was possible to separate Rbulk and Rgb in the temperature interval of 550–800 °C. The activation energy for the bulk conduction was 1.03 eV and for grain boundary conduction was 1.14 eV. Grain boundary resistivity dominates over the other resistivities. These measurements confirmed that Yb3+-doped CeO2 material had a potential as electrolyte for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell applications.

  12. Early Intervention in Skeletal Class II and dental Class II division I malocclusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeeshan Iqbal Bhat

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A Class II malocclusion may occur as a result of mandibular deficiency, maxillary excess, or a combination of both. However, the most common finding is mandibular skeletal retrusion. The use of functional jaw orthopedics, at the right time during growth, can ultimately result in malocclusion patients achieving an excellent functional occlusion, a broad beautiful smile, a full face with a beautiful jaw line, and profile. Functional jaw orthopedic (FJO appliances are designed to encourage adaptive skeletal growth by maintaining the mandible in a corrected forward position. The activator developed by Andresen is one of the most widely used for this purpose. A 12-year-old boy with skeletal Class II malocclusion and dental Class II div I malocclusion, a low mandibular plane angle was treated with growth modulation using an activator followed by molar distalization using fixed orthodontics for detailing of the occlusion. The major effects of the activator treatment in this case have been due to increase in condylar growth and also an increase in mandibular base length. Further, non-extraction fixed orthodontic treatment for proper interdigitation of the dentition also helped to maintain the stability of the satisfactory results achieved.

  13. Surface Reduced CeO2 Nanowires for Direct Conversion of CO2 and Methanol to Dimethyl Carbonate: Catalytic Performance and Role of Oxygen Vacancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhongwei Fu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Ultralong 1D CeO2 nanowires were synthesized via an advanced solvothermal method, surface reduced under H2 atmosphere, and first applied in direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC from CO2 and CH3OH. The micro morphologies, physical parameters of nanowires were fully investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, N2 adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS, and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia/carbon dioxide (NH3-TPD/CO2-TPD. The effects of surface oxygen vacancy and acidic/alkaline sites on the catalytic activity was explored. After reduction, the acidic/alkaline sites of CeO2 nanowires can be dramatically improved and evidently raised the catalytic performance. CeO2 nanowires reduced at 500 °C (CeO2_NW_500 exhibited notably superior activity with DMC yield of 16.85 mmol gcat−1. Furthermore, kinetic insights of initial rate were carried out and the apparent activation energy barrier of CeO2_NW_500 catalyst was found to be 41.9 kJ/mol, much tiny than that of CeO2_NW catalyst (74.7 KJ/mol.

  14. Cerium dioxide (CeO2) nanoparticles decrease arsenite (As(III)) cytotoxicity to 16HBE14o- human bronchial epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Chao; Nguyen, Chi; Boitano, Scott; Field, Jim A; Shadman, Farhang; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes

    2018-07-01

    The production and application of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are increasing in demand with the rapid development of nanotechnology. However, there are concerns that some of these novel materials could lead to emerging environmental and health problems. Some NPs are able to facilitate the transport of contaminants into cells/organisms via a "Trojan Horse" effect which enhances the toxicity of the adsorbed materials. In this work, we evaluated the toxicity of arsenite (As(III)) adsorbed onto cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ) NPs to human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE14o-) using the xCELLigence real time cell analyzing system (RTCA). Application of 0.5 mg/L As(III) resulted in 81.3% reduction of cell index (CI, an RTCA measure of cell toxicity) over 48 h when compared to control cells exposed to medium lacking As(III). However, when the cells were exposed to 0.5 mg/L As(III) in the presence of CeO 2 NPs (250 mg/L), the CI was only reduced by 12.9% compared to the control. The CeO 2 NPs had a high capacity for As(III) adsorption (20.2 mg/g CeO 2 ) in the bioassay medium, effectively reducing dissolved As(III) in the aqueous solution and resulting in reduced toxicity. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the transport of CeO 2 NPs into 16HBE14o- cells. NP uptake via engulfment was observed and the internalized NPs accumulated in vesicles. The results demonstrate that dissolved As(III) in the aqueous solution was the decisive factor controlling As(III) toxicity of 16HBE14o- cells, and that CeO 2 NPs effectively reduced available As(III) through adsorption. These data emphasize the evaluation of mixtures when assaying toxicity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. 8 MeV electron beam induced modifications in the thermal, structural and electrical properties of nanophase CeO2 for potential electronics applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babitha, K. K.; Sreedevi, A.; Priyanka, K. P.; Ganesh, S.; Varghese, Thomas

    2018-06-01

    The effect of 8 MeV electron beam irradiation on the thermal, structural and electrical properties of CeO2 nanoparticles synthesized by chemical precipitation route was investigated. The dose dependent effect of electron irradiation was studied using various characterization techniques such as, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and impedance spectroscopy. Systematic investigation based on the results of structural studies confirm that electron beam irradiation induces defects and particle size variation on CeO2 nanoparticles, which in turn results improvements in AC conductivity, dielectric constant and loss tangent. Structural modifications and high value of dielectric constant for CeO2 nanoparticles due to electron beam irradiation make it as a promising material for the fabrication of gate dielectric in metal oxide semiconductor devices.

  16. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study during accelerated life test of conductive oxides: Ti/(Ru + Ti + Ce)O2-system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Leonardo M. da; Fernandes, Karla C.; Faria, Luiz A. de; Boodts, Julien F.C.

    2004-01-01

    Ti-supported (Ru + Ti + Ce)O 2 -electrodes were prepared at 450d deg. C and the service life, t 6V , determined recording chronopotentiometric curves at 0.75Acm -2 (25 ± 1 deg. C). The results revealed a strong influence of the nominal cerium concentration, [CeO 2 ] N , on t 6V , showing substitution of Ti by Ce causes a major decrease in t 6V . The degree of electrode instability, Λ, calculated from the slope of the linear segment present in the chronopotentiometric profiles, showed [CeO 2 ] N exerts a strong influence on Λ. Voltammetric curves recorded at several anodisation times, t, support final electrode deactivation is due to Ti-support passivation. The chronopotentiometric and voltammetric data permitted to present a model for the porous electrode/electrolyte interface. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopic, EIS, investigation as function of t supports the proposed model denouncing a fast growth a TiO 2 interlayer at the Ti o /oxide interface for [CeO 2 ] N >= 30mol%. The studies also support substitution of Ti by Ce leads to an increase in the coating porosity, thus favouring electrode deactivation by passivation of the Ti-substrate. The model proposed for the porous electrode/electrolyte interface combined with the results of the EIS investigation permitted to propose an equivalent circuit to describe the modifications occurring in the electrode structure during anodisation. The true electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction, OER, depends on t and [CeO 2 ] N . The dependency of the inductive behaviour on t was investigated according to the model proposed for the effective inductance, L E , in the high frequency domain

  17. Initial Reduction of CO2 on Pd-, Ru-, and Cu-Doped CeO2(111) Surfaces: Effects of Surface Modification on Catalytic Activity and Selectivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Chen; Wei, Shuxian; Zhou, Sainan; Zhang, Tian; Wang, Zhaojie; Ng, Siu-Pang; Lu, Xiaoqing; Wu, Chi-Man Lawrence; Guo, Wenyue

    2017-08-09

    Surface modification by metal doping is an effective treatment technique for improving surface properties for CO 2 reduction. Herein, the effects of doped Pd, Ru, and Cu on the adsorption, activation, and reduction selectivity of CO 2 on CeO 2 (111) were investigated by periodic density functional theory. The doped metals distorted the configuration of a perfect CeO 2 (111) by weakening the adjacent Ce-O bond strength, and Pd doping was beneficial for generating a highly active O vacancy. The analyses of adsorption energy, charge density difference, and density of states confirmed that the doped metals were conducive for enhancing CO 2 adsorption, especially for Cu/CeO 2 (111). The initial reductive dissociation CO 2 → CO* + O* on metal-doped CeO 2 (111) followed the sequence of Cu- > perfect > Pd- > Ru-doped CeO 2 (111); the reductive hydrogenation CO 2 + H → COOH* followed the sequence of Cu- > perfect > Ru- > Pd-doped CeO 2 (111), in which the most competitive route on Cu/CeO 2 (111) was exothermic by 0.52 eV with an energy barrier of 0.16 eV; the reductive hydrogenation CO 2 + H → HCOO* followed the sequence of Ru- > perfect > Pd-doped CeO 2 (111). Energy barrier decomposition analyses were performed to identify the governing factors of bond activation and scission along the initial CO 2 reduction routes. Results of this study provided deep insights into the effect of surface modification on the initial reduction mechanisms of CO 2 on metal-doped CeO 2 (111) surfaces.

  18. Application of nanostructured Ca doped CeO2 for ultraviolet filtration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Truffault, Laurianne; Ta, Minh-Tri; Devers, Thierry; Konstantinov, Konstantin; Harel, Valerie; Simmonard, Cyriaque; Andreazza, Caroline; Nevirkovets, Ivan P.; Pineau, Alain; Veron, Olivier; Blondeau, Jean-Philippe

    2010-01-01

    Calcium doped CeO 2 nanoparticles with doping concentrations between 0 and 50 mol% were synthesized by a co-precipitation method for ultraviolet filtration application. Below 20 mol% doping concentration, the samples were single-phase. From 30 mol%, CaCO 3 appears as a secondary phase. The calculated CeO 2 mean crystallite size was 9.3 nm for the pure and 5.7 nm for the 50 mol% Ca-doped sample. Between 250 and 330 nm, the absorbance increased for the 10, 30, and 40 mol% Ca-doped samples compared to the pure one. The band-gap was found to be 3.20 eV for the undoped, and between 3.36 and 3.51 eV for the doped samples. The blue shifts are attributed to the quantum confinement effect. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the Ce 3+ atomic concentration in the pure sample was higher than that of the 20 mol% Ca-doped sample.

  19. Antimicrobial potential of green synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles from Olea europaea leaf extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maqbool Q

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Qaisar Maqbool,1 Mudassar Nazar,1 Sania Naz,2 Talib Hussain,3 Nyla Jabeen,4 Rizwan Kausar,5 Sadaf Anwaar,4 Fazal Abbas,6,7 Tariq Jan6 1Department of Biotechnology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan; 2Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 3National Institute of Vacuum Science and Technology (NINVAST, Islamabad, Pakistan; 4Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Lab., International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 5Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan; 6Department of Physics, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 7Interdisciplinary Research Organization, University of Chakwal (UOC, Chakwal, Pakistan Abstract: This article reports the green fabrication of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs using Olea europaea leaf extract and their applications as effective antimicrobial agents. O. europaea leaf extract functions as a chelating agent for reduction of cerium nitrate. The resulting CeO2 NPs exhibit pure single-face cubic structure, which is examined by X-ray diffraction, with a uniform spherical shape and a mean size 24 nm observed through scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy confirms the characteristic absorption peak of CeO2 NPs at 315 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reflects stretching frequencies at 459 cm-1, showing utilization of natural components for the production of NPs. Thermal gravimetric analysis predicts the successful capping of CeO2 NPs by bioactive molecules present in the plant extract. The antimicrobial studies show significant zone of inhibition against bacterial and fungal strains. The higher activities shown by the green synthesized NPs than the plant extract lead to the conclusion that they can be effectively used in biomedical application. Furthermore, reduction of cerium salt by plant extract will reduce environmental impact over

  20. Colloidal stability of CeO2 nanoparticles coated with either natural organic matter or organic polymers under various hydrochemical conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dippon, Urs; Pabst, Silke; Klitzke, Sondra

    2016-04-01

    The worldwide marked for engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is growing and concerns on the environmental fate- and toxicity of ENPs are rising. Understanding the transport of ENPs within and between environmental compartments such as surface water and groundwater is crucial for exposition modeling, risk assessment and ultimately the protection of drinking water resources. The transport of ENPs is strongly influenced by the surface properties and aggregation behavior of the particles, which is strongly controlled by synthetic and natural organic coatings. Both, surface properties and aggregation characteristics are also key properties for the industrial application of ENPs, which leads to the development and commercialization of an increasing number of surface-functionalized ENPs. These include metals and oxides such as Cerium dioxide (CeO2) with various organic coatings. Therefore, we investigate CeO2 ENPs with different surface coatings such as weakly anionic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or strongly anionic poly acrylic acid (PAA) with respect to their colloidal stability in aqueous matrix under various hydrochemical conditions (pH, ionic strength) and their transport behavior in sand filter columns. Furthermore, we investigate the interaction of naturally occurring organic matter (NOM) with CeO2 ENPs and its effect on surface charge (zeta potential), colloidal stability and transport. While uncoated CeO2 ENPs aggregate at pH > 4 in aqueous matrix, our results show that PAA and PVA surface coatings as well as NOM sorbed to CeO2-NP surfaces can stabilize CeO2 ENPs under neutral and alkaline pH conditions in 1 mM KCl solution. Under slightly acidic conditions, differences between the three particle types were observed. PVA can stabilize particle suspensions in presence of 1 mM KCl at pH > 4.3, PAA at pH >4.0 and NOM at >3.2. While the presence of KCl did not influence particle size of NOM-CeO2 ENPs, CaCl2 at >2 mM lead to aggregation. Further results on the influence of KCl

  1. Nonpathologizing trauma interventions in abnormal psychology courses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Stephanie M; Luchner, Andrew F; Pickett, Rachel F

    2016-01-01

    Because abnormal psychology courses presuppose a focus on pathological human functioning, nonpathologizing interventions within these classes are particularly powerful and can reach survivors, bystanders, and perpetrators. Interventions are needed to improve the social response to trauma on college campuses. By applying psychodynamic and feminist multicultural theory, instructors can deliver nonpathologizing interventions about trauma and trauma response within these classes. We recommend class-based interventions with the following aims: (a) intentionally using nonpathologizing language, (b) normalizing trauma responses, (c) subjectively defining trauma, (d) challenging secondary victimization, and (e) questioning the delineation of abnormal and normal. The recommendations promote implications for instructor self-reflection, therapy interventions, and future research.

  2. Using an In-Class Simulation in the First Accounting Class: Moving from Surface to Deep Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Mary E.; Graeff, Timothy R.

    2014-01-01

    As students often find the first accounting class to be abstract and difficult to understand, the authors designed an in-class simulation as an intervention to move students toward deep learning and away from surface learning. The simulation consists of buying and selling merchandise and accounting for transactions. The simulation is an effective…

  3. Synthesis and characterization of bimetallic Pd-Ni catalysts in a CeO_2 matrix for the generation of H_2 by the reforming reaction of methanol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Contreras C, R.

    2016-01-01

    The hydrothermal method was used for the synthesis of CeO_2 nano rods using Ce(NO_3)_3·6H_2O and NH_4OH. The catalytic support was calcined at 700 degrees Celsius. The synthesis of CeO_2 nano rods were impregnated with an aqueous solution of Ni(NO_3)_2·6H_2O by an incipient wetness impregnation method at an appropriate concentration to yield 5 and 15% of Ni in the catalysts. Then 0.5% of Pd was impregnated using PdCl_2. The samples obtained were calcined at 400 and reduced at 450 degrees Celsius. The catalytic materials were characterized by: temperature programmed reduction (TPR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (Sem) , surface area and X-ray diffraction (XRD) . Sem results showed that the CeO_2 is formed by nano rods and in lesser proportion semi spherical particles. Bet surface area of the catalysts decreases with Ni loading onto the CeO_2 nano rods. Pd O and Ni O were reduced at low and high temperature as was observed by TPR. The CeO_2 one-dimensional nano rods showed a highly crystalline structure with sharp diffraction peaks, with a typical fluorite structure (cubic structure of the CeO_2) and characteristic peaks corresponding to metallic Ni. No diffraction peaks of Pd were found. This is due to the low concentration of this metal in the catalyst. These catalysts showed high activity and selectivity to H_2 at maximum reaction temperature. According to the results of activity and selectivity, the catalysts with Pd-Ni are an alternative for the H_2 production in auto thermal reforming reaction of methanol. (Author)

  4. Improve electrochemical performance of CeO2 surface modification LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Shubiao; Zhang, Yingjie; Dong, Peng; Zhang, Yannan

    2014-06-01

    Lithium ion battery cathode material LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode has successfully prepared by co-precipitation. CeO2 surface modification has improved LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 electrochemical performance use sol-gel method and subsequent heat treatment at 600 °C for 5 h. Different to other conventional coating material, CeO2 coating layer can not only inhibit the reaction of the electrode and the electrolyte, but also can reduce the impedance of electron transfer due to its high conductivity, and inhibit the production of Ni2+ because of its high oxidation. The surface-modified and pristine LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 powders are characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, CV and DSC. When CeO2 coating is 0.02% (mole ratio), contrast to pristine NCA, the CeO2-coated NCA cathode exhibits no decrease in its initial specific capacity of 184 mAh g -1 (at 0.2 C) and excellent capacity retention (86% of its initial capacity at 1 C) between 2.75 and 4.3 V after 100 cycles. The results indicate that the CeO2 surface treatment should be an effective way to improve cycle properties due to CeO2 inhibit the electrodes and the electrolyte side effects.

  5. A Systematised Review of Primary School Whole Class Child Obesity Interventions: Effectiveness, Characteristics, and Strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elise C. Brown

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. A systematised review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of school-based interventions that focus on changing dietary intake and physical activity levels to reduce childhood obesity. Methods. Multiple databases were searched for randomised and nonrandomised interventions from 2007 to 2016 in full-time elementary schools, which were delivered to the whole class, included dietary and physical activity components, involved both sexes, were written in English, and used body mass index (BMI as an outcome. Results. The database search produced 8,866 titles from which 78 were deemed relevant and assessed for inclusion resulting in 15 studies meeting all inclusion criteria. From these 15 studies, 9 yielded a reduction or stabilisation in BMI or BMI z-score in the entire intervention group and/or subgroups. Programmes lasting between 6 and 12 months that involve multiple environmental, educational, and physical strategies appear to be most likely to result in BMI or BMI z-score improvement. Moderators most likely influencing an improvement in BMI included increased physical activity, decreased sugar sweetened beverages intake, and increased fruit intake. Conclusions. School-based interventions may be an effective means for child obesity prevention. The identification of consistent elements used in school-based interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness may aid in preventing child obesity.

  6. Update on Activities of CEOS Disaster Management Support Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, H. M.; Lauritson, L.

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Disaster Management Support Group (DMSG) has supported natural and technological disaster management on a worldwide basis by fostering improved utilization of existing and planned Earth Observation (EO) satellite data. The DMSG has focused on developing and refining recommendations for the application of satellite data to selected hazard areas--drought, earthquake, fire, flood, ice, landslide, oil spill, and volcanic hazards. Particular emphasis was placed on working closely with space agencies, international and regional organizations, and commercial organizations on the implementation of these recommendations. The DMSG is in its last year with its primary focus on documenting its work and migrating on going activities to other fora. With over 300 participants from more than 140 organizations, the DMSG has found strong support among CEOS space agencies and the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS), as well as an enthusiastic reception from numerous international, regional, and national emergency managers, and distinct interest from the commercial sector. In addition, the group has worked to give full support to the work of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in pursuit of decisions taken at UNISPACE III and the United Nations International Strategy on Disaster Reduction (ISDR). In conjunction with the IGOS, several of the DMSG hazards teams (earthquake, landslide, and solid Earth dimensions of volcanoes) are joining in the effort to develop an IGOS Geohazards theme team. Cooperation efforts with organizations such as IGOS, COPUOS, and ISDR will hopefully lead to the pick up of much of the on going DMSG activities. Since the inception of this ad hoc working group and its predecessor project, the DMSG has developed and refined recommendations for the application of satellite data by bringing together experts from eight hazard areas to identify user needs, as well as

  7. CEOs and CFOs on IPOs: The Process and Success of Going Public

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M.J. van den Assem (Martijn); N.L. van der Sar (Nico); P.J.P.M. Versijp (Philippe)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractWe conducted 46 interviews with CEOs and CFOs who were closely involved in an initial public offering (IPO) in the Netherlands. Among other things, we find that pre-existing relationships are a primary consideration in the selection of the lead manager and other syndicate members.

  8. CEOs and CFOs on IPOs: The Process and Success of Going Public

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Assem, M.J.; Van der Sar, N.L.; Versijp, P.

    2017-01-01

    We conducted 46 interviews with CEOs and CFOs who were closely involved in an initial public offering (IPO) in the Netherlands. Among other things, we find that pre-existing relationships are a primary consideration in the selection of the lead manager and other syndicate members. Pre-marketing

  9. Adsorption mechanism and kinetics of azo dye chemicals on oxide nanotubes: a case study using porous CeO_2 nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Junshu; Wang, Jinshu; Du, Yucheng; Li, Hongyi; Jia, Xinjian

    2016-01-01

    Metal oxide nanotubes are believed to be promising materials with adsorption functionality for water purification due to their synergistic effect of the overall microscale morphology for easy separation and nanoscale surface characters providing enough surface active absorption sites. This work shows the synthesis of uniform hierarchical porous CeO_2 nanotubes via nanowire-directed templating method and describes the adsorption behavior of CeO_2 nanotubes for a typical azo dye Congo red which has resistance to oxidation and decoloration in natural conditions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra provided the evidence that Congo red was successfully coated on the surface of CeO_2 nanotubes by both bidentate-type bridge link of Ce"4"+ cations from sulfonate SO_3"− groups and the electrostatic attraction between the protonated surface generated by oxygen vacancies and dissociated sulfonate groups. The adsorption kinetic data fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation, whereas the Langmuir isotherm equation exhibited better correlation with the experimental data. The calculated maximum adsorption capacity from the isothermal model was 362.32 mg/g. In addition, the prepared CeO_2 nanotubes exhibited good recyclability and reusability as highly efficient adsorbents for Congo red removal after regeneration. These favorable performances enable the obtained CeO_2 nanotubes to be promising materials for dye removal from aqueous solution.Graphical AbstractCeO_2 nanotubes composed of crystallized nanoparticles exhibit well adsorption ability for a typical azo dye Congo red.

  10. Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of CeO2-doped TiO2 Composite Nanocrystals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oman ZUAS

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Pure TiO2 and CeO2-doped TiO2 (3 % CeO2-97 %TiO2 composite nanocrystals were synthesized via co-precipitation method and characterized using TGA, XRD, FTIR, DR-UV-vis and TEM. The XRD data revealed that the phase structure of the synthesized samples was mainly in pure anatase having crystallite size in the range of 7 nm – 11 nm. Spherical shapes with moderate aggregation of the crystal particles were observed under the TEM observation. The presence of the CeO2 at TiO2 site has not only affected morphologically but also induced the electronic property of the TiO2 by lowering the band gap energy from 3.29 eV (Eg-Ti to 3.15 eV (Eg-CeTi. Performance evaluation of the synthesized samples showed that both samples have a strong adsorption capacity toward Congo red (CR dye in aqueous solution at room temperature experiment, where  the capacity of the CeTi was higher than the Ti sample. Based on DR-UV data, the synthesized samples obtained in this study may also become promising catalysts for photo-assisted removal of synthetic dye in aqueous solution. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.19.4.2732

  11. Non-Performance Pay and Relational Contracting: Evidence from CEO Compensation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    DeVaro, Jed; Kim, Jin-Hyuk; Vikander, Nick

    2017-01-01

    compensation by invoking the idea of informal agreements, specifically the theory of relational contracting. We derive observable implications to distinguish relational from formal contracting and, using ExecuComp data, find that CEOs' annual cash and equity incentive payments positively correlate...... with the cyclical component of sales and respond to measures of persistence as relational contracting theory predicts....

  12. Ceos Wgiss Common Framework for Wgiss Connected Data Assets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enloe, Y.; Mitchell, A. E.; Albani, M.; Yapur, M.

    2016-12-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), established in 1984 to coordinate civil space-borne observations of the Earth, has been building through its Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS), a common data framework to identify and connect data assets at member agencies. Some of these data assets are federated systems such as the CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalog (CWIC), the European Space Agency's FedEO (Federated Earth Observations Missions Access) system, and the International Directory Network (IDN) which is an international effort developed by NASA to assist researchers in locating information on available data sets. A system level team provides coordination and oversight to make this loosely coupled federated system function and evolve. WGISS has identified 2 search standards, the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Catalog Services for the Web (CSW) and the CEOS OpenSearch Best Practices (which references the OGC OpenSearch Geo and Time Extensions and OGC OpenSearch Extension for Earth Observation) as well as an interoperable metadata standard (ISO 19115) for use within the WGISS Connected Assets. Data partners must register their data collections in the IDN using the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Keywords. Data partners need to support one of the 2 search standards and be able to map their internal metadata to the ISO 19115 metadata elements. All searchable data must have a data access path. Clients can offer search and access to all or a subset of the satellite data available through the WGISS Connected Data Assets. Clients can offer support for a 2-step search: (1) Discovery through collection search using platform, instrument, science keywords, etc. at the IDN and (2) Search granule metadata at data partners through CWIC or FedEO. There are more than a dozen international agencies that offer their data through the WGISS Federation or working on developing their connections. This list includes European Space Agency, NASA

  13. The dynamics of a students´ groupwork in the Physics classes, their relationship to the knowledge, and the teacher´s interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glauco S. F. da Silva

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available We present the learning-teaching process case of a group of High School students and emphasize their relation with physics subject-matter, the interventions of the teacher (presential and institutional and the difficult situations faced by them within the group. We used Pichon-Rivière’s theory of operative groups to analyze this data. In this theory, some important elements are: the task of the group, the bond and the roles the members play. We made a diachronical analysis of the group, raising the hypothesis of the dependence from the teacher, and we made a synchronical analysis from one class to reveal some details of the group process. We concluded that the members’ dependence was related to “not knowing Physics” whose teacher was the one who could solve their problems. Lastly, we discuss teacher’s intervention function in a students’groupwork during physics classes.

  14. Effect of CeO2 on Microstructure and Wear Resistance of TiC Bioinert Coatings on Ti6Al4V Alloy by Laser Cladding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haojun

    2017-01-01

    To solve the lack of wear resistance of titanium alloys for use in biological applications, various prepared coatings on titanium alloys are often used as wear-resistant materials. In this paper, TiC bioinert coatings were fabricated on Ti6Al4V by laser cladding using mixed TiC and ZrO2 powders as the basic pre-placed materials. A certain amount of CeO2 powder was also added to the pre-placed powders to further improve the properties of the TiC coatings. The effects of CeO2 additive on the phase constituents, microstructures and wear resistance of the TiC coatings were researched in detail. Although the effect of CeO2 on the phase constituents of the coatings was slight, it had a significant effect on the microstructure and wear resistance of the coatings. The crystalline grains in the TiC coatings, observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), were refined due to the effect of the CeO2. With the increase of CeO2 additive content in the pre-placed powders, finer and more compact dendrites led to improvement of the micro-hardness and wear resistance of the TiC coatings. Also, 5 wt % content of CeO2 additive in the pre-placed powders was the best choice for improving the wear properties of the TiC coatings. PMID:29301218

  15. Synthesis and characterization of binary (CuO)0.6(CeO2)0.4 nanoparticles via a simple heat treatment method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baqer, Anwar Ali; Matori, Khamirul Amin; Al-Hada, Naif Mohammed; Shaari, Abdul Halim; Kamari, Halimah Mohamed; Saion, Elias; Chyi, Josephine Liew Ying; Abdullah, Che Azurahanim Che

    2018-06-01

    A binary (CuO)0.6 (CeO2)0.4 nanoparticles were prepared via thermal treatment method, using copper nitrate, cerium nitrate as precursors, PVP as capping agent and de-ionized water as a solvent. The structures, morphology, composition of the element and optical properties of these nanoparticles have been studied under different temperatures using various techniques. The XRD spectrum of the samples at 500 °C and above confirmed the existence of both monoclinic (CuO) and cubic fluorite (CeO2) structures. The findings of FESEM and TEM exhibited the average practical size and agglomeration increment with an elevation in the calcination temperature. The synthesized nanoparticles were also characterized by FTIR, which indicated the formation of binary Cu-O and Ce-O bonds. The EDX analysis was performed to indicate the chemical composition of the sample. The double energy band gaps of (CuO)0.6(CeO2)0.4 reduction with rising calcination temperature, can be referred to the enhancement of the crystallinity of the samples. PL intensity of (CuO)0.6(CeO2)0.4 nanoparticles peaks, which increased with the elevation of the calcination temperature to 800 °C was observed from the PL spectrum; this was due to the increment of the particle size that occurred.

  16. A facile approach to fabrication of novel CeO2–TiO2 core–shell nanocomposite leads to excellent UV-shielding ability and lower catalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bahadur, Newaz Mohammed; Kurayama, Fumio; Furusawa, Takeshi; Sato, Masahide; Siddiquey, Iqbal Ahmed; Hossain, Md. Mufazzal; Suzuki, Noboru

    2013-01-01

    This study reports the development of a fast and facile route for the synthesis of novel CeO 2 –TiO 2 core–shell nanocomposite particles using microwave (MW) irradiation of the mixture of commercial CeO 2 , titanium-tetra-n-butoxide (TBOT) and aqueous ammonia. Solutions of TBOT in ethanol and ammonia were mixed with dispersed CeO 2 nanoparticles in ethanol, and the mixture was rapidly MW irradiated at 70 °C for 2 min. The resulting nanocomposite particles were characterized in terms of phase, shell thickness, composition, surface charge, morphology, and chemical state of the elements by XRD, TEM, XPS, SEM, Zeta potential analyzer, XRF, and FT-IR. Conventional methods of the synthesis of CeO 2 –TiO 2 nanocomposite require a long time, and TiO 2 is rarely found as a coated material. In contrast, the MW method was able to synthesize CeO 2 –TiO 2 core–shell nanocompsite particles within a very short time. CeO 2 –TiO 2 nanocomposite particles were fairly unaggregated with an average titania layer thickness of 2–5 nm. The obtained nanocomposites retained the crystalline cubic phase of CeO 2 , and the phase of coated TiO 2 was amorphous. The catalytic activities of uncoated and TiO 2 -coated CeO 2 nanoparticles for the oxidation of organic compounds were evaluated by the degradation study of methylene blue in air atmosphere at 403 K. The enhanced UV-shielding ability and visible transparency of the nanocomposite obtained by UV visible spectroscopic measurements suggested that the core–shell material has novel characteristics for using as a sunscreen material.

  17. Room temperature synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic property of CeO2/ZnO heterostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chao; Fan, Huiqing; Ren, Xiaohu; Fang, Jiawen

    2018-02-01

    To achieve better photocatalytic performance, we proposed a facile solid-state reaction method to produce CeO2/ZnO heterostructures. Ceria and zinc oxide were synthesized simultaneously by thoroughly grinding the mixture of zinc acetate dihydrate, cerium nitrate hexahydrate and sodium hydroxide. The morphology of the as-prepared heterostructures varies dramatically as different amount of ceria was introduced in the composition. The photocatalytic performance of CeO2/ZnO heterojunctions was 4.6 times higher than that of pure ZnO. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be ascribed to that more electrons and holes could transport to the surface of catalysts and react with the pollution due to the extended light-responsive range, accelerated migration, increased specific surface area and suppressed recombination of photogenerated carriers.

  18. Differential genomic effects on signaling pathways by two different CeO2 nanoparticles in HepG2 cells

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Differential genomic effects on signaling pathways by two different CeO2 nanoparticles in HepG2 cells. This dataset is associated with the following publication:...

  19. Bank CEO Pay-Performance Relations and the Effects of Deregulation.

    OpenAIRE

    Crawford, Anthony J; Ezzell, John R; Miles, James A

    1995-01-01

    The authors test the deregulation hypothesis that posits that bank CEO compensation became more sensitive to performance as bank management became less regulated. They observe a significant increase in pay-performance sensitivities from their 1976-81 regulation subsample to their 1982-88 deregulation subsample. These increases in pay sensitivities after deregulation are observed for salary and bonus, stock options, and common stock holdings. The authors observe increases in the pay-performanc...

  20. A face only an investor could love: CEOs' facial structure predicts their firms' financial performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Elaine M; Ormiston, Margaret E; Haselhuhn, Michael P

    2011-12-01

    Researchers have theorized that innate personal traits are related to leadership success. Although links between psychological characteristics and leadership success have been well established, research has yet to identify any objective physical traits of leaders that predict organizational performance. In the research reported here, we identified leaders' facial structure as a specific physical trait that correlates with organizational performance. Specifically, we found that firms whose male CEOs have wider faces (relative to facial height) achieve superior financial performance. Decision-making dynamics within a firm's leadership team moderate this effect, such that the relationship between a given CEO's facial measurements and his firm's financial performance is stronger in firms with cognitively simple leadership teams.

  1. Cetáceos de las aguas costeras del Pacífico norte y sur de Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damián Martínez-Fernández

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available De las 29 especies de cetáceos presentes en Costa Rica, se han realizado investigaciones exhaustivas solamente para tres especies. Lo anterior evidencia la poca información general existente sobre cetáceos, a pesar de que Costa Rica posee un notable crecimiento de actividades de avistamiento. Debido al uso que se está generando en las zonas costeras, cada vez se hace más necesario determinar la ocurrencia de cetáceos en zonas de alta actividad turística, con el fin de proponer medidas de conservación. En el presente estudio, se determinaron variables ambientales que estaban relacionadas con la presencia de especies registradas, a partir de 166 avistamientos entre el 2005 y 2006. Las especies con mayor proporción de avistamientos fueron Stenella attenuata (68%, seguida por Megaptera novaeangliae (13% y Tursiops truncatus (10%. La presencia del delfín manchado se relaciona con cambios de salinidad y trasparencia del agua, mientras que la de la ballena jorobada estuvo relacionada con el oleaje y la temperatura superficial del agua. Se confirma la presencia de 7 especies de cetáceos en dos zonas costeras del Pacífico de Costa Rica, de las cuales tres están presentes a lo largo del año. Se encontraron variables ambientales relacionadas con la presencia de al menos dos especies.

  2. Synthesis and characterization of molybdenum catalysts supported on γ-Al2O3-CeO2 composite oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farooq, Muhammad; Ramli, Anita; Subbarao, Duvvuri

    2012-01-01

    The physical and chemical properties of a catalyst play a vital role in various industrial applications. Molybdenum catalysts supported on γ-Al 2 O 3 and γ-Al 2 O 3 -CeO 2 mixed oxides with varying loading of CeO 2 (5, 10, 15, 20 wt% with respect to γ-Al 2 O 3 ) were prepared by wet impregnation method. The physiochemical properties of these synthesized Mo catalysts were studied with various characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), field emission scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive analysis (FESEM-EDX) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF). The results showed that the addition of CeO 2 into the support affected the binding energies of the elements and reducibility of the metal oxides formed after calcination of catalyst samples due to the change in metal-support interaction. Further, the characterization techniques showed that the active metal was well dispersed on the surface of support material.

  3. Mineralization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) over the catalyst CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 and its applications in industrial odor control

    KAUST Repository

    Somekawa, Shouichi; Hagiwara, Toshiya; Fujii, Kyoko; Kojima, Masayuki; Shinoda, Tsutomu; Takanabe, Kazuhiro; Domen, Kazunari

    2011-01-01

    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present at ppm levels were decomposed over the catalyst CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 (Cu:Co:Ce = 10:45:45 in mol) in an attempt to scale up for industrial odor control. In addition to enhancing the catalytic activity, CuO-Co3O4 and CeO2 helped, respectively, to maintain the strength of the pelleted catalysts and inhibit their sintering. Using toluene as a VOC model compound, kinetic analysis of the total oxidation to carbon dioxide was conducted. The odor emitted from paint-drying processes could be eliminated effectively using CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 (Cu:Co:Ce = 10:45:45) pelleted catalysts (188 ml) in a large-scale system. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Mineralization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) over the catalyst CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 and its applications in industrial odor control

    KAUST Repository

    Somekawa, Shouichi

    2011-12-01

    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present at ppm levels were decomposed over the catalyst CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 (Cu:Co:Ce = 10:45:45 in mol) in an attempt to scale up for industrial odor control. In addition to enhancing the catalytic activity, CuO-Co3O4 and CeO2 helped, respectively, to maintain the strength of the pelleted catalysts and inhibit their sintering. Using toluene as a VOC model compound, kinetic analysis of the total oxidation to carbon dioxide was conducted. The odor emitted from paint-drying processes could be eliminated effectively using CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 (Cu:Co:Ce = 10:45:45) pelleted catalysts (188 ml) in a large-scale system. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Comment on “Synthesis of ceria (CeO_2 and CeO_2_−_x) nanoparticles via decarbonation and Ce(III) oxidation of synthetic bastnaesite (CeCO_3F)” by Montes-Hernandez et al

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gysi, Alexander P.; Williams-Jones, Anthony E.

    2016-01-01

    Montes-Hernandez et al. [5] recently reported results of a study of the decarbonation of fine-grained synthetic bastnäsite-(Ce) precipitates involving the oxidation of Ce(III) to Ce(IV) and the formation of ceria (CeO_2 and CeO_2_-_x with oxygen vacancies) nano-particles. The purpose of their study was to show that oxidation of Ce(III) to Ce(IV) occurs spontaneously during heating of bastnäsite-(Ce) in air, a vacuum, N_2 or Ar gas. However, their interpretation of the formation of CeO_2 is not supported by the findings of Gysi and Williams-Jones [3], who showed that natural bastnäsite-(Ce) decomposes to form rare earth element (REE) oxyfluorides (REEOF). The latter was documented using differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TGA) experiments under a deoxygenated N_2 atmosphere. In their experiments, Gysi and Williams-Jones [3] found no evidence for the oxidation of Ce(III) to Ce(IV). This raises the question of whether the experiments of Montes-Hernandez et al. [5] in a N_2 atmosphere (and by extension in an Ar atmosphere) were compromised because of contamination by O_2 and that, as a result, they reached the erroneous conclusion that Ce(III) oxidizes spontaneously to Ce(IV) during heating of bastnäsite-(Ce) under these conditions. In order to explain the disagreement between their findings and those of Gysi and Williams-Jones [3], Montes-Hernandez et al. [5], proposed that the X-ray diffraction data of the former study were incorrectly interpreted. Here, we provide further evidence that the natural bastnäsite-(Ce) employed in the study by Gysi and Williams-Jones [3] decomposed to form REE oxyfluorides (i.e., CeOF, LaOF, PrOF and NdOF) and not CeO_2, and supply explanations for why Montes-Hernandez et al. [5] erroneously concluded that CeO_2 is produced during decomposition of this mineral under N_2 and Ar atmospheres. In so doing, we hope to provide new insights into the decomposition of bastnäsite-(Ce) that will help guide future

  6. Resistive switching effects in CeO2/La0.7(Sr0.1Ca0.9)0.3MnO3/Pt heterostructures prepared by pulse laser deposition method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, X.G.; Fu, J.B.; Li, L.Z.; Yun, C.; Zhao, H.; Zhang, X.F.; Wang, C.S.; Yang, Y.C.; Yang, J.B.

    2014-01-01

    The heterostructural junctions of CeO 2 /La 0.7 (Sr 0.1 Ca 0.9 ) 0.3 MnO 3 /Pt (CeO 2 /LSCMO/Pt) were prepared using pulse laser deposition technique. Their resistive switching (RS) behavior was investigated. As compared to the metal/manganite/Pt junction, the CeO 2 /LSCMO/Pt device displayed an improved switching characteristic. The RS effects with characteristics of bipolar, threshold, and complementary were realized by adjusting the thicknesses of the CeO 2 layer in the CeO 2 /LSCMO/Pt junctions. Under a higher external bias voltage, the threshold and complementary switching modes of the junctions could turn into bipolar switching mode. The switching behavior shows strong dependence on the O 2 partial pressure during the fabrication, indicating that the amount and behavior of the oxygen at the interface play an important role in the determination of the RS behavior. The observed switching behavior is related to the modification of the accumulation/depletion layers as well as the interfacial potential barrier due to the migration of the oxygen vacancies. - Highlights: • Heterostructure of CeO 2 /LSMO/Pt displayed an improved resistance switching characteristic. • Resistance switching with characteristics of bipolar, threshold and complementary was found. • Threshold and complementary switching mode could turn into bipolar switching mode. • Switching behavior is related to the modification of the accumulation/depletion layers. • Interfacial potential barrier due to the migration of oxygen vacancies was proposed

  7. Initial sintering stage kinetics of CeO2 studied by stepwise isothermal dilatometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El Sayed Ali, M.; Toft Soerensen, O.

    1985-02-01

    The kinetics of the initial sintering stage of CeO 2 is studied by a new dilatometric technique in which the heating of the sample is controlled by its shrinkage rate. By this technique the shrinkage characteristically takes place in 'isothermal steps' which allows both the mechanism and its activation energy to be determined in a single experiment. The basic equations necessary to evaluate the shrinkage data are described, and using these equations on the curves recorded for CeO 2 it it shown that the controlling mechanism for the initial sintering stage for this oxides is grain-boundary diffusion of Ce 4+ -ions with an activation energy of 119.4 kcal/mole (5.2 eV). The corresponding diffusion coefficient is estimated to vary between 8.5 x 10 -17 - 3.1 x 10 -15 cm 2 /sec (1005 - 1099sup(o)C). (author)

  8. Managing Student Behavior in Dual Immersion Classrooms: A Study of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Blake D; Caldarella, Paul; Williams, Leslie; Wills, Howard P

    2017-09-01

    Classroom management in dual immersion classrooms includes unique challenges. The teacher must instruct and correct in the L2 language, in which students are beginning learners, and effective classroom management strategies appropriate to the L2 context. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a positive classroom management program that teaches social skills and uses group contingencies to improve behavior. The present study examined the ability of French immersion teachers to implement CW-FIT in the L2, including the effects of CW-FIT on teacher praise and reprimand rates and as well as on students' classroom behavior. Social validity was also assessed. A single-subject multiple baseline design with embedded reversals was used to evaluate impact in second-, third-, and fourth-grade dual immersion classrooms. Results indicated that dual immersion teachers were able to implement CW-FIT in L2 with fidelity. The intervention significantly increased teacher praise and improved classroom on-task behavior. Changes in teacher reprimand rates were inconsistent. Students and teachers reported CW-FIT to be socially valid.

  9. Influence of mineralizer agents on the growth of crystalline CeO2 nanospheres by the microwave-hydrothermal method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deus, R.C.; Cilense, M.; Foschini, C.R.; Ramirez, M.A.; Longo, E.; Simões, A.Z.

    2013-01-01

    Cystalline ceria (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles have been synthesized by a simple and fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) under NaOH, KOH, and NH 4 OH mineralizers added to a cerium ammonium nitrate aqueous solution. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformed-IR and Raman spectroscopies. Rietveld refinement reveals a cubic structure with a space group Fm3m while infrared data showed few traces of nitrates. Field emission scanning microcopy (FEG-SEM) revealed a homogeneous size distribution of nanometric CeO 2 nanoparticles. The MAH process in KOH and NaOH showed most effective to dehydrate the adsorbed water and decrease the hydrogen bonding effect leaving a weakly agglomerated powder of hydrated ceria. TEM micrographs of CeO 2 synthesized under MAH conditions reveal particles well-dispersed and homogeneously distributed. The MAH enabled cerium oxide to be synthesized at 100 °C for 8 min.

  10. CEOS contributions to informing energy management and policy decision making using space-based Earth observations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eckman, Richard S.; Stackhouse, Paul W.

    2012-01-01

    Earth observations are playing an increasingly significant role in informing decision making in the energy sector. In renewable energy applications, space-based observations now routinely augment sparse ground-based observations used as input for renewable energy resource assessment applications. As one of the nine Group on Earth Observations (GEO) societal benefit areas, the enhancement of management and policy decision making in the energy sector is receiving attention in activities conducted by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). CEOS has become the “space arm” for the implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) vision. It is directly supporting the space-based, near-term tasks articulated in the GEO three-year work plan. This paper describes a coordinated program of demonstration projects conducted by CEOS member agencies and partners to utilize Earth observations to enhance energy management end-user decision support systems. We discuss the importance of engagement with stakeholders and understanding their decision support needs in successfully increasing the uptake of Earth observation products for societal benefit. Several case studies are presented, demonstrating the importance of providing data sets in formats and units familiar and immediately usable by decision makers. These projects show the utility of Earth observations to enhance renewable energy resource assessment in the developing world, forecast space weather impacts on the power grid, and improve energy efficiency in the built environment.

  11. CEOS Contributions to Informing Energy Management and Policy Decision Making Using Space-Based Earth Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckman, Richard S.

    2009-01-01

    Earth observations are playing an increasingly significant role in informing decision making in the energy sector. In renewable energy applications, space-based observations now routinely augment sparse ground-based observations used as input for renewable energy resource assessment applications. As one of the nine Group on Earth Observations (GEO) societal benefit areas, the enhancement of management and policy decision making in the energy sector is receiving attention in activities conducted by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). CEOS has become the "space arm" for the implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) vision. It is directly supporting the space-based, near-term tasks articulated in the GEO three-year work plan. This paper describes a coordinated program of demonstration projects conducted by CEOS member agencies and partners to utilize Earth observations to enhance energy management end-user decision support systems. I discuss the importance of engagement with stakeholders and understanding their decision support needs in successfully increasing the uptake of Earth observation products for societal benefit. Several case studies are presented, demonstrating the importance of providing data sets in formats and units familiar and immediately usable by decision makers. These projects show the utility of Earth observations to enhance renewable energy resource assessment in the developing world, forecast space-weather impacts on the power grid, and improve energy efficiency in the built environment.

  12. Surprise! From CEOs to Navy Seals: How a Select Group of Professionals Prepare for and Respond to the Unexpected

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    one of the longest- serving coaches in franchise history. Over the span of his career, he has seen it all, including the time an opposing team... skilled in touch-labor: they work with their hands.2 This observation is likely due to the fact that all of these professionals need to get things done...test pilot, Mojave, Calif., October 24, 2012; CEO of a firm with 1,200 worldwide employees , Arlington, Va., November 8, 2012; small-busi- ness CEO and

  13. Are CEOs incentivized to avoid Corporate Taxes? - Empirical Evidence on Managerial Bonus Contracts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H. Schmittdiel (Heiner)

    2014-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ In this paper, we test empirically whether there is a relationship between corporate income taxes and CEO bonus payments. Using Compustat and ExecuComp data from 1992 to 2010, we find mixed results. Looking at the whole sample, the average bonus contract rewards

  14. CEO pay-performance sensitivity in the South African context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Bussin

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The topic of executive pay-performance sensitivity has resulted in mixed research findings. Literature related to executive remuneration constructs, company performance measures and the underlying theories is critically reviewed in this article. The literature is compared to research findings within the South African context pre, during and post the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. The researcher found similar results in the South African context compared to research in other countries and industries. The research challenges the notion that there is one dominant theory driving CEO compensation. The principal-agent theory, supported by the optimal contract theory, are foremost during periods of strong economic performance, while the influence of managerial power and other behavioural theories appear to prevail during periods of weak economic performance. This article proposes some critical considerations in order to manage this tension.

  15. Beating the numbers through strategic intervention materials (SIMs): Innovative science teaching for large classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alboruto, Venus M.

    2017-05-01

    The study aimed to find out the effectiveness of using Strategic Intervention Materials (SIMs) as an innovative teaching practice in managing large Grade Eight Science classes to raise the performance of the students in terms of science process skills development and mastery of science concepts. Utilizing experimental research design with two groups of participants, which were purposefully chosen, it was obtained that there existed a significant difference in the performance of the experimental and control groups based on actual class observation and written tests on science process skills with a p-value of 0.0360 in favor of the experimental class. Further, results of written pre-test and post-test on science concepts showed that the experimental group with the mean of 24.325 (SD =3.82) performed better than the control group with the mean of 20.58 (SD =4.94), with a registered p-value of 0.00039. Therefore, the use of SIMs significantly contributed to the mastery of science concepts and the development of science process skills. Based on the findings, the following recommendations are offered: 1. that grade eight science teachers should use or adopt the SIMs used in this study to improve their students' performance; 2. training-workshop on developing SIMs must be conducted to help teachers develop SIMs to be used in their classes; 3. school administrators must allocate funds for the development and reproduction of SIMs to be used by the students in their school; and 4. every division should have a repository of SIMs for easy access of the teachers in the entire division.

  16. Influence of CeO2 NPs on biological phosphorus removal and bacterial community shifts in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor with the differential effects of molecular oxygen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao; Hou, Jun; Wang, Peifang; You, Guoxiang; Miao, Lingzhan; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang

    2016-01-01

    The effects of CeO 2 nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) on a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) with established biological phosphorus (P) removal were investigated from the processes of anaerobic P release and aerobic P uptake. At low concentration (0.1 mg/L), no significant impact was observed on total phosphorus (TP) removal after operating for 8 h. However, at a concentration of 20 mg/L, TP removal efficiency decreased from 83.68% to 55.88% and 16.76% when the CeO 2 NPs were added at the beginning of the anaerobic and aerobic periods, respectively. Further studies illustrated that the inhibition of the specific P release rate was caused by the reversible states of Ce 3+ and Ce 4+ , which inhibited the activity of exopolyphosphatase (PPX) and transformation of poly-β-hydoxyalkanoates (PHA) and glycogen, as well as the uptake of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The decrease in the specific P uptake rate was mainly attributed to the significantly suppressed energy generation and decreased abundance of Burkholderia caused by excess reactive oxygen species. The removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was not influenced by CeO 2 NPs under aerobic conditions, due to the increased abundance of Acetobacter and Acidocella after exposure. The inhibitory effects of CeO 2 NPs with molecular oxygen were reduced after anaerobic exposure due to the enhanced particle size and the presence of Ce 3+ . - Highlights: • CeO 2 NPs (20 mg/L) had a notable toxicity effect on P removal in SBBR system. • The deteriorated SPRR was caused by the inhibited key enzyme activity (PPX). • The decreased SPUR was caused by the bacterial community shifts. • Ce ions converting and excess ROS generation are related toxicity mechanisms.

  17. A Comparative Analysis on the Strategy of Impression Management and Public Diplomacy of Two Indonesian Presidents at APEC CEO Summit

    OpenAIRE

    INDRAYANI, INRI INGGRIT

    2016-01-01

    This research aims to analyze speeches of the former Indonesian President SusiloBambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and the current Indonesia President Joko Widodo(Jokowi) at the APEC CEO Summit. Jokowi gave his speech in Beijing, China in2014, while SBY delivered his speech in Bali in 2013. Both speeches have constructively examined as image management strategies to build an impressionmanagement at the APEC CEO Summit. APEC is one of crucial forum to buildinternational relationships, draw the investment...

  18. Cetáceos del Pacífico de Guatemala: Cincuenta años de historia Guatemala's Pacific Cetaceans: Fifty Years of History

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea A. Cabrera Arreola

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available En Guatemala el estudio de los cetáceos inició en la década de los sesenta con los primeros registros de varamiento y captura incidental. Sin embargo, pocos trabajos científicos con datos de cetáceos han sido publicados. Con el objetivo de centralizar la información de cetáceos y obtener conocimiento biológico para el desarrollo de planes de manejo y conservación, se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de cetáceos en Guatemala que recaba información de los últimos 50 años. Se obtuvo un total de 1,014 registros de avistamiento (1979-2011, 62 registros de captura incidental (1961/85 y 16 registros de varamientos (1975, 2007-2012, los cuales se analizaron en mapas batimétricos y en mapas de presiones antropogénicas. Se identificaron diecinueve especies pertenecientes a cinco familias de cetáceos, incluyendo Balaenopteridae, Delphinidae, Ziphiidae, Kogiidae y Physeteridae. El esfuerzo y área de muestreo varió durante 1961-2012. Se identificaron diferentes patrones de distribución especie-específicos. La mayoría de avistamientos se registraron cerca de zonas con topografía compleja. Aunque los eventos de captura incidental se registraron únicamente en alta mar, los resultados sugieren que especies de distribución costera se encuentran en zonas con mayor riesgo antropogénico. Se reportaron ocho especies de cetáceos varados, eventos ocurridos principalmente en el departamento de Escuintla desde el año 2007. Debido a la gran diversidad en los patrones de distribución, comportamiento y uso de hábitat de los cetáceos, combinado con los riesgos antropogénicos de la zona, es necesario que se considere un enfoque integral cuando se implementen planes de manejo y conservación marina en Guatemala.

  19. The DIAS/CEOS Water Portal, distributed system using brokering architecture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, Satoko; Sekioka, Shinichi; Kuroiwa, Kaori; Kudo, Yoshiyuki

    2015-04-01

    The DIAS/CEOS Water Portal is a one of the DIAS (Data Integration and Analysis System, http://www.editoria.u-tokyo.ac.jp/projects/dias/?locale=en_US) systems for data distribution for users including, but not limited to, scientists, decision makers and officers like river administrators. This portal has two main functions; one is to search and access data and the other is to register and share use cases which use datasets provided via this portal. This presentation focuses on the first function, to search and access data. The Portal system is distributed in the sense that, while the portal system is located in Tokyo, the data is located in archive centers which are globally distributed. For example, some in-situ data is archived at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, USA. The NWP station time series and global gridded model output data is archived at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPIM) in cooperation with the World Data Center for Climate in Hamburg, Germany. Part of satellite data is archived at DIAS storage at the University of Tokyo, Japan. This portal itself does not store data. Instead, according to requests made by users on the web page, it retrieves data from distributed data centers on-the-fly and lets them download and see rendered images/plots. Although some data centers have unique meta data format and/or data search protocols, our portal's brokering function enables users to search across various data centers at one time, like one-stop shopping. And this portal is also connected to other data brokering systems, including GEOSS DAB (Discovery and Access Broker). As a result, users can search over thousands of datasets, millions of files at one time. Our system mainly relies on the open source software GI-cat (http://essi-lab.eu/do/view/GIcat), Opensearch protocol and OPeNDAP protocol to enable the above functions. Details on how it works will be introduced during the

  20. Eu and Sr2CeO4 : Eu phosphors suitable for near ultraviolet excitation

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    The study on white light phosphors suitable for near- ultraviolet (nUV) ... Rare earth ion-doped phosphors have been used in varied fields ... practical applications. .... by naked eyes. ... induced by Sr2CeO4 host matrix (Arunachalam Laxmanan.

  1. Far-infrared spectroscopic study of CeO2 nanocrystals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popović, Z. V.; Grujić-Brojčin, M.; Paunović, N.; Radonjić, M. M.; Araújo, V. D.; Bernardi, M. I. B.; de Lima, M. M.; Cantarero, A.

    2015-01-01

    We present the far-infrared reflectivity spectra of 5 nm-sized pure and copper-doped Ce1- x Cu x O2- y ( x = 0; 0.01 and 0.10) nanocrystals measured at room temperature in the 50-650 cm-1 spectral range. Reflectivity spectra were analyzed using the factorized form of the dielectric function, which includes the phonon and the free carriers contribution. Four oscillators with TO energies of approximately 135, 280, 370, and 490 cm-1 were included in the fitting procedure. These oscillators represent local maxima of the CeO2 phonon density of states, which is also calculated using the density functional theory. The lowest energy oscillator represents TA(L)/TA(X) phonon states, which become infrared-active E u modes at the L and X points of the Brillouin zone (BZ). The second oscillator originates from TO(Γ) phonon states. The oscillator at 400 cm-1 originates from Raman mode phonon states, which at the L point of BZ also becomes infrared-active E u mode. The last oscillator describes phonons with dominantly LO(Γ) infrared mode character. The appearance of phonon density of states related oscillators, instead of single F 2uinfrared-active mode in the far-infrared reflectivity spectra, is a consequence of the nanosized dimension of the CeO2 particles. The best fit spectra are obtained using the generalized Bruggeman model for inhomogeneous media, which takes into account the nanocrystal volume fraction and the pore shape.

  2. Treatment of skeletal Class III malocclusions: orthognathic surgery or orthodontic camouflage? How to decide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benyahia, Hicham; Azaroual, Mohamed Faouzi; Garcia, Claude; Hamou, Edith; Abouqal, Redouane; Zaoui, Fatima

    2011-06-01

    The choice of treatment in adult skeletal Class III occlusions often poses a particularly tricky problem for the orthodontist. Faced with the option of either orthodontic camouflage or orthognathic surgery, the clinician's clinical experience is of paramount importance, especially in borderline cases. The aim of our study was to uncover a guide model enabling the practitioner to distinguish between skeletal Class III cases which can be suitably treated with orthodontics and those requiring orthognathic surgery. The lateral headfilms of 47 adult patients exhibiting skeletal Class III occlusions were analyzed. The orthodontic group comprised 22 patients and the surgical group 25. Twenty-seven linear, proportional and angular measurements were scrutinized. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to identify the dentoskeletal and esthetic variables which most distinguished the two groups. The Holdaway angle was chosen to differentiate between patients prior to treatment. This model enables us to classify 87.2% of patients correctly. Copyright © 2011 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Structural, optical and electrical properties of CeO2 thin films simultaneously prepared by anodic and cathodic electrodeposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yumeng; Du, Xiaoqing; Yi, Chenxi; Liu, Jiao; Zhu, Benfeng; Zhang, Zhao

    2018-05-01

    CeO2 thin films were deposited on stainless steel (SS) and indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass by simultaneous anodic and cathodic electrodeposition, and the influence of negative potential on the formation of ceria films was studied with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, van der Pauw measurements, UV-visible spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that CeO2 films on the anode are slightly affected by the potential, but the particle size, crystal orientation, strain, film thickness, resistivity and Ce(III) content of the films on the cathode increases with increasing potential on the SS substrate. Contradictory to the results of the SS cathode, redshift (Ed changed from 3.95 eV to 3.56 eV and Ei changed from 3.42 eV to 3.04 eV) occurring in the absorption spectrum of CeO2 deposited on the ITO-coated glass cathode indicates that the content of Ce3+ in the cathodic films is dependent on the adopted substrates and decreases as the applied potential is increased.

  4. Consensus on the leadership of hospital CEOs and its impact on the participation of physicians in improvement projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dückers, Michel L.A.; Stegeman, Inge; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Wagner, Cordula; Sanders, Karin; Groenewegen, Peter P.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: The success of a Dutch program to disseminate quality improvement projects depends on the participation of physicians working in program hospitals. The leadership of hospital executives (CEOs) is considered an important explanation. This study aims to determine whether the relation,

  5. Consensus on the leadership of hospital CEOs and its impact on the participation of clinicians in improvement projects.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dückers, M.L.A.; Stegeman, I.; Spreeuwenberg, P.; Wagner, C.; Sanders, K.; Groenewegen, P.P.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: The success of a Dutch program to disseminate quality improvement projects depends on the participation of physicians working in program hospitals. The leadership of hospital executives (CEOs) is considered an important explanation. This study aims to determine whether the relation,

  6. Consensus on the leadership of hospital CEOs and its impact on the participation of physicians in improvement projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duckers, M.L.A.; Stegeman, I.; Spreeuwenberg, P.; Wagner, C.; Sanders, K.; Groenewegen, P.P.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The success of a Dutch program to disseminate quality improvement projects depends on the participation of physicians working in program hospitals. The leadership of hospital executives (CEOs) is considered an important explanation. This study aims to determine whether the relation,

  7. Consensus on the leadership of hospital CEO's and its impact on the participation of physicians in improvement projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dückers, M.L.A.; Stegeman, I.; Spreeuwenberg, P.; Wagner, C.; Sanders, K.; Groenewegen, P.P.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: The success of a Dutch program to disseminate quality improvement projects depends on the participation of physicians working in program hospitals. The leadership of hospital executives (CEOs) is considered an important explanation. This study aims to determine whether the relation,

  8. The CEOS Global Observation Strategy for Disaster Risk Management: An Enterprise Architect's View

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moe, K.; Evans, J. D.; Frye, S.

    2013-12-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS), on behalf of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), is defining an enterprise architecture (known as GA.4.D) for the use of satellite observations in international disaster management. This architecture defines the scope and structure of the disaster management enterprise (based on disaster types and phases); its processes (expressed via use cases / system functions); and its core values (in particular, free and open data sharing via standard interfaces). The architecture also details how a disaster management enterprise describes, obtains, and handles earth observations and data products for decision-support; and how it draws on distributed computational services for streamlined operational capability. We have begun to apply this architecture to a new CEOS initiative, the Global Observation Strategy for Disaster Risk Management (DRM). CEOS is defining this Strategy based on the outcomes of three pilot projects focused on seismic hazards, volcanoes, and floods. These pilots offer a unique opportunity to characterize and assess the impacts (benefits / costs) of the GA.4.D architecture in practice. In particular, the DRM Floods Pilot is applying satellite-based optical and radar data to flood mitigation, warning, and response, including monitoring and modeling at regional to global scales. It is focused on serving user needs and building local institutional / technical capacity in the Caribbean, Southern Africa, and Southeast Asia. In the context of these CEOS DRM Pilots, we are characterizing where and how the GA.4D architecture helps participants to: - Understand the scope and nature of hazard events quickly and accurately - Assure timely delivery of observations into analysis, modeling, and decision-making - Streamline user access to products - Lower barriers to entry for users or suppliers - Streamline or focus field operations in

  9. Remembering Apple CEO Steve Jobs as a "Transformational Leader": Implications for Pedagogy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinwart, Marlane C.; Ziegler, Jennifer A.

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores the implications of using Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs as a "paradigm case" of transformational leadership by comparing the practical metadiscourse of remembrances published at the time of his passing to the theoretical metadiscourse of transformational leadership. The authors report the frequency of…

  10. Master the Moment Fifty CEOs Teach You the Secrets of Time Management

    CERN Document Server

    Brans, Pat

    2010-01-01

    High achievers are not necessarily smarter or putting in more effort than those around them. But they do have different attitudes and are more careful how they use time. From their perspective they are moving at a comfortable pace. To the typical bystander, they are zipping past. Master The Moment reveals tips from 50 CEOs - all Masters of Time.

  11. Self-Template Synthesis of Hybrid Porous Co3 O4 -CeO2 Hollow Polyhedrons for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chengzhen; Liu, Kangfei; Tao, Jing; Kang, Xiaoting; Hou, Haiyan; Cheng, Cheng; Zhang, Daojun

    2018-01-04

    In this work, hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons have been successfully obtained via a simple cation-exchange route followed by heat treatment. In the synthesis process, ZIF-67 polyhedron frameworks are firstly prepared, which not only serve as a host for the exchanged Ce3 + ions but also act as the template for the synthesis of hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons. When utilized as electrode materials for supercapacitors, the hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons delivered a large specific capacitance of 1288.3 F g -1 at 2.5 A g -1 and a remarkable long lifespan cycling stability (<3.3 % loss after 6000 cycles). Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device based on hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons was assembled. The ASC device possesses an energy density of 54.9 W h kg -1 , which can be retained to 44.2 W h kg -1 even at a power density of 5100 W kg -1 , indicating its promising application in electrochemical energy storage. More importantly, we believe that the present route is a simple and versatile strategy for the preparation of other hybrid metal oxides with desired structures, chemical compositions and applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Extended parental care in crustaceans: an update Cuidado parental extendido en crustáceos: conocimiento actual

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARTIN THIEL

    2003-06-01

    increase in dispersal distances of crustaceans with XPC via rafting, surpassing that of crustaceans with pelagic larvae. Since crustaceans with XPC may be particularly susceptible to changing environmental conditions, especially in the terrestrial environment where populations are often small and locally restricted, conservation of biodiversity should focus on these (and other invertebrate species with XPCMuchas especies de crustáceos presentan cuidado parental extendido (XPC, donde individuos juveniles completamente desarrollados son cuidados por los padres. En la presente contribución se revisa el conocimiento actual del XPC, sus consecuencias y además se identifican tópicos importantes para ser investigados en el futuro. Los crustáceos que presentan XPC pueden ser encontrados en ambientes marinos, límnicos y terrestres, pero el XPC es más conspicuo y aparentemente más común en el ambiente terrestre. En todas las especies analizadas, las hembras desarrollan las principales tareas relacionadas con el XPC. Crustáceos que portan sus juveniles en alguna estructura del cuerpo (i.e. marsupio durante el XPC liberan a estos tempranamente, mientras que las especies que habitan refugios pueden albergar a sus crías incluso cuando éstas alcanzan estadios tardíos de desarrollo, o bien, la adultez. Además de proveer un microhabitat adecuado y seguro para las crías, las madres comparten el alimento con, limpian y/o defienden activamente a sus juveniles. Entre los beneficios más importantes del XPC figura el incremento de las tasas de crecimiento y sobrevivencia de los juveniles. El XPC puede producir conflictos entre las crías o entre los padres y sus crías, especialmente durante la etapa tardía del XPC, cuando algunos recursos (alimento y espacio pueden llegar a ser aún más limitantes. De manera similar, debido a la proximidad y frecuente interacción entre padres y crías, epibiontes (e.g., parásitos pueden ser transferidos desde los padres hacia los juveniles

  13. Synthesis of nano-sized ceria (CeO2 particles via a cerium hydroxy carbonate precursor and the effect of reaction temperature on particle morphology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majid Farahmandjou

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Cerium oxide (CeO2 or ceria has been shown to be an interesting support material for noble metals in catalysts designed for emission control, mainly due to its oxygen storage capacity. Ceria nanoparticles were prepared by precipitation method. The precursor materials used in this research were cerium nitrate hexahydrate (as a basic material, potassium carbonate and potassium hydroxide (as precipitants. The morphological properties were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. XRD results showed face centered cubic CeO2 nanoparticles for annealed nanoparticles at 1000°C. SEM measurement showed that by increasing the calcinations temperature from 200 to 600°C, the crystallite size decreased from 90 to 28 nm. The SEM results showed that the size of the CeO2 nanoparticles decreased with increasing temperature. The particle size of CeO2 was around 25 nm as estimated by XRD technique and direct HRTEM observation. SEM and TEM studies showed that the morphology of the prepared powder was sphere-like with a narrow size distribution. The sharp peaks in FTIR spectrum determined the purity of CeO2 nanoparticles and absorbance peak of UV-Vis spectrum showed the small band gap energy of 3.26 ev.

  14. Plume-induced stress in pulsed-laser deposited CeO2 films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norton, D.P.; Park, C.; Budai, J.D.; Pennycook, S.J.; Prouteau, C.

    1999-01-01

    Residual compressive stress due to plume-induced energetic particle bombardment in CeO 2 films deposited by pulsed-laser deposition is reported. For laser ablation film growth in low pressures, stresses as high as 2 GPa were observed as determined by substrate curvature and four-circle x-ray diffraction. The amount of stress in the films could be manipulated by controlling the kinetic energies of the ablated species in the plume through gas-phase collisions with an inert background gas. The film stress decreased to near zero for argon background pressures greater than 50 mTorr. At these higher background pressures, the formation of nanoparticles in the deposited film was observed. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

  15. Study of the defect structure of ''pure'' and doped nonstoichiometric CeO2. Final report, January 1, 1965--May 31, 1977

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blumenthal, R.N.

    1977-11-01

    The defect structure and transport properties of defects in nonstoichiometric oxides was studied based on their electrical and thermodynamic behavior. Similar studies were also made on doped-nonstoichiometric oxides to determine the effect of the ionic radii, valence and concentration of the dopant cation on the nonstoichiometric defect structure and the transport properties of these defects. The thermodynamic and electrical property study on ''pure'' and doped-nonstoichiometric CeO 2 /sub -x/ is reviewed. The combined study of the electrical conductivity, ionic transference, and thermodynamic measurements initiated on CaO-doped CeO 2 as a function of temperature, oxygen pressure and CaO content is discussed. The results of similar measurements on CeO 2 doped with other oxides (e.g., ThO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , etc.) which have cations with different valences and ionic radii are also discussed. The primary objective of these studies was to determine the effect of ionic radii, valence and concentration of the dopant cation on (1) the nonstoichiometric behavior, (2) the thermodynamic quantities ΔantiH/sub O 2 / and ΔantiS/sub O 2 /, (3) the nonstoichiometric defect structure, (4) the electronic and ionic conductivities, and (5) the mobility of electrons and oxygen vacancies in doped CeO 2 /sub -x/

  16. Maxillary and mandibular contribution to the establishment of class II malocclusion in an adult Lebanese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Hajj, Nadine; Bassil-Nassif, Nayla; Tauk, Alain; Mouhanna-Fattal, Carole; Bouserhal, Joseph P

    2017-12-01

    The main aim of this study was to describe the contribution of the maxilla and the mandible to the establishment of a Class II skeletal malocclusion in an adult Lebanese population. Secondary aims were to detect the presence of sex-based dimorphism and to study the influence of the vertical dimension on the Class II skeletal pattern. A sample of 90 adults in skeletal Class II was recruited and equally distributed according to sex and vertical typology. The study describes the skeletal and dentoalveolar cephalometric characteristics of the Class II sample, essentially according to Coben's cephalometric analysis. The total effective depth of the cranial base and the anterior cranial base angle (SN-BaH) were both greater in the Class II sample. In females, the effective depth of the maxilla (Ptm-A) was larger than normal while SNB was smaller. The parameters describing the size and shape of the body of the mandible were significantly different from those of normal subjects. The upper incisors were in a retrusive position, while the axis of the lower incisors was located normally. The mandibular molars had a more distal sagittal position. Hyperdivergent subjects had more significant posterior alveolar growth, a more retrusive mandibular position and smaller mandibular dimensions than the other two vertical sub-groups. The cranial base contributes to the establishment of a Class II malocclusion, and mandibular retrusion cannot be considered as a characteristic shared by all skeletal Class II subjects. Lessening of the absolute length of the mandibular body is the second most frequent etiological factor noted in the Class II sample studied. Most individuals in skeletal Class II have an associated dental Class II malocclusion, and the vertical dimension has an influence on the Class II skeletal pattern. Copyright © 2017 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Crustáceos decápodos asociados a ensamblajes macroalgales en el litoral rocoso de Córdoba, Caribe colombiano

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Néstor Hernando Campos

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo. Determinar la estructura de las poblaciones de crustáceos decápodos asociados a ensamblajes algales en el litoral rocoso del departamento de Córdoba. Materiales y métodos. Para la recolección de los especímenes se delimitó con un cuadrante de 625 cm2, un área con cinco repeticiones dispuestas al azar en cada estación. Para la separación de las macroalgas desde su disco de fijación en el sustrato, se empleó una espátula metálica. En un recipiente plástico se separaron los crustáceos decápodos del resto del material y se conservaron en alcohol al 70%. Resultados. Se identificaron representantes de 50 especies asociadas a los céspedes algales, agrupadas en 16 familias y 29 géneros. Especies como Acanthonyx petiverii, Epialtus bituberculatus, Eurypanopeus abbreviatus y Pachycheles serratus, presentaron un rango amplio de distribución, siendo características en las dos ecorregiones de estudio. Los cambios en cobertura de algas rojas como Gracilaria mammillaris, Hypnea musciformis y Acanthophora muscoides, determinaron la mayor asociación de crustáceos decápodos en la ecorregión Morrosquillo, mientras que los cambios en cobertura de G. damaecornis y Padina gymnospora, fueron las que determinaron la mayor asociación de crustáceos decápodos en el Darién cordobés. Conclusiones. Los resultados indicaron que las especies de crustáceos decápodos asociados a ensamblajes macroalgales, no se encontraron distribuidas de forma similar en las dos ecorregiones estudiadas, siendo P. armatus la especie con mayor porcentaje de abundancia en la ecorregión Morrosquillo, y E. bituberculatus en el sector comprendido entre los municipios de Moñitos y Los Córdobas.

  18. The reasons why the CEO of ARPANSA issued the Licence to ANSTO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loy, J.

    2002-01-01

    After the process of assessment, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ARPANSA has reached the conclusion that ANSTO's Replacement Research Reactor (RRR) design would result in a reactor that could be operated safely. Of fundamental importance is that its core can be shutdown by gravity operated systems. That is, it is relying on laws of nature, without any other form of intervention. The reactor also has important safety features built into it that meet international best practice in radiation protection and nuclear safety. It has two separate and diverse shutdown systems that can operate to shut down the reactor in any abnormal occurrence. The ability of these systems to achieve the necessary shutdown in a whole range of potential accident scenarios was a central focus of the safety assessment that made. In reaching this decision, consideration was given to the issues of spent fuel and radioactive waste management. These were very major issues in the public's mind as they were the subject of the great majority of public submissions received and considered. ANSTO's proposed route for dealing with spent fuel is that it will be shipped to France for reprocessing in the COGEMA facility at La Hague. The waste from this reprocessing would be returned to Australia as vitrified waste, suitable for long term storage.This is a viable and acceptably safe strategy. As a fall back option, ANSTO relies on its contract with the Argentinean company, Investigacion Aplicada (INVAP) that requires INVAP to find an alternative route for the processing of the RRR spent fuel into an acceptable waste form for its storage in Australia. The amount of spent fuel ultimately is not very large and does not need the enormous processing facilities that exist in France and the United Kingdom for the reprocessing of fuel from power reactors in Europe and Japan. The issue of the long term storage of the intermediate level waste arising from the processing of spent fuel is also debated. The

  19. One-pot synthesis of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 supported on flower-like CeO2 as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in aluminum-air batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Yejian; Huang, Heran; Miao, He; Sun, Shanshan; Wang, Qin; Li, Shihua; Liu, Zhaoping

    2017-08-01

    A novel La0.7Sr0.3MnO3-CeO2 (LSM-CeO2) hybrid catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been synthesized by a facile one-pot method. The flower-like CeO2 with the diameter of about 3 μm is formed by the agglomeration of nanosheets with the thickness of about 40 nm. The LSM particles with the diameter of about 150 nm are well distributed on the flower-like CeO2, thus the interaction between LSM and CeO2 is built. Therefore, the LSM-CeO2 composite catalyst exhibits the much higher catalytic activity toward ORR with the direct four-electron transfer mechanism in alkaline solution than LSM or CeO2. Furthermore, the stability of LSM-CeO2 is superior to that of Pt/C, and the current retention is 93% after 100000 s. The maximum power density of the aluminum-air battery using LSM-CeO2 as the ORRC can reach 238 mW cm-2, which is about 29% higher than that with LSM (184 mW cm-2). It indicates that LSM-CeO2 composite material is a promising cathodic electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

  20. Plasma-catalyst hybrid reactor with CeO2/γ-Al2O3 for benzene decomposition with synergetic effect and nano particle by-product reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Lingai; Chen, Zhizong; Wu, Xinyue; Tang, Xiujuan; Yao, Shuiliang; Zhang, Xuming; Jiang, Boqiong; Han, Jingyi; Wu, Zuliang; Lu, Hao; Nozaki, Tomohiro

    2018-04-05

    A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) catalyst hybrid reactor with CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst balls was investigated for benzene decomposition at atmospheric pressure and 30 °C. At an energy density of 37-40 J/L, benzene decomposition was as high as 92.5% when using the hybrid reactor with 5.0wt%CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 ; while it was 10%-20% when using a normal DBD reactor without a catalyst. Benzene decomposition using the hybrid reactor was almost the same as that using an O 3 catalyst reactor with the same CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst, indicating that O 3 plays a key role in the benzene decomposition. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that O 3 adsorption on CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 promotes the production of adsorbed O 2 - and O 2 2‒ , which contribute benzene decomposition over heterogeneous catalysts. Nano particles as by-products (phenol and 1,4-benzoquinone) from benzene decomposition can be significantly reduced using the CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst. H 2 O inhibits benzene decomposition; however, it improves CO 2 selectivity. The deactivated CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst can be regenerated by performing discharges at 100 °C and 192-204 J/L. The decomposition mechanism of benzene over CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst was proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. An insight into the dopant selection for CeO2-based resistive-switching memory system: a DFT and experimental study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Fayyaz; Imran, Muhammad; Rana, Anwar Manzoor; Khalil, R. M. Arif; Khera, Ejaz Ahmad; Kiran, Saira; Javid, M. Arshad; Sattar, M. Atif; Ismail, Muhammad

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study is to figure out better metal dopants for CeO2 for designing highly efficient non-volatile memory (NVM) devices. The present DFT work involves four different metals doped interstitially and substitutionally in CeO2 thin films. First principle calculations involve electron density of states (DOS) and partial density of states (PDOS), and isosurface charge densities are carried out within the plane-wave density functional theory using GGA and GGA + U approach by employing the Vienna ab initio simulation package VASP. Isosurface charge density plots confirmed that interstitial doping of Zr and Ti metals truly assists in generating conduction filaments (CFs), while substitutional doping of these metals cannot do so. Substitutional doping of W may contribute in generating CFs in CeO2 directly, but its interstitial doping improves conductivity of CeO2. However, Ni-dopant is capable of directly generating CFs both as substitutional and interstitial dopants in ceria. Such a capability of Ni appears acting as top electrode in Ni/CeO2/Pt memory devices, but its RS behavior is not so good. On inserting Zr layer to make Ni/Zr:CeO2/Pt memory stacks, Ni does not contribute in RS characteristics, but Zr plays a vital role in forming CFs by creating oxygen vacancies and forming ZrO2 interfacial layer. Therefore, Zr-doped devices exhibit high-resistance ratio of 104 and good endurance as compared to undoped devices suitable for RRAM applications.

  2. Far-infrared spectroscopic study of CeO2 nanocrystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popović, Z. V.; Grujić-Brojčin, M.; Paunović, N.; Radonjić, M. M.; Araújo, V. D.; Bernardi, M. I. B.; Lima, M. M. de; Cantarero, A.

    2015-01-01

    We present the far-infrared reflectivity spectra of 5 nm-sized pure and copper-doped Ce 1−x Cu x O 2−y (x = 0; 0.01 and 0.10) nanocrystals measured at room temperature in the 50–650 cm −1 spectral range. Reflectivity spectra were analyzed using the factorized form of the dielectric function, which includes the phonon and the free carriers contribution. Four oscillators with TO energies of approximately 135, 280, 370, and 490 cm −1 were included in the fitting procedure. These oscillators represent local maxima of the CeO 2 phonon density of states, which is also calculated using the density functional theory. The lowest energy oscillator represents TA(L)/TA(X) phonon states, which become infrared-active E u modes at the L and X points of the Brillouin zone (BZ). The second oscillator originates from TO(Γ) phonon states. The oscillator at ∼400 cm −1 originates from Raman mode phonon states, which at the L point of BZ also becomes infrared-active E u mode. The last oscillator describes phonons with dominantly LO(Γ) infrared mode character. The appearance of phonon density of states related oscillators, instead of single F 2u infrared-active mode in the far-infrared reflectivity spectra, is a consequence of the nanosized dimension of the CeO 2 particles. The best fit spectra are obtained using the generalized Bruggeman model for inhomogeneous media, which takes into account the nanocrystal volume fraction and the pore shape

  3. Collaboration using open standards and open source software (examples of DIAS/CEOS Water Portal)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, S.; Sekioka, S.; Kuroiwa, K.; Kudo, Y.

    2015-12-01

    The DIAS/CEOS Water Portal is a part of the DIAS (Data Integration and Analysis System, http://www.editoria.u-tokyo.ac.jp/projects/dias/?locale=en_US) systems for data distribution for users including, but not limited to, scientists, decision makers and officers like river administrators. One of the functions of this portal is to enable one-stop search and access variable water related data archived multiple data centers located all over the world. This portal itself does not store data. Instead, according to requests made by users on the web page, it retrieves data from distributed data centers on-the-fly and lets them download and see rendered images/plots. Our system mainly relies on the open source software GI-cat (http://essi-lab.eu/do/view/GIcat) and open standards such as OGC-CSW, Opensearch and OPeNDAP protocol to enable the above functions. Details on how it works will be introduced during the presentation. Although some data centers have unique meta data format and/or data search protocols, our portal's brokering function enables users to search across various data centers at one time. And this portal is also connected to other data brokering systems, including GEOSS DAB (Discovery and Access Broker). As a result, users can search over thousands of datasets, millions of files at one time. Users can access the DIAS/CEOS Water Portal system at http://waterportal.ceos.org/.

  4. Estudo microestrutural do catalisador Ni/gama-Al2O3: efeito da adição de CeO2 na reforma do metano com dióxido de carbono Microstructural study of Ni/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst: addition effects of CeO2 on carbon dioxide reforming of methane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antoninho Valentini

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available The carbon dioxide reforming of methane was carried out over nickel catalysts supported on the gamma-Al2O3/CeO2 system prepared by wet impregnation. With the increase of the CeO2 weight in the catalyst, a higher stability was observed in the catalytic activity, together with an excellent resistance to carbon deposition and a better Ni dispersion. The catalysts were characterized by means of surface area measurements, TPR, H2 chemisorption, XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS and TEM. An interaction between Ni and CeO2 was observed to the Ni/CeO2 sample after activation in a H2 atmosphere above 300 ºC. Such behavior has a significantly influence on the catalytic activity.

  5. A comparative study of the magnetization in transition metal ion doped CeO2, TiO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apostolov, A. T.; Apostolova, I. N.; Wesselinowa, J. M.

    2018-05-01

    Using the microscopic s-d model taking into account anharmonic spin-phonon interactions we have studied the magnetic properties of Co and Cu ion doped CeO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles and compared them with those of SnO2. By Co-doping there is a maximum in the magnetization M(x) curve for all nanoparticles observed in the most transition metal doped ones. The s-d interaction plays an important role by the decrease of M at higher dopant concentration. We have discussed the magnetization in dependence of different model parameters. By small Cu-ion doping there are some differences. In CeO2M decreases with the Cu-concentration, whereas in TiO2 and SnO2M increases. For higher Cu dopant concentrations M(X) decreases in TiO2 nanoparticles. We obtain room temperature ferromagnetism also in Zn doped CeO2, TiO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles, i.e. in non-transition metal ion doped ones. The different behavior of M in Co and Cu doped nanoparticles is due to a combination effect of multivalent metal ions, oxygen vacancies, different radius of cation dopants, connection between lattice and magnetism, as well as competition between the s-d and d-d ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic interactions.

  6. Dose-Dependent Effects of CeO2 on Microstructure and Antibacterial Property of Plasma-Sprayed TiO2 Coatings for Orthopedic Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaobing; Liu, Gaopeng; Zheng, Hai; Cao, Huiliang; Liu, Xuanyong

    2015-02-01

    Titanium and its alloys have been used extensively for orthopedic and dental implants. Although these devices have achieved high rates of success, two major complications may be encountered: the lack of osseointegration and the biomaterial-related infection. Accordingly, cerium oxide (CeO2)-doped titanium oxide (TiO2) materials were coated on titanium by an atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) technique. The phase structures, morphologies, and surface chemical states of the obtained coatings were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. The in vitro antibacterial and cytocompatibility of the materials were studied with Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus, ATCC25923) and osteoblast precursor cell line MC3T3-E1. The results indicated that the addition of CeO2 shifts slightly the diffraction peaks of TiO2 matrix to low angles but does not change its rutile phase structure. In addition, the CeO2/TiO2 composite coatings possess dose-dependent corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties. And doping of 10 wt.% CeO2 exhibits the highest activity against S. aureus, improved corrosion resistance, and competitive cytocompatibility, which argues a promising option for balancing the osteogenetic and antibacterial properties of titanium implants.

  7. Financial restatement and firm performance in family controlled and CEO duality companies: evidence from post 2007 Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin Sok Fun

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Do financial restatements dampen firm performance? One argument about this is that restatements hurt investor confidence in the credibility of a firm’s disclosure, resulting in a decline in demand for the firm’s securities, thereby, leading to a significant drop in asset price. On the other hand, agency theory suggests that family ownership could have potential benefits to a firm’s performance. An increase in family ownership will have a greater concern for reputation to the controlling family in producing high quality accounting information and, thereby, reduce the likelihood of financial restatements. We evaluate these arguments by distinguishing the effects of restatements on firm performance under two corporate governance environments; family-controlled and CEO duality companies. Based on a sample of Malaysian listed companies in 2008 after the post MCCG 2007 initiative, our findings suggest that (1 restatements dampen firm performance, (2 the dampening impacts of restatements are completely mitigated in family-controlled companies, and (3 the dampening effects are more pronounced in non-family controlled companies than family-controlled companies in non-CEO duality companies. Using this evidence, we recommend that Malaysian regulators develop policies that are unique to the Malaysian markets so as to curtail accounting irregularities. They should reconsider the relevance of requiring CEO nonduality as a practice of good corporate governance and encourage more investment in family-controlled companies.

  8. Adherence to yoga and exercise interventions in a 6-month clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haas M

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background To determine factors that predict adherence to a mind-body intervention in a randomized trial. Design We analyzed adherence data from a 3-arm trial involving 135 generally healthy seniors 65–85 years of age randomized to a 6-month intervention consisting of: an Iyengar yoga class with home practice, an exercise class with home practice, or a wait-list control group. Outcome measures included cognitive function, mood, fatigue, anxiety, health-related quality of life, and physical measures. Adherence to the intervention was obtained by class attendance and biweekly home practice logs. Results The drop-out rate was 13%. Among the completers of the two active interventions, average yoga class attendance was 77% and home practice occurred 64% of all days. Average exercise class attendance was 69% and home exercise occurred 54% of all days. There were no clear effects of adherence on the significant study outcomes (quality of life and physical measures. Class attendance was significantly correlated with baseline measures of depression, fatigue, and physical components of health-related quality of life. Significant differences in baseline measures were also found between study completers and drop-outs in the active interventions. Adherence was not related to age, gender, or education level. Conclusion Healthy seniors have good attendance at classes with a physically active intervention. Home practice takes place over half of the time. Decreased adherence to a potentially beneficial intervention has the potential to decrease the effect of the intervention in a clinical trial because subjects who might sustain the greatest benefit will receive a lower dose of the intervention and subjects with higher adherence rates may be functioning closer to maximum ability before the intervention. Strategies to maximize adherence among subjects at greater risk for low adherence will be important for future trials, especially complementary

  9. Influence of argon and oxygen pressure ratio on bipolar-resistive switching characteristics of CeO2- x thin films deposited at room temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Muhammad; Ullah, Rehmat; Hussain, Riaz; Talib, Ijaz; Rana, Anwar Manzoor; Hussain, Muhammad; Mahmood, Khalid; Hussain, Fayyaz; Ahmed, Ejaz; Bao, Dinghua

    2018-02-01

    Cerium oxide (CeO2-x) film was deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate by rf magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Resistive switching characteristics of these ceria films have been improved by increasing oxygen content during deposition process. Endurance and statistical analyses indicate that the operating stability of CeO2-x-based memory is highly dependent on the oxygen content. Results indicate that CeO2-x film-based RRAM devices exhibit optimum performance when fabricated at an argon/oxygen ratio of 6:24. An increase in the oxygen content introduced during CeO2-x film deposition not only stabilizes the conventional bipolar RS but also improves excellent switching uniformity such as large ON/OFF ratio (102), excellent switching device-to-device uniformity and good sweep endurance over 500 repeated RS cycles. Conduction in the low-resistance state (LRS) as well as in the low bias field region in the high-resistance state (HRS) is found to be Ohmic and thus supports the conductive filament (CF) theory. In the high voltage region of HRS, space charge limited conduction (SCLC) and Schottky emission are found to be the dominant conduction mechanisms. A feasible filamentary RS mechanism based on the movement of oxygen ions/vacancies under the bias voltage has been discussed.

  10. Synthesis by Sol-gel and characterization of catalysts Ag/Al2O3-CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zayas, M.L.; Perez H, R.; Rubio, E.; Velasco, A.

    2004-01-01

    Aluminia, cerium and mixed oxides Al 2 O 3 -CeO 2 with different relationship Al/Ce (0.75, 0.50 and 0.25) were prepared by sol-gel and used as support for the Ag. The samples were characterized by XRD, DRIFT, TPR and adsorption of N 2 to temperature of liquid nitrogen. The surface area BET showed that the materials that contain aluminia present near values among them. XRD allowed to identify to the cerianite in the oxides that whose support contains cerium and to the α-aluminia. A mixture of phases was observed in the aluminia. Vibration bands attributed to the bond Al-O and Ce-O were observed by DRIFT in the catalytic materials. TPR showed differences in the reducibility of the Ag precursor in the indicative catalysts of a different interaction with the support. (Author)

  11. Risk-taking behavior in private family firms: the role of the non-family CEO

    OpenAIRE

    Huybrechts, Jolien; Voordeckers, Wim; Lybaert, Nadine; Vandemaele, Sigrid

    2011-01-01

    This paper studies the risk-taking behavior of private family firms in general as well as variations in risk-taking behavior among the group of family firms. We use the agency perspective to theoretically argue that the usually high degree of coupling of ownership and management causes family firms to be on average less risk-taking than non-family firms. The introduction of a non-family CEO who usually has no or only limited legal ownership will have a positive influence on the level of risk-...

  12. Promoting Employee Health Through an American Cancer Society Program, The CEOs Challenge, Washington State, 2013-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Jeffrey R; Parrish, Amanda T; Kohn, Marlana; Hammerback, Kristen; McMillan, Becca; Hannon, Peggy A

    2015-12-17

    Evidence-based practices in the workplace can increase levels of healthy eating, cancer screening, physical activity, and tobacco cessation but are underused, even in large workplaces. This report summarizes an evaluation of the first year of The CEOs Challenge, a program developed by the American Cancer Society to promote implementation and maintenance of health-promoting, evidence-based workplace practices by large companies. Use of 17 evidence-based practices by 17 companies in the Washington State Chapter of the American Cancer Society's CEOs Against Cancer network was assessed via survey and scored from 0 to 100. Companies received a written report of their baseline performance, followed by at least quarterly consultations with American Cancer Society staff members trained to assist in implementation of these practices. Follow-up performance was measured at 1 year. At baseline, implementation scores were 54.8 for cancer screening, 46.5 for healthy eating, 59.8 for physical activity, and 68.2 for tobacco cessation. At follow-up, scores increased by 19.6 for cancer screening, 19.4 for healthy eating, 16.0 for physical activity, and 9.4 points for tobacco cessation. The CEOs Challenge is a promising approach to chronic disease prevention via the workplace. It brings together one of the nation's largest health-promoting voluntary agencies with the nation's largest employers to promote evidence-based practices targeted at the most common causes of disease and death. The program increased the adoption of these practices and was well-accepted.

  13. The Efficiency of the European Non-Life Insurance: CEO Power, Macroeconomic, and Market Characteristics Impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walid Bahloul

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available A numbers of studies focusing on the determinant of the insurance market efficiency have increased in the last decade. In fact, many factors, like the CEO’s power, can influence the efficiency in the insurance firm. The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between efficiency, measured by the cost function using the stochastic frontier approach (SFA methodologies, and the market structure, as well as the macroeconomic variables. In addition, it focuses on identifying the impact of the integration of the CEO power variable in the cost function on this relation. The result shows that after the consideration of the CEO power score in the cost efficiency, the relation between insurance efficiency and the determinant of market development, as well as the domestic economy, has changed and become more significant. The result also shows that the firms become more efficient and more profitable with a higher concentration ratio and this is in accordance with the structure-conduct-performance (SCP theory.

  14. Facile Synthesis of CeO2-LaFeO3 Perovskite Composite and Its Application for 4-(Methylnitrosamino-1-(3-Pyridyl-1-Butanone (NNK Degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaixuan Wang

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available A facile and environmentally friendly surface-ion adsorption method using CeCO3OH@C as template was demonstrated to synthesize CeO2-LaFeO3 perovskite composite material. The obtained composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC, N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS measurements. The catalytic degradation of nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl-1-butanone (NNK was tested to evaluate catalytic activity of the CeO2-LaFeO3 composite. Much better activity was observed for the CeO2-LaFeO3 composite comparing with CeO2 and LaFeO3. These results suggested that perovskite composite materials are a promising candidate for the degradation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs.

  15. The influence of CEO gender on market orientation and performance in service small and medium-sized service businesses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Davis, Peter S.; Babakus, Emin; Englis-Danskin, Paula; Pett, Tim

    2010-01-01

    This study examines the effects of CEO gender on market orientation and performance (growth and profitability) among a sample of small and medium-sized service businesses. Gender was found to have significant indirect effects (via market orientation) on both market performance (growth) and financial

  16. Oxygen Vacancies versus Fluorine at CeO 2 (111) : A Case of Mistaken Identity?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kullgren, J.; Wolf, M.J.; Castleton, C.W.M.; Mitev, P.; Briels, Willem J.; Hermansson, K.

    2014-01-01

    We propose a resolution to the puzzle presented by the surface defects observed with STM at the (111) surface facet of CeO 2 single crystals. In the seminal paper of Esch et al. [Science 309, 752 (2005)] they were identified with oxygen vacancies, but the observed behavior of these defects is

  17. The Adoption of Internal Audit as a Governance Control Mechanism in Australian Public Universities--Views from the CEOs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christopher, Joe

    2012-01-01

    This study draws on the multi-theoretical approach to governance and the views of university chief executive officers (CEOs) to examine the extent to which internal auditing as a control mechanism is adopted in Australian public universities under an environment of change management. The findings highlight negative consequences of change and their…

  18. Scientific Team Effectiveness and the External CEO: A Study of Biotechnology University Spin-Offs

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Steen, Marianne; Englis, Paula Danskin; Englis, Basil G.

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents an empirical exploration of the effectiveness of scientific teams and the role of an external CEO in the spin-off formation process. The paper contributes to the literature by focusing on the role of the experienced or "external" entrepreneur (their commercial resources and capabilities) in the early phase of spin-off…

  19. Cyberinfrastructure Initiatives of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, K. R.; Faundeen, J. L.; Petiteville, I.

    2005-12-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) was established in 1984 in response to a recommendation from the Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations Working Group on Growth, Technology, and Employment's Panel of Experts on Satellite Remote Sensing. CEOS participants are Members, who are national or international governmental organizations who operate civil spaceborne Earth observation satellites, and Associates who are governmental organizations with civil space programs in development or international scientific or governmental bodies who have an interest in and support CEOS objectives. The primary objective of CEOS is to optimize benefits of satellite Earth observations through cooperation of its participants in mission planning and in development of compatible data products, formats, services, applications and policies. To pursue its objectives, CEOS establishes working groups and associated subgroups that focus on relevant areas of interest. While the structure of CEOS has evolved over its lifetime, today there are three permanent working groups. One is the Working Group on Calibration and Validation that addresses sensor-specific calibration and validation and geophysical parameter validation. A second is the Working Group on Education, Training, and Capacity Building that facilitates activities that enhance international education and training in Earth observation techniques, data analysis, interpretation and applications, with a particular focus on developing countries. The third permanent working group is the Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS). The purpose of WGISS is to promote collaboration in the development of the systems and services based on international standards that manage and supply the Earth observation data and information from participating agencies' missions. WGISS places great emphasis on the use of demonstration projects involving user groups to solve the critical interoperability issues associated with the

  20. Green chemical approach towards the synthesis of CeO2 doped with seashell and its bacterial applications intermediated with fruit extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arasu, Mariadas Valan; Thirumamagal, R; Srinivasan, M P; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah; Ayeshamariam, A; Saravana Kumar, D; Punithavelan, N; Jayachandran, M

    2017-08-01

    Nanomaterials of CeO 2 with A. vera were synthesized by using simple chemical method. Grapes drops are used as an oxidizing agent. Structural and morphological studies of nanomaterials of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ), were studied for combustion method of preparation. The precursor solution was initialized by a hydrothermal reaction. Cerium hydroxyl carbonate precursors which involves cerium (III) nitrate Ce(NO 3 ) 3 . 6 H 2 O with (1.0M) of seashell powder, 3% A. vera, extracts, grapes and pomegranate drops and this complex solution was used to produce the CeO 2 powder particles. We have prepared another sample with 5% of Aloe vera extract and found that 3% Aloe vera extract has lesser grain size and enhanced band gap values, so the article explained the sample analysis of combination with 3% extract of Aloe vera. The product has the rod pattern which was the unusual features appear to originate from the unique crystal chemistry aspects. From the optical absorption spectrum, it has been shown that the CeO 2 rods have 3.847eV of direct band gap energy. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the synthesized compounds exhibited activity towards various microbial pathogens such as B. subtilis (15μg/mL), S. aureus (50μg/mL), S. epidermidis (20μg/mL), E. faecalis (25μg/mL) and towards E. coli (100μg/mL), K. pneumoniae (50μg/mL) and P. aeruginosa (75μg/mL) respectively. The tests on bacterial activities confirmed that the CeO 2 rods are suitable hand for the biological applications. The seashell structure and the phytochemical contents of A. vera might enhance its bacterial activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Preparation and characterization of p–n heterojunction CuBi2O4/CeO2 and its photocatalytic activities under UVA light irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdelkader Elaziouti

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available CuBi2O4/CeO2 nanocomposites were synthesized by the solid state method and were characterized by a number of techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was investigated under UVA light and assessed using Congo red (CR dye as probe reaction. The efficiency of the coupled CuBi2O4/CeO2 photocatalyst was found to be related to the amount of added CuBi2O4 and to the pH medium. The CuBi2O4/CeO2 photocatalyst exhibited the high efficiency as a result of 83.05% of degradation of CR under UVA light for 100 min of irradiation time with 30 wt% of CuBi2O4 at 25 °C and pH 7, which is about 6 times higher than that of CeO2. The photodegradation reactions satisfactorily correlated with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was explained by the heterojunction model.

  2. Fast humidity sensors based on CeO2 nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, X Q; Wang, C; Yu, H C; Wang, Y G; Wang, T H

    2007-01-01

    Fast humidity sensors are reported that are based on CeO 2 nanowires synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Both the response and recovery time are about 3 s, and are independent of the humidity. The sensitivity increases gradually as the humidity increases, and is up to 85 at 97% RH. The resistance decreases exponentially with increasing humidity, implying ion-type conductivity as the humidity sensing mechanism. A model based on the morphology and surface energy of the nanowires is given to explain these results further. Our experimental results indicate a pathway to improving the performance of humidity sensors

  3. Enhancement of critical current density of YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films by nanoscale CeO2 pretreatment of substrate surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cui, X.M.; Liu, G.Q.; Wang, J.; Huang, Z.C.; Zhao, Y.T.; Tao, B.W.; Li, Y.R.

    2007-01-01

    YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) films were prepared on single-crystal SrTiO 3 substrates with metal-organic deposition using trifluoroacetates (TFA-MOD). Positive results have been acquired in controlled study to investigate the effects of substrate surface modification on the growth-induced flux-pinning nanostructures in YBCO films. Nanoscale CeO 2 particles were applied to single-crystal SrTiO 3 substrate surfaces using pulsed laser deposition before YBCO precursors coating. Superconducting properties of the YBCO films grown on the controlled CeO 2 -modified substrates have shown substantial improvement in the critical current densities (J c ) at 77 K over those grown on untreated substrates in almost all the field (78% increment at 1 T, 77 K). We think the reason is that the CeO 2 nanoparticles act as pinning centers

  4. Optimization of CeO2-ZrO2 mixed oxide catalysts for ethyl acetate combustion

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dimitrov, M.; Ivanova, R.; Štengl, Václav; Henych, Jiří; Kovacheva, D.; Tsoncheva, T.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 47, č. 1 (2015), s. 323-329 ISSN 0324-1130 Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : nanosized CeO2-ZrO2 * mixed oxide phase * ethyl acetate combustion Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 0.229, year: 2015

  5. Facile biological synthetic strategy to morphologically aligned CeO2/ZrO2 core nanoparticles using Justicia adhatoda extract and ionic liquid: Enhancement of its bio-medical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandiyan, Nithya; Murugesan, Balaji; Sonamuthu, Jegatheeswaran; Samayanan, Selvam; Mahalingam, Sundrarajan

    2018-01-01

    In this study, a typical green synthesis route has approached for CeO 2 /ZrO 2 core metal oxide nanoparticles using ionic liquid mediated Justicia adhatoda extract. This synthesis method is carried out at simple room temperature condition to obtain the core metal oxide nanoparticles. XRD, SEM and TEM studies employed to study the crystalline and surface morphological properties under nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes. CeO 2 /ZrO 2 core metal oxides display agglomerated nano stick-like structure with 20-45nm size. GC-MS spectroscopy confirms the presence of vasicinone and N,N-Dimethylglycine present in the plant extract, which are capable of converting the corresponding metal ion precursor to CeO 2 /ZrO 2 core metal oxide nanoparticles. In FTIR, the corresponding stretching for Ce-O and Zr-O bands indicated at 498 and 416cm -1 and Raman spectroscopy also supports typical stretching frequencies at 463 and 160cm -1 . Band gap energy of the CeO 2 /ZrO 2 core metal oxide is 3.37eV calculated from UV- DRS spectroscopy. The anti-bacterial studies performed against a set of bacterial strains the result showed that core metal oxide nanoparticles more susceptible to gram-positive (G+) bacteria than gram-negative (G-) bacteria. A unique feature of the antioxidant behaviors core metal oxides reduces the concentration of DPPH radical up to 89%. The CeO 2 /ZrO 2 core metal oxide nanoparticles control the S. marcescent bio-film formation and restrict the quorum sensing. The toxicology behavior of CeO 2 /ZrO 2 core metal oxide NPs is found due to the high oxygen site vacancies, ROS formation, smallest particle size and higher surface area. This type of green synthesis route may efficient and the core metal oxide nanoparticles will possess a good bio-medical agent in future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A controlled, class-based multicomponent intervention to promote healthy lifestyle and to reduce the burden of childhood obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Centis, E; Marzocchi, R; Di Luzio, R; Moscatiello, S; Salardi, S; Villanova, N; Marchesini, G

    2012-12-01

    Overweight and obesity prevention in childhood and adolescence represent a priority for public health; school is a privileged place for health promotion interventions. The study aimed to test the effectiveness of a multicomponent 5-month intervention on the habits of primary school children, making the families aware of the importance of healthy choices. Two hundred nine children attending the fourth class of primary school, divided into interventional (n = 103) and control arm (n = 106) were included in the study. In the intervention group, parents and teachers received more intense lifestyle counseling, associated with weekly motivational telephone calls to families to motivate further their lifestyle changes. Standard deviation score (SDS) body mass index (BMI) was the primary outcome measure; on open-air games and TV watching were secondary outcomes. At baseline, no differences were observed between groups. At 8-month follow-up, mean SDS BMI had decreased by 0.06 units in the intervention arm and increased by 0.12 in controls (time × treatment anova, P < 0.002). Outdoor activities increased from 6.23 h week(-1) to 9.93 in the intervention group (P < 0.001), not in controls. This change was associated differences in TV watching from baseline (intervention, -0.96 h week(-1); P = 0.037; controls, +1.33 h week(-1); P = 0.031). A multicomponent school-based intervention addressing the needs of children, teachers and families produced a significant and favourable short-term effect on overweight/obese schoolchildren. © 2012 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2012 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

  7. Taxing Options: Do Ceos Respond To Favorable Tax Treatment Of Stock Options?

    OpenAIRE

    Martin Gritsch; Tricia Coxwell Snyder

    2007-01-01

    CEO stock option compensation increased tremendously during the 1990s. During this period, the spread between the marginal income and capital gains tax rates increased substantially, creating the potential for tax avoidance. Using ExecuComp data from 1992-2000, we estimate CEOs’ responsiveness to changes in these tax rates. Our findings show that an increase in the marginal income and a decrease in the capital gains tax rate create a significant increase in stock option compensation. Furtherm...

  8. Bioatividade de três espécies vegetais nativas da Floresta Atlântica brasileira frente ao microcrustáceo Artemia salina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W.M Pompilho

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho teve por objetivo a investigação fitoquímica e propriedades antioxidantes de extratos das folhas de Trigynaea oblongifolia Schltdl (Annonaceae, Ottonia frutescens Trel (Piperaceae, e Bathysa australis (St Hill Hooz (Rubiaceae, bem como avaliar, in vitro, a letalidade frente ao microcrustáceo Artemia salina Leach. Os extratos foram preparados por maceração em metanol 10% (p/v por sete dias, à temperatura ambiente. A atividade antioxidante dos extratos foi determinada pela metodologia que utiliza o radical estável DPPH. A toxicidade dos extratos foi avaliada frente ao microcrustáceo A. salina. Os extratos de O. frutescens e B. australis apresentaram as seguintes classes de metabólitos secundários: Alcalóides, Antraquinonas, Cumarinas, Polifenóis (Taninos, Saponinas. Nos extratos de T. oblongifolia, além dos metabólitos citados anteriormente, foi detectada a presença de Flavonóides. A atividade antioxidante, observada em 30 minutos na concentração de 24 µg/mL de extrato, foi de: O. frutescens - 38,3%, T. oblongifolia - 32,3%, e B. australis - 32,1%. A Concentração Letal, CL50, dos extratos em A. salina foi de: O. frutescens - 149,75 ± 1,02 µg/mL, T. oblongifolia - 148,8 ± 1,74 µg/mL, e B. australis - 684 ± 9,04 µg/mL. Neste contexto, destacamos as espécies, nativas da Floresta Atlântica, O. frutescens e T. oblongifolia de grande potencial na bioprospecção de moléculas biologicamente ativas.

  9. Removals of aqueous sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide using CeO2-NiAl-LDHs coating activated carbon and its mix with carbon nano-tubes

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Jing; Chen, Fangping; Jin, Guanping; Feng, Xiaoshuang; Li, Xiaoxuan

    2015-01-01

    Ce-doped NiAl/layered double hydroxide was coated at activated carbon by urea hydrolysis method (CeO2-NiAl-LDHs/AC) in one pot, which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra, field emission scanning electron microscope and electrochemical techniques. CeO2-NiAl-LDHs/AC shows good uptake for aqueous sulfur dioxide (483.09mg/g) and hydrogen sulfide (181.15mg/g), respectively at 25°C. Meanwhile, the electrochemical removals of aqueous sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide were respectively investigated at the mix of CeO2-NiAl-LDHs/AC and carbon nano-tubes modified homed paraffin-impregnated electrode. Both sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide could be effectively oxidized to sulfuric acid at 1.0V in alkaline aqueous solution. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

  10. Removals of aqueous sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide using CeO2-NiAl-LDHs coating activated carbon and its mix with carbon nano-tubes

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Jing

    2015-07-01

    Ce-doped NiAl/layered double hydroxide was coated at activated carbon by urea hydrolysis method (CeO2-NiAl-LDHs/AC) in one pot, which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra, field emission scanning electron microscope and electrochemical techniques. CeO2-NiAl-LDHs/AC shows good uptake for aqueous sulfur dioxide (483.09mg/g) and hydrogen sulfide (181.15mg/g), respectively at 25°C. Meanwhile, the electrochemical removals of aqueous sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide were respectively investigated at the mix of CeO2-NiAl-LDHs/AC and carbon nano-tubes modified homed paraffin-impregnated electrode. Both sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide could be effectively oxidized to sulfuric acid at 1.0V in alkaline aqueous solution. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

  11. Timely management of developing class III malocclusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M R Yelampalli

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Timing of orthodontic treatment, especially for children with developing class III malocclusions, has always been somewhat controversial, and definitive treatment tends to be delayed for severe class III cases. Developing class III patients with moderate to severe anterior crossbite and deep bite may need early intervention in some selected cases. Class III malocclusion may develop in children as a result of an inherent growth abnormality, i.e. true class III malocclusion, or as a result of premature occlusal contacts causing forward functional shift of the mandible, which is known as pseudo class III malocclusion. These cases, if not treated at the initial stage of development, interfere with normal growth of the jaw bases and may result in severe facial deformities. The treatment should be carried out as early as possible for permitting normal growth of the skeletal bases. This paper deals with the selection of an appropriate appliance from the various current options available for early intervention in developing class III malocclusion through two case reports.

  12. The Effect of Acidic and Redox Properties of V2O5/CeO2-ZrO2 Catalysts in Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO by NH3

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Putluru, Siva Sankar Reddy; Riisager, Anders; Fehrmann, Rasmus

    2009-01-01

    V2O5 supported ZrO2 and CeO2–ZrO2 catalysts were prepared and characterized by N2 physisorption, XRPD, TPR, and NH3-TPD methods. The influence of calcination temperature from 400 to 600 °C on crystallinity, acidic and redox properties were studied and compared with the catalytic activity...... in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with ammonia. The surface area of the catalysts decreased gradually with increasing calcination temperature. The SCR activity of V2O5/ZrO2 catalysts was found to be related with the support crystallinity, whereas V2O5/CeO2–ZrO2 catalysts were also dependent...... on acidic and redox properties of the catalyst. The V2O5/CeO2–ZrO2 catalysts showed high activity and selectivity for reduction of NO with NH3....

  13. Yönetim Değişikliği ve Finansal Rapor Manipülasyonları = Ceo Turnover and Financial Report Manipulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selim AREN

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper interrogates if a manipulation exists in the financial statements of ISE (Istanbul Stock Exchange traded companies due to the changes of their CEOs in the period of 1998-2003. Analysis of variance has been conducted to clarify if the study variables have significant mean differences among those companies that changed their CEOs and those that did not. As a result, it is found that some types of manipulation might happen related to some study variables ; and beside others, the mostly preferred variables are general managerial costs and long term debts.

  14. Enhanced photocatalytic performance of CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite for degradation of crystal violet dye and industrial waste effluent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahoor, Mehvish; Arshad, Amara; Khan, Yaqoob; Iqbal, Mazhar; Bajwa, Sadia Zafar; Soomro, Razium Ali; Ahmad, Ishaq; Butt, Faheem K.; Iqbal, M. Zubair; Wu, Aiguo; Khan, Waheed S.

    2018-03-01

    This study presents the synthesis of CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite and its potential application for the visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of model crystal violet dye as well as real industrial waste water. The ceria-titania (CeO2-TiO2) nanocomposite material was synthesised using facile hydrothermal route without the assistance of any template molecule. As-prepared composite was characterised by SEM, TEM, HRTEM, XRD, XPS for surface features, morphological and crystalline characters. The formed nanostructures were determined to possess crystal-like geometrical shape and average size less than 100 nm. The as-synthesised nanocomposite was further investigated for their heterogeneous photocatalytic potential against the oxidative degradation of CV dye taken as model pollutant. The photo-catalytic performance of the as-synthesised material was evaluated both under ultra-violet as well as visible light. Best photocatalytic performance was achieved under visible light with complete degradation (100%) exhibited within 60 min of irradiation time. The kinetics of the photocatalytic process were also considered and the reaction rate constant for CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite was determined to be 0.0125 and 0.0662 min-1 for ultra-violet and visible region, respectively. In addition, the as-synthesised nanocomposite demonstrated promising results when considered for the photo-catalytic degradation of coloured industrial waste water collected from local textile industry situated in Faisalabad region of Pakistan. Enhanced photo-catalytic performance of CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite was proposed owing to heterostructure formation leading to reduced electron-hole recombination.

  15. Spray deposited CeO2–TiO2 counter electrode for electrochromic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. Optically passive thin films of CeO2–TiO2 mixed oxides with molar ratio of Ce/Ti of 0.05 were deposited by the spray pyrolysis technique (SPT) on a glass and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates. Precur- sor solution containing cerium nitrate hexahydrate (Ce(NO3)2·6H2O) and titanium ...

  16. CEO- CNE Relationships: Building an Evidence-Base of Chief Nursing Executive Replacement Costs

    OpenAIRE

    Sredl, Darlene; Peng, Niang-Huei

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Explore professional relationships between Chief Nurse Executives (CNEs) and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs); CNE ethnic diversity; and CNE replacement costs. BACKGROUND: Theoretical frameworks - Marilyn Ray's Theory of Bureaucratic Caring, and Turkel's Theory of Relational Complexity espousing economic as well as caring variables. METHODS: Exploratory mixed-method descriptive design using CNE mailed survey. RESULTS: CNE- cited opportunities for maintaining a positive relationship ...

  17. Robust Strategy for Crafting Li5Cr7Ti6O25@CeO2 Composites as High-Performance Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Jie; Yi, Ting-Feng; Li, Xin-Yuan; Zhu, Yan-Rong; Xie, Ying; Zhang, Chao-Feng

    2017-07-19

    A facile strategy was developed to prepare Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 @CeO 2 composites as a high-performance anode material. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement results show that the CeO 2 coating does not alter the structure of Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 but increases the lattice parameter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates that all samples have similar morphologies with a homogeneous particle distribution in the range of 100-500 nm. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) prove that CeO 2 layer successfully formed a coating layer on a surface of Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 particles and supplied a good conductive connection between the Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 particles. The electrochemical characterization reveals that Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 @CeO 2 (3 wt %) electrode shows the highest reversibility of the insertion and deinsertion behavior of Li ion, the smallest electrochemical polarization, the best lithium-ion mobility among all electrodes, and a better electrochemical activity than the pristine one. Therefore, Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 @CeO 2 (3 wt %) electrode indicates the highest delithiation and lithiation capacities at each rate. At 5 C charge-discharge rate, the pristine Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 only delivers an initial delithiation capacity of ∼94.7 mAh g -1 , and the delithiation capacity merely achieves 87.4 mAh g -1 even after 100 cycles. However, Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 @CeO 2 (3 wt %) delivers an initial delithiation capacity of 107.5 mAh·g -1 , and the delithiation capacity also reaches 100.5 mAh g -1 even after 100 cycles. The cerium dioxide modification is a direct and efficient approach to improve the delithiation and lithiation capacities and cycle property of Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 at large current densities.

  18. The role of charge transfer in the oxidation state change of Ce atoms in the TM13-CeO2(111) systems (TM = Pd, Ag, Pt, Au): a DFT + U investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tereshchuk, Polina; Freire, Rafael L H; Ungureanu, Crina G; Seminovski, Yohanna; Kiejna, Adam; Da Silva, Juarez L F

    2015-05-28

    Despite extensive studies of transition metal (TM) clusters supported on ceria (CeO2), fundamental issues such as the role of the TM atoms in the change in the oxidation state of Ce atoms are still not well understood. In this work, we report a theoretical investigation based on static and ab initio molecular dynamics density functional theory calculations of the interaction of 13-atom TM clusters (TM = Pd, Ag, Pt, Au) with the unreduced CeO2(111) surface represented by a large surface unit cell and employing Hubbard corrections for the strong on-site Coulomb correlation in the Ce f-electrons. We found that the TM13 clusters form pyramidal-like structures on CeO2(111) in the lowest energy configurations with the following stacking sequence, TM/TM4/TM8/CeO2(111), while TM13 adopts two-dimensional structures at high energy structures. TM13 induces a change in the oxidation state of few Ce atoms (3 of 16) located in the topmost Ce layer from Ce(IV) (itinerant Ce f-states) to Ce(III) (localized Ce f-states). There is a charge flow from the TM atoms to the CeO2(111) surface, which can be explained by the electronegativity difference between the TM (Pd, Ag, Pt, Au) and O atoms, however, the charge is not uniformly distributed on the topmost O layer due to the pressure induced by the TM13 clusters on the underlying O ions, which yields a decrease in the ionic charge of the O ions located below the cluster and an increase in the remaining O ions. Due to the charge flow mainly from the TM8-layer to the topmost O-layer, the charge cannot flow from the Ce(IV) atoms to the O atoms with the same magnitude as in the clean CeO2(111) surface. Consequently, the effective cationic charge decreases mainly for the Ce atoms that have a bond with the O atoms not located below the cluster, and hence, those Ce atoms change their oxidation state from IV to III. This increases the size of the Ce(III) compared with the Ce(IV) cations, which builds-in a strain within the topmost Ce layer, and

  19. A time for growth: an interview with Amgen CEO Kevin Sharer. Interview by Paul Hemp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharer, Kevin

    2004-01-01

    Fast growth is a nice problem to have--but a hard one to manage well. In this interview, Kevin Sharer, the CEO of biotech giant Amgen, talks about the special challenges leaders face when their companies are on a roll. Sharer, who was also head of marketing at pre-WorldCom MCI and a division head and a staff assistant to Jack Welch at GE, offers insights drawn from his own experience--and from his own self-proclaimed blunders: "I learned the hard way that you need to become credible and enlist support inside the company before you start trying to be a change agent. If you think you're going to make change happen simply by force of personality or position or intellect, you'd better think again." And change there was: Under Sharer's leadership, Amgen overhauled its management team, altered its culture, and launched a couple of blockbuster products. How do chief executives survive in that kind of dizzying environment? "A CEO must always be switching between different altitudes--tasks of different levels of abstraction and specificity," Sharer says. "You might need to spend time working on a redesign of your organizational structure and then quickly switch to drafting a memo to all employees aimed at reinforcing one of the company's values." Having a supportive and capable top team is also key: "A top management team is the most revealing window into a CEO's style, values, and aspirations.... If you don't have the right top team, you won't have the right tiers below them. [The] A players won't work for B players. Maybe with a company like GE, the reputation of the company is so strong that it can attract top people to work for weaker managers. In a new company like Amgen, that won't happen."

  20. Physical Properties of Mixed Conductor Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes of Doped CeO2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg; Lindegaard, Thomas; Hansen, Uffe Rud

    1994-01-01

    Samples of CeO2 doped with oxides such as CaO and Gd2O3 were prepared. Their conductivities and expansions onreduction were measured at 1000°C, and the thermal expansion coefficients in the range 50 to 1000°C were determined. Theionic and electronic conductivity were derived from curves of total ...

  1. Building the "fable hospital"--the CEO's perspective: an interview with Michael H. Covert, president and chief executive officer, Palomar Pomerado Health. Interview by David A Tam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Covert, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Hospital construction is a significant event in any health system. The financial implications are great, especially at a time of shrinking capital resources. Personnel are affected, as are the processes to perform their tasks. Often, new facilities are catalysts that change organizational culture; it has been clearly shown that new facilities have a positive impact on patient satisfaction scores. The members of the C-suite of a hospital/health system play important roles in construction projects. However, no one is more critical to the success of such major endeavors than the chief executive officer (CEO). The CEO sets the tone for the project, giving direction to the design and construction process that may have implications for the rest of the organization. Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) is the largest public health district in California. In 2002, the PPH governing board authorized the creation of a new facility master plan for the district, which included the construction of a replacement facility for its tertiary care trauma center. The new Palomar Medical Center is slated to open in August 2012. HERD had the opportunity to speak with PPH CEO Michael H. Covert on the role of the CEO in the building of this "fable hospital".

  2. The CEOS-Land Surface Imaging Constellation Portal for GEOSS: A resource for land surface imaging system information and data access

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holm, Thomas; Gallo, Kevin P.; Bailey, Bryan

    2010-01-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites is an international group that coordinates civil space-borne observations of the Earth, and provides the space component of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). The CEOS Virtual Constellations concept was implemented in an effort to engage and coordinate disparate Earth observing programs of CEOS member agencies and ultimately facilitate their contribution in supplying the space-based observations required to satisfy the requirements of the GEOSS. The CEOS initially established Study Teams for four prototype constellations that included precipitation, land surface imaging, ocean surface topography, and atmospheric composition. The basic mission of the Land Surface Imaging (LSI) Constellation [1] is to promote the efficient, effective, and comprehensive collection, distribution, and application of space-acquired image data of the global land surface, especially to meet societal needs of the global population, such as those addressed by the nine Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) of agriculture, biodiversity, climate, disasters, ecosystems, energy, health, water, and weather. The LSI Constellation Portal is the result of an effort to address important goals within the LSI Constellation mission and provide resources to assist in planning for future space missions that might further contribute to meeting those goals.

  3. Shape memory lifetime of CeO2-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhe Xiaoli; Li Bo; Meng Man

    1993-01-01

    Lifetime of shape memory effect (SME) of CeO 2 -stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals was studied by means of both tests of constraint stress and constraint strain mode during reverse martensite transformation. Up to 8th cycling of SME, the shape of sample entirely recovered except microcracks in the constraint stress mode and the accumulated strain reached 4.6% in the constraint strain mode. It was found that the yield stress decreased, however, the reverse transformation temperature of stress-induced martensite increased with times of the cycling. The reason of these phenomena are discussed in terms of microcracking and strain energy relaxation

  4. 78 FR 65290 - Request for Applicants for the Appointment to the United States-India CEO Forum

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-31

    ... Appointment to the United States- India CEO Forum AGENCY: Global Markets, International Trade Administration... President (or have a comparable level of responsibility) of a U.S.-owned or controlled company that is... doing business in both India and the United States. Each candidate also must be a U.S. citizen or...

  5. Controlled growth of epitaxial CeO2 thin films with self-organized nanostructure by chemical solution method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yue, Zhao; Grivel, Jean-Claude

    2013-01-01

    Chemical solution deposition is a versatile technique to grow oxide thin films with self-organized nanostructures. Morphology and crystallographic orientation control of CeO2 thin films grown on technical NiW substrates by a chemical solution deposition method are achieved in this work. Based...

  6. CeO2/rGO/Pt sandwich nanostructure: rGO-enhanced electron transmission between metal oxide and metal nanoparticles for anodic methanol oxidation of direct methanol fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xue; Kuai, Long; Geng, Baoyou

    2012-09-21

    Pt-based nanocomposites have been of great research interest. In this paper, we design an efficient MO/rGO/Pt sandwich nanostructure as an anodic electrocatalyst for DMFCs with combination of the merits of rigid structure of metallic oxides (MOs) and excellent electronic conductivity of reduced oxidized graphene (rGO) as well as overcoming their shortcomings. In this case, the CeO(2)/rGO/Pt sandwich nanostructure is successfully fabricated through a facile hydrothermal approach in the presence of graphene oxide and CeO(2) nanoparticles. This structure has a unique building architecture where rGO wraps up the CeO(2) nanoparticles and Pt nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed on the surface of rGO. This novel structure endows this material with great electrocatalytic performance in methanol oxidation: it reduces the overpotential of methanol oxidation significantly and its electrocatalytic activity and stability are much enhanced compared with Pt/rGO, CeO(2)/Pt and Pt/C catalysts. This work supplies a unique MO/rGO/Pt sandwich nanostructure as an efficient way to improve the electrocatalytic performance, which will surely shed some light on the exploration of some novel structures of electrocatalyst for DMFCs.

  7. Webcasts promote in-class active participation and learning in an engineering elective course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freguia, Stefano

    2017-09-01

    This paper describes the design and outcomes of an educational intervention undertaken to improve the quality of delivery of a fourth-year engineering elective course - Industrial Wastewater and Solid Waste Management at the University of Queensland. The objective was to increase the level of active participation of students in planned active-learning classroom activities, including whole-class discussions and small group project-type work. According to a flipped classroom model, new online material in the form of webcasts was proposed to students before class. Students reacted very positively to the webcasts: the percentage of students viewing the webcast before planned workshop sessions ranged between 80% and 92% over the five weeks of the intervention. Enhanced engagement led also to increased attendance (85-92% at workshop sessions), and remarkable active participation in class (half of observed teams were ∼80% active). Remarkably, team performance as quantified by their report marks linearly correlated with the level of active participation in class.

  8. So you want to be a CEO: lessons from the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothberg, E D

    2001-01-01

    This article discusses graduate educational options for those seeking to become chief executive officers and examines the subject areas that are important on a practical level. It then discusses six areas that are essential to a successful manager: problem solving, critical thinking, and organizational behavior; breadth of knowledge; financial management; corporate culture; for profit and not for profit, and--politics--internal and external. Each area includes a lesson drawn from experience as a president and CEO. Readers should gain a level of understanding of the scope of responsibilities and skills necessary to succeed in today's health care environment.

  9. The use of CeO2-Co3O4 oxides as a catalyst for the reduction of N2O emission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajska Maria

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The morphological characterization of a series of cobalt-cerium oxide composites prepared by the deposition of CeO2 onto Co3O4 powder with a molar ratio of cerium oxide to Co3O4 in the range of 0 to 1 was performed. The powders were also impregnated with a solution of K2CO3 to obtain the theoretical content of potassium atoms 2at·nm−2. To investigate the effect of adding specific amount of CeO2 on the catalytic activity, the X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDX, laser particle size distribution and BET surface area measurements were used. The catalysts were tested through the low-temperature decomposition of nitrous oxide in the temperature range of 50°C to 700°C. The addition of CeO2 and K always moved the temperature of a complete N2O conversion towards lower temperatures (480°C-540°C to 340°C-420°C. The best catalytic properties were shown by the samples in which the ratio of cerium oxide to cobalt oxide ranged from 0.4 to 0.7.

  10. Combustion synthesis of nanocrystalline ceria (CeO2) powders by a dry route

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, C.-C.; Huang, T.-H.; Tsai, J.-S.; Lin, C.-S.; Peng, C.-H.

    2006-01-01

    In this study, ceria (CeO 2 ) powders were synthesized with 50 g per batch via a combustion technique using two kinds of starting materials-urea [(NH 2 ) 2 CO] (as a fuel) and ceric ammonium nitrate [Ce(NH 4 ) 2 (NO 3 ) 6 ] (acting as both the source of cerium ion and an oxidizer). The starting materials were mixed thoroughly without adding water, and then ignited in the air at room temperature. It underwent a self-combustion process with a large amount of smoke, a voluminous loose product. The as-synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), CHN elemental analyzer, surface area measurements, and sinterability. Experimental results revealed that the nanocrystalline CeO 2 powders with low impurity content ( 2 /g and ∼25 nm, respectively, through the stoichiometric fuel/oxidizer ratio reaction. The powder, when cold pressed and sintered in the air at 1250 deg. C for 1 h, was measured to attain the sintered density ∼92% of theoretical density having submicron grain size. In addition, the thermal decomposition and combustion process of the reactant mixture were investigated using thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mass spectrometry (MS) techniques simultaneously. Based on the results of thermal analysis, a possible mechanism concerning the combustion reaction is proposed

  11. Hydrogen Production from Gasification of Palm Kernel Shell in the Presence of Fe/ CeO_2 Catalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anita Ramli; Mas Fatiha Mohamad; Suzana Yusup; Taufiq, Y.Y.H.

    2016-01-01

    Bio hydrogen is a renewable source of clean fuel and energy which can be derived from biomass. One of the suitable candidate as a source of biomass is palm kernel shell (PKS). Our initial work shows that bio hydrogen may be produced from PKS in the presence of zeolite supported catalysts. The potential of using cerium oxide (CeO_2) supported catalysts for the production of bio hydrogen from PKS is explored in this work using 2.5 - 10 % Fe loading. The catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and calcined at 500 degree Celsius for 16 h. The physicochemical properties of these catalysts were characterized using BET and XRD. The catalysts were tested in dry and steam gasification of PKS at 700 degree Celsius using PKS feeding rate of 2 g h"-"1 under N_2 atmosphere with biomass to catalyst ratio of 3:1 (wt/ wt). Steam to biomass ratio of 3.5:1 (wt/ wt) was used in steam gasification reaction. The gaseous products were analyzed using an on-line gas chromatography equipped with thermal conductivity detectors (TCD) and fitted with Molsieve 5A and Hayesep Q columns. Result shows that 2.5 % Fe/ CeO_2 gave the highest hydrogen production in both the dry and steam gasification of PKS. (author)

  12. Investigating everyday measures through exploratory talk: whole class plenary intervention and landscape study at grade four

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gade, Sharada; Blomqvist, Charlotta

    2018-03-01

    We report an exploratory talk based, whole class plenary intervention, in relation to students' understanding of everyday measures and measurement, in a grade four classroom at a grade 4-6 school in Sweden. Extended, project related, teacher-researcher collaboration forms basis for such cultural historical activity theory or CHAT based efforts. As formative intervention, the conduct of the plenary is not pre-determined but embedded in ongoing curricular realities, with the agency of students and teacher promoted, pedagogical ideas reutilised and the role of researcher viewed as supporting design and growth of the intervention. Under Charlotta's guidance as teacher, the plenary is opportunity for her students to examine improbable scenarios such as, Can Eva and Anton measure the length of Sweden on foot, Can Lars and Iris measure their age in decimeters. A zone of proximal development is created, in which students make the transition from spontaneous to scientific concepts and learn how various units of measurement are objects-that-can-be-used-for-certain-purposes. With opportunity for critical and reflective inquiry, in a plenary designed to lead development, Charlotta's students look beyond the making of rote measurements and articulate a theory of measure in nascent terms. Such a landscape of teaching-learning is finally understood in terms of the nature of talk that was facilitated, the manner of pedagogy utilised, the style of teaching exercised and the kind of learning that was demanded of her students.

  13. The Contrabassist and the CEO: Moral Judgment and Collective Identity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Pinzani

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available How much is a moral judgment on a single act influenced by circumstances which have little to do with the nature of the act itself? How much have certain moral judgments to do with the common history and shared experience of a certain group of individuals? Using two cases taken from life (a German musician and a German CEO behaving both in a morally wrong way but with very different consequences from the point of view of moral judgement and with very different reactions from the German public, the article tries to give an answer to these questions, touching issues like: guilt, moral responsibility, collective responsibility, and collective identity.

  14. School-Based Obesity Prevention Intervention in Chilean Children: Effective in Controlling, but not Reducing Obesity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Kain

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-month multicomponent obesity prevention intervention. Setting. 9 elementary schools in Santiago, Chile. Subjects. 6–8 y old low-income children (N=1474. Design. Randomized controlled study; 5 intervention/4 control schools. We trained teachers to deliver nutrition contents and improve the quality of PE classes. We determined % healthy snacks brought from home, children’s nutrition knowledge, nutritional status, duration of PE classes, and % time in moderate/vigorous activity (MVA. Effectiveness was determined by comparing Δ BMI Z between intervention and control children using PROCMIXED. Results. % obesity increased in boys from both types of schools and in girls from control schools, while decreasing in girls from intervention schools (all nonsignificant. % class time in MVA declined (24.5–16.2 while remaining unchanged (24.8–23.7% in classes conducted by untrained and trained teachers, respectively. In boys, BMI Z declined (1.33–1.24 and increased (1.22–1.35 in intervention and control schools, respectively. In girls, BMI Z remained unchanged in intervention schools, while increasing significantly in control schools (0.91–1.06, P=0.024. Interaction group * time was significant for boys (P<0.0001 and girls (P=0.004. Conclusions. This intervention was effective in controlling obesity, but not preventing it. Even though impact was small, results showed that when no intervention is implemented, obesity increases.

  15. Exploring Wellness Interventions in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: an Evidence-Based Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venasse, Myriam; Edwards, Thomas; Pilutti, Lara A

    2018-04-10

    There has been recent interest in the role of lifestyle and wellness-based approaches in the treatment and management of multiple sclerosis (MS). These approaches may be particularly relevant for patients with progressive MS, considering limited therapeutic options currently available. The purpose of this review is to examine the role of wellness-based interventions including exercise training, emotional well-being therapies, and dietary modification in patients with progressive MS. We conducted a literature search on the efficacy of wellness-based interventions in patients with progressive MS published between 1985 and July 2017. The level of evidence for each trial was evaluated using the American Academy of Neurology criteria. Overall, 21 articles reporting on 16 wellness-based interventions were identified: ten trials involved exercise training, three involved emotional wellness therapies, two involved dietary modification, and one was a combined wellness intervention. There is level C evidence (possibly effective; one class II study) for the efficacy of aerobic exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with progressive MS. There is level B evidence (probably effective; one class I study) for the efficacy of mindfulness training on psychological distress, depression, anxiety, pain, and quality of life in patients with progressive MS. There is inadequate evidence (level U) for efficacy of dietary modification (one class III study and one class IV study) and combined wellness interventions involving exercise training, meditation, and dietary modification (one class IV study). High-quality research is needed to provide evidence-based recommendations for wellness behaviors and lifestyle change in patients with progressive MS.

  16. Photocatalytic performance of TiO2 catalysts modified by H3PW12O40, ZrO2 and CeO2

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CAI Tiejun; LIAO Yuchao; PENG Zhenshan; LONG Yunfei; WEI Zongyuan; DENG Qian

    2009-01-01

    The binary composite photo-catalysts CeO2/TiO2, ZrO2/TiO2 and the ternary composite photo-catalysts H3PW12O40-CeO2/TiO2,H2PW12O40-ZrO2/TiO2 were prepared by sol-gel method. The catalysts were characterized by thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The photocatalyfic elimination of methanol was used as model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the composite catalysts under ultraviolet light irradiation. The effects of doped content, activation temperature, time, initial concentration of methanol and gas flow rate on the catalytic activity were investigated. The results showed that after doping a certain amount of CeO2 and ZrO2, crystaniTation process of TiO2 was restrained, particles of catalysts are smaller and more uniform. Doping ZrO2 not only significantly improved the catalytic activity, but also increased thermal stability. Doping H3PW12O40 also enhanced the catalytic activity. The catalytic activities of binary and ternary composite photocatalysts were significantly higher than tin-doped TiO2. The dynamics law of photocatalytic reaction over the binary CeO2/TiO2 and ZrO2/TiO2 catalysts has been studied. The activation energy 15.627 and 15.631 kJ/mol and pre-exponential factors 0.5176 and 0.9899 s-1 over each corresponding catalyst were obtained. This reaction accords to the first order dynamics law.

  17. Metabolomic effects in HepG2 cells exposed to CeO2, SiO2 and CuO nanomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    To better assess potential hepatotoxicity of nanomaterials, human liver HepG2 cells were exposed for three days to 5 different CeO2 (either 30 or 100 ug/ml), 3 SiO2 based (30 ug/ml) or 1 CuO (3 ug/ml) nanomaterials with dry primary particle sizes ranging from 15 to 213 nm. Metab...

  18. Effect of Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2 infiltration on the catalytic and electro-catalytic activity of LSM15/CGO10 porous cells stacks for oxidation of propene

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ippolito, Davide; Kammer Hansen, Kent

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this work was to study the effect of Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2 infiltration on the propene oxidation catalytic activity of a La0.85Sr0.15MnO3/Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 electrochemical porous cell stack (11 layers, 5 single cells in series). The effect of the infiltration of Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2...... on the electrochemical properties of the porous cell stack was also investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2 exhibited high catalytic activity for propene oxidation. The increase of propene oxidation rate with +4 V (0.8 V/cell) polarization reached 10% for the Co3O4 infiltrated...... reactor and 48% of efficiency at 300 °C. The Co3O4/CeO2 co-infiltration decreased the reactor polarization resistance, while Co3O4 infiltration had negligible effect on reactor electrochemical performance. The beneficial effect of CeO2 on the electrode activity was attributed to the increased...

  19. Do similarities or differences between CEO leadership and organizational culture have a more positive effect on firm performance? A test of competing predictions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartnell, Chad A; Kinicki, Angelo J; Lambert, Lisa Schurer; Fugate, Mel; Doyle Corner, Patricia

    2016-06-01

    This study examines the nature of the interaction between CEO leadership and organizational culture using 2 common metathemes (task and relationship) in leadership and culture research. Two perspectives, similarity and dissimilarity, offer competing predictions about the fit, or interaction, between leadership and culture and its predicted effect on firm performance. Predictions for the similarity perspective draw upon attribution theory and social identity theory of leadership, whereas predictions for the dissimilarity perspective are developed based upon insights from leadership contingency theories and the notion of substitutability. Hierarchical regression results from 114 CEOs and 324 top management team (TMT) members failed to support the similarity hypotheses but revealed broad support for the dissimilarity predictions. Findings suggest that culture can serve as a substitute for leadership when leadership behaviors are redundant with cultural values (i.e., they both share a task- or relationship-oriented focus). Findings also support leadership contingency theories indicating that CEO leadership is effective when it provides psychological and motivational resources lacking in the organization's culture. We discuss theoretical and practical implications and delineate directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Literacy education, reading engagement, and library use in multilingual classes

    OpenAIRE

    Tonne, Ingebjørg; Pihl, Joron

    2012-01-01

    The topic of this paper is literacy education and reading engagement in multilingual classes. What facilitates reading engagement in the language of instruction in multilingual classes? In this paper, we analyze reading engagement in a literature-based literacy program in Norway (2007–2011). The design was a research and development project in which teachers, researchers, and librarians collaborated within literacy education. We present pedagogical interventions within the project and analyze...

  1. Nevos sebáceo linear de Jadassohn: registro de um caso

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aron J. Diament

    1982-12-01

    Full Text Available É relatado um caso de nevos sebáceo linear de Jadassohn, com sua forma clínica, apresentando a clássica tríade: 1 nevos facial; 2 crises focais; e 3 retardo mental progressivo, aparentemente. Apresenta-se no primeiro estadio de desenvolvimento, quando as glândulas sebáceas estão pouco desenvolvidas, à biopsia de pele. À TAC apresenta atrofias córtico-subcorticais discretas, contrastando com a intensidade do retardo mental e das crises convulsivas. Estas, foram controladas após várias combinações medicamentosas.

  2. Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content through Text in High School Social Studies Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanzek, Jeanne; Swanson, Elizabeth A.; Roberts, Greg; Vaughn, Sharon; Kent, Shawn C.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content Through Text intervention implemented with 11th-grade students enrolled in U.S. History classes. Using a within-teacher randomized design, the study was conducted in 41 classes (23 treatment classes) with 14 teachers providing the…

  3. Effect of CeO2 and Y2O3 on microstructure, bioactivity and degradability of laser cladding CaO-SiO2 coating on titanium alloy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, H C; Wang, D G; Chen, C Z; Weng, F

    2015-03-01

    To solve the lack of strength of bulk biomaterials for load-bearing applications and improve the bioactivity of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), CaO-SiO2 coatings on titanium alloy were fabricated by laser cladding technique. The effect of CeO2 and Y2O3 on microstructure and properties of laser cladding coating was analyzed. The cross-section microstructure of ceramic layer from top to bottom gradually changes from cellular-dendrite structure to compact cellular crystal. The addition of CeO2 or Y2O3 refines the microstructure of the ceramic layer in the upper and middle regions. The refining effect on the grain is related to the kinds of additives and their content. The coating is mainly composed of CaTiO3, CaO, α-Ca2(SiO4), SiO2 and TiO2. Y2O3 inhibits the formation of CaO. After soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF), the calcium phosphate layer is formed on the coating surface, indicating the coating has bioactivity. After soaking in Tris-HCl solution, the samples doped with CeO2 or Y2O3 present a lower weight loss, indicating the addition of CeO2 or Y2O3 improves the degradability of laser cladding sample. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Preparation and corrosion resistance studies of nanometric sol-gel-based CeO2 film with a chromium-free pretreatment on AZ91D magnesium alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shiyan; Li Qing; Chen Bo; Yang Xiaokui

    2010-01-01

    Magnesium alloy, although valuable, is reactive and requires protection before it can be applied in many fields. In this study, a novel protective environmental-friendly gradient coating was performed on AZ91D magnesium alloy by non-chromate surface treatments, which consisted of phytic acid chemical conversion coating and the sol-gel-based CeO 2 thin film. The surface morphologies, microstructure and composition of the coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The effects of the concentration, layers, temperature of heat treatment of CeO 2 sol on the anti-corrosion properties of the gradient coating for magnesium were also investigated. The results showed that the gradient coating was mainly composed of crystalline CeO 2 . According to the results of electrochemical tests, the corrosion resistance of AZ91D magnesium alloy was found to be greatly improved by means of this new environmental-friendly surface treatment.

  5. MORE MINUTES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES SUPPORT MOTOR DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judith Jiménez Díaz

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the effect of physical education classes in 12 fundamental motor skills (FMS. Preschool students (M = 6.09±0.5 years old were randomly assigned to a control group (6 boys and 7 girls who performed the regular preschool class (which includes one 30- minutes session per week; experimental group 1 (6 boys and 6 girls who received the regular preschool class plus 1 session of 30 minutes per week of the intervention program; or experimental group 2 (6 boys and 7 girls, who received the regular preschool class plus 1 session of 60 minutes per week of the intervention program; during 8 weeks (n=38. All participants performed the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2 before and after the study. A one-way MANOVA reflected a similar behavior in al FMS in the pre-test. A two-way MANOVA (group x time reflected no interaction in the 12 FMS; also in the 6 object control FMS; but there was an interaction in the 6 locomotor FMS. In conclusion, 90-minutes of physical education classes per week only benefit the FMS of galloping and hopping.

  6. Laser clad Ni-base alloy added nano- and micron-size CeO 2 composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shi Hong; Li, Ming Xi; Cho, Tong Yul; Yoon, Jae Hong; Lee, Chan Gyu; He, Yi Zhu

    2008-07-01

    Micron-size Ni-base alloy (NBA) powders are mixed with both 1.5 wt% (%) micron-CeO 2 (m-CeO 2) and also 1.0-3.0% nano-CeO 2 (n-CeO 2) powders. These mixtures are coated on low carbon steel (Q235) by 2.0 kW CO 2 laser cladding. The effects on microstructures, microhardness and wear resistance of the coating by the addition of m- and n-CeO 2 powders to NBA (m- and n-CeO 2/NBA) have been investigated. Addition to the primary phases of γ-Ni, Cr 23C 6 and Ni 3B of NBA coating, CeNi 3 shows up both in m- and n-CeO 2/NBA coatings and CeNi 5 appears only in n-CeO 2/NBA coating. Directional dendrite and coarse equiaxed dendrite are grown in m-CeO 2/NBA coating from interface to central zone, whereas multi-oriented dendrite and fine equiaxed dendrite growth by addition of n-CeO 2. The microhardness and wear resistance of coatings are greatly improved by CeO 2 powder addition, and compared to the addition of 1.0% and 3.0%, 1.5% n-CeO 2/NBA is the best. Hardness and wear resistance of the coating improves with decreasing CeO 2 size from micron to nano.

  7. FACETS OF THE ICONOGRAPHY OF DON JUAN MARTÍNEZ SILÍCEO, ARCHBISHOP OF TOLEDO = ALGUNOS ASPECTOS EN TORNO A LA ICONOGRAFÍA DEL ARZOBISPO DE TOLEDO DON JUAN MARTÍNEZ SILÍCEO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Alegra García García

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Juan Martínez Siliceo (c. 1477-1557 was a Roman Catholic cardinal and archbishop and a distinguished humanist and mathematician who played an important role in the History and culture of Toledo and Spain during the 16th century. Furthermore, he was admired and recognized even after his death thanks to different literary sources and historiography. This article aims to approach his iconography through a selection of the most important literary and artistic sources from the 16th and 17th Centuries.Juan Martínez Silíceo (c.1477-1557, además de cardenal y arzobispo de Toledo, fue un importante humanista y matemático que desempeñó un destacado papel en la historia y cultura del Toledo y la España del siglo XVI y que gozó de gran admiración y reconocimiento más allá de su muerte, tal como evidencian las fuentes literarias y la historiografía posterior. Sin embargo, aún quedan pendientes de estudio pormenorizado algunos aspectos relativos a su relación con las artes. Este artículo pretende plantear un primer acercamiento a la iconografía de Silíceo a través de una selección de las fuentes literarias y visuales de los siglos XVI al XVIII consideradas más relevantes.

  8. Microstructural study of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst: addition effects of CeO2 on carbon dioxide reforming of methane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valentini, Antoninho; Probst, Luiz Fernando Dias; Carreno, Neftali L. V.; Leite, Edson R.; Pontes, Fenelon M.; Longo, Elson; Schreiner, Wido H.; Lisboa-Filho, Paulo N.

    2003-01-01

    The carbon dioxide reforming of methane was carried out over nickel catalysts supported on the γ-Al 2 O 3 /CeO 2 system prepared by wet impregnation. With the increase of the Co2 weight in the catalyst, a higher stability was observed in the catalytic activity, together with an excellent resistance to carbon deposition and a better Ni dispersion. The catalysts were characterized by means of surface area measurements, TPR, H 2 chemisorption, XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS and TEM. An interaction between Ni and CeO 2 was observed to the Ni/CeO 2 sample after activation in a H 2 atmosphere above 300 deg C. Such behavior has a significantly influence on the catalytic activity. (author)

  9. Effect of CeO2 on Microstructure and Wear Resistance of TiC Bioinert Coatings on Ti6Al4V Alloy by Laser Cladding

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Tao; Liu, Defu; Wu, Fan; Wang, Haojun

    2017-01-01

    To solve the lack of wear resistance of titanium alloys for use in biological applications, various prepared coatings on titanium alloys are often used as wear-resistant materials. In this paper, TiC bioinert coatings were fabricated on Ti6Al4V by laser cladding using mixed TiC and ZrO2 powders as the basic pre-placed materials. A certain amount of CeO2 powder was also added to the pre-placed powders to further improve the properties of the TiC coatings. The effects of CeO2 additive on the ph...

  10. Occupational class inequalities in disability retirement after hospitalisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pietiläinen, Olli; Laaksonen, Mikko; Lahelma, Eero; Salonsalmi, Aino; Rahkonen, Ossi

    2018-05-01

    This study aimed to investigate whether hospitalisation is associated with increased risk of disability retirement differently across four occupational classes. 170,510 employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland were followed from 1990 to 2013 using national registers for hospitalisations and disability retirement. Increases in the risk of disability retirement after hospitalisation for any cause, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, mental disorders, malignant neoplasms, respiratory diseases and injuries were assessed across four occupational classes: professional, semi-professional, routine non-manual and manual, using competing risks models. In general, hospitalisation showed a slightly more increased risk of disability retirement in the lower ranking occupational classes. Hospitalisation among women for mental disorders showed a more increased risk in the professional class (hazard ratio 14.73, 95% confidence interval 12.67 to 17.12) compared to the routine manual class (hazard ratio 7.27, 95% confidence interval 6.60 to 8.02). Occupational class differences were similar for men and women. The risk of disability retirement among women increased most in the routine non-manual class after hospitalisation for musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and most in the professional class after hospitalisation for cardiovascular diseases. The corresponding risks among men increased most in the two lowest ranking classes after hospitalisation for injuries. Ill-health as measured by hospitalisation affected disability retirement in four occupational classes differently, and the effects also varied by the diagnostic group of hospitalisation. Interventions that tackle work disability should consider the impact of ill-health on functioning while taking into account working conditions in each occupational class.

  11. Metabolomic effects of CeO2, SiO2 and CuO metal oxide nanomaterials on HepG2 cells

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The data set is a matrix of cellular biochemical (metabolites) in HepG2 cells treated with various metal oxide nanomaterials composed of CeO2, SiO2 and CuO. This...

  12. Tamanho de amostra na parcela para caracterização da altura de plantas de algodoeiro herbáceo Gossypium hirsutum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Freitas Joelson André de

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Dados da altura individual de dez plantas, obtidos de dez experimentos instalados em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições e quatro cultivares de algodoeiro herbáceo, foram estudados, para determinação do número mínimo de plantas/parcela, necessárias para caracterização da altura média de plantas de algodoeiro herbáceo. Foram estudados cinco tamanhos de amostra na parcela, cada uma, contendo 2, 4, 6, 8 e 10 plantas. Os coeficientes de variação experimental e amostral e as significâncias observadas nas análises de variâncias, indicaram que parcelas contendo seis ou mais plantas, permitiram boa caracterização do porte médio das variedades de algodoeiro testadas. Os resultados sugerem, portanto que, no processo de caracterização da altura média do algodoeiro herbáceo, a avaliação pode ser mais rápida, além de haver uma redução na mão-de-obra de coleta e manuseio dos dados, em decorrência de uma diminuição do número de plantas amostradas na parcela.

  13. Determining the Optimal Protocol for Measuring an Albuminuria Class Transition in Clinical Trials in Diabetic Kidney Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kröpelin, Tobias F; de Zeeuw, Dick; Remuzzi, Giuseppe

    2016-01-01

    Albuminuria class transition (normo- to micro- to macroalbuminuria) is used as an intermediate end point to assess renoprotective drug efficacy. However, definitions of such class transition vary between trials. To determine the most optimal protocol, we evaluated the approaches used in four...... effect increased (decreased precision) with stricter end point definitions, resulting in a loss of statistical significance. In conclusion, the optimal albuminuria transition end point for use in drug intervention trials can be determined with a single urine collection for albuminuria assessment per...... clinical trials testing the effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system intervention on albuminuria class transition in patients with diabetes: the BENEDICT, the DIRECT, the ALTITUDE, and the IRMA-2 Trial. The definition of albuminuria class transition used in each trial differed from the definitions...

  14. In Search of Culturally Appropriate Autism Interventions: Perspectives of Latino Caregivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    DuBay, Michaela; Watson, Linda R.; Zhang, Wanqing

    2018-01-01

    Most evidence-based autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interventions are tested with primarily White, mid-upper class, English-speaking populations, despite the increase in Latino children with ASD in early intervention programs throughout the United States. Unfortunately, interventions that are incongruent with a target population's culture may be…

  15. Ensamble de crustáceos bentónicos en un lago salino tropical Benthic crustaceans assemblage in a tropical, saline lake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma. del Carmen Hernández

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available El presente trabajo reconoce la composición, estructura y distribución espacial del ensamble de crustáceos bentónicos de Alchichica, un lago salino tropical ubicado en el extremo oriental del altiplano mexicano. El lago presenta una riqueza taxonómica de crustáceos bentónicos compuesta por 1 anfípodo (Hyalella azteca, 1 isópodo (Caecidotea williamsi y 2 ostrácodos (Limnocythere inopinata y Candona sp.. Comparada con otros lagos tropicales, la riqueza de especies es reducida. A pesar de lo anterior, es importante mencionar el grado elevado de endemismo representado por C. williamsi, recientemente descrita para el lago Alchichica; adicionalmente, es factible que tanto Candona como H. azteca sean especies nuevas y endémicas del lago. Los crustáceos bentónicos se distribuyen desde la zona litoral hasta la zona más profunda del lago (62 m con abundancias y riqueza taxonómica variables. Los ostrácodos fueron los crustáceos que con mayor frecuencia se recolectaron en el lago, en la zona litoral, en el talud, y en la zona profunda de la que son habitantes exclusivos. Los anfípodos constituyeron el segundo grupo en abundancia de la zona litoral y talud y estuvieron ausentes en la zona profunda. Los isópodos sólo se encuentran asociados a los depósitos de tufa, hábitat característico del lago que se extiende a lo largo del talud, por lo que con las técnicas de muestreo tradicional empleadas en el presente estudio no fueron capturados. En este ensamble de crustáceos predominan las especies de desarrollo directo y con posiciones tróficas que incluyen componentes herbívoros (H. azteca, omnívoros (C. williamsi y bacterívoros (L. inopinata y Candona sp..This work acknowledges the composition, structure and spatial distribution of the benthic crustaceans assemblage of Alchichica, a tropical saline lake located in the easternmost portion of the Mexican highlands. The benthic crustaceans' assemblage was comprised by 1 amphipod

  16. Feasibility and effectiveness of a cosmetic intervention program for institutionalized older women in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yohko Hayakawa

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available We examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a cosmetic intervention program for frail older women. Thirty-nine older adults (83.0 ± 8.65 years from two nursing homes in Tokyo were allocated to a cosmetic (intervention: n = 27 or a light-exercise (control: n = 12 group according to their nursing home residence. Both groups attended weekly classes over a 5-week period from May to June 2009. The program feasibility was examined using class participation, class attendance, and program adherence rates, while the effectiveness of the program was examined using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS and participants' engagement in positive activities (i.e., engaging in social activities and going outside. The intervention group showed significantly higher rates on all feasibility measures than did the control group (class participation: 24.1% vs. 13.3%, class attendance: 75.5% vs. 32.6%, program adherence: 70.8% vs. 10.0%. Furthermore, the GDS scores decreased significantly in the intervention group, but not the control group. Although the change in GDS score was larger in the intervention group (−1.30 ± 2.36 than in the control group (−0.75 ± 3.53, the inter-group difference in this change was not significant. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-intervention positive activity rates in either group, or in the inter-group comparisons of changes in these rates. Overall, the cosmetic program was highly feasible and effective for improving the mental health of frail older women. However, further studies using longer intervention periods and larger samples would be needed to identify the program effectiveness.

  17. Nitrate conversion and supercritical fluid extraction of UO2-CeO2 solid solution prepared by an electrolytic reduction-coprecipitation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, L.Y.; Duan, W.H.; Wen, M.F.; Xu, J.M.; Zhu, Y.J.

    2014-01-01

    A low-waste technology for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) has been developed recently, which involves the conversion of actinide and lanthanide oxides with liquid N 2 O 4 into their nitrates followed by supercritical fluid extraction of the nitrates. The possibility of the reprocessing of SNF from high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) with nitrate conversion and supercritical fluid extraction is a current area of research in China. Here, a UO 2 -CeO 2 solid solution was prepared as a surrogate for a UO 2 -PuO 2 solid solution, and the recovery of U and Ce from the UO 2 -CeO 2 solid solution with liquid N 2 O 4 and supercritical CO 2 containing tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) was investigated. The UO 2 -CeO 2 solid solution prepared by electrolytic reduction-coprecipitation method had square plate microstructures. The solid solution after heat treatment was completely converted into nitrates with liquid N 2 O 4 . The XRD pattern of the nitrates was similar to that of UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 . 3H 2 O. After 120 min of online extraction at 25 MPa and 50 , 99.98% of the U and 98.74% of the Ce were recovered from the nitrates with supercritical CO 2 containing TBP. The results suggest a promising potential technology for the reprocessing of SNF from HTGRs. (orig.)

  18. FIRE! A Red Flag Tap in Reclaiming Intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodnar, Brian

    2007-01-01

    "Red Flag Interventions" address problems which are imported from elsewhere and acted out towards persons who are in effect innocent bystanders. This is commonly seen as students "carry in" problems from the home or street to school, or they "carry over" conflicts from one class to the next. A third variation of Red Flag intervention is when a…

  19. PRIMEROS RESULTADOS SOBRE EL USO PREHISPÁNICO DE LOS VEGETALES EN EL SITIO ARQUEOLÓGICO LOS TRES CERROS 1 (VICTORIA, ENTRE RÍOS, ARGENTINA: ANÁLISIS DEL REGISTRO BIOSILÍCEO.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge O. Sánchez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available El registro de microfósiles biosilíceos posee un alto grado de preservación en distintos contextos naturales y culturales. Por esta razón, el estudio de los fitolitos y otros microrrestos biosilíceos puede contribuir a determinar las condiciones ambientales de las comunidades vegetales que rodearon un sitio arqueológico, así como también identificar especies vegetales domesticadas. En esta contribución se rea- lizó el análisis de fitolitos en el marco de otros bioindicadores de los depósitos superiores de la secuencia sedimentaria antrópica del sitio Los Tres Cerros 1 (LTC1, isla Las Moras, Departamento Victoria, Entre Ríos, Argentina. Los análisis desarrollados permitieron identificar morfotipos silíceos relacionados con la presencia de vegetales silvestres que caracterizan a la unidad fitogeográfica actual del área de em- plazamiento, y morfotipos silíceos asignables a recursos vegetales de interés cultural, pertenecientes a las familias Arecaceae, Cucurbitaceae, y Poaceae (subfamilias Maideae y Oryzoideae. El registro de microfósiles biosilíceos del perfil del sitio LTC1 tiene un cambio neto que puede ser correlacionado con diferentes actividades culturales desempeñadas durante el proceso de construcción del montículo, que tuvo lugar durante ca.1000 - 500 años 14C AP.

  20. Laser Decontamination of Type 304 Stainless Steel Contaminated with Co2+ and CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Won, Hui Jun; Baigalmaa, Byambatseren; Moon, Jei Kwon; Jung, Chong Hun; Lee, Kune Woo

    2009-01-01

    The merits of laser decontamination are a remote operation, a short application time, and the high removal efficiency. And also, generation of the secondary waste is negligible. A series of laser decontamination test by Qswitched Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm were performed on stainless steel specimens artificially contaminated with the Co 2+ and CeO 2 , respectively. Test results were examined by SEM and EPMA

  1. Effect of antenatal education in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures on use of pain relief during labour and of obstetric interventions: results from the randomised NEWBORN trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brixval, Carina Sjöberg; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Axelsen, Solveig Forberg; Gluud, Christian; Winkel, Per; Lindschou, Jane; Weber, Tom; Due, Pernille; Koushede, Vibeke

    2016-06-10

    To examine the effect of an antenatal education programme in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures. Randomised trial using random-generated web-based 1:1 allocation. The largest birth site in the Capital Region of Denmark, from August 2012 to May 2014. 1766 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria ≥18 years, pregnant with a single child, and able to speak and understand Danish. Women were enrolled in the trial from 10+0 to 20+0 weeks of gestation. The intervention programme consisted of three times 2.5 hours of antenatal education in small classes (n=6-8 women), and focused on improving information and problem-solving skills for expectant parents in order to ease birth and the transition to parenthood. The control group received standard auditorium-based lectures consisting of two times 2 hours in an auditorium with participation of ∼250 people. The primary trial outcome was use of epidural analgesia. Other types of pain relief and obstetric interventions were analysed as explorative outcomes. There was no statistically significant difference in use of epidural analgesia between participants in the intervention group (30.9%) versus the control group (29.1%), adjusted OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.34). Also, the two groups did not differ regarding other types of pain relief or obstetric interventions. Concomitant birth preparation was common in both groups and highest in the control group, but did not seem to influence our results noticeably. Antenatal education in small groups versus standard auditorium-based lectures did not differ regarding use of epidural analgesia, other pain relief, or obstetric interventions. NCT01672437; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  2. Synthesis by sol-gel and characterization of catalysts Ag/Al2O3- CeO2 for the elimination of nitric oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zayas R, M.L.

    2005-01-01

    The environmental pollution is one from the big problems to solve at the present time, because the quality of the alive beings life is affected. For such reason, more clean and economic technologies are required, that it conduces to develop new catalytic alternatives to diminish the nitrogen oxides that due to its chemical processes in the environment contribute considerably in the air pollution. The main objective of the present work, is the preparation and characterization of catalytic materials with base of silver supported in simple and mixed aluminium oxides (Al 2 O 3 ) and Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ), and its catalytic evaluation that through of the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) using hydrogen (H 2 ) as reducer agent. It was synthesized alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) and Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) and mixed oxides (Al 2 O 3 - CeO 2 ), by the sol-gel method and the cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) by precipitation of the cerium nitrate (III) hexa hydrated. The oxides were stabilized thermally at 900 C by 5 hr. The catalysts were prepared by impregnation using silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ), the nominal concentration of Ag was of 5% in weight. The catalysts were reduced at 400 C by 2 hr, in hydrogen flow of 60 cc/min. The characterization of the catalytic materials was carried out through different techniques as: nitrogen adsorption to determine the surface area BET, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe the final morphology of the catalysts, X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the crystalline phases of the catalytic materials, Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) to know the structural characterization of the catalysts, reduction to programmed temperature (TPR) to evidence the interaction metal-support. The catalytic properties of the catalysts were evaluated in the model reaction NO + H 2 , to determine the activity and selectivity. The results indicate that the preparation technique, the precursors and the thermal treatments that underwent these materials influence in the catalyst and by

  3. Estrongiloidíase em pacientes com pênfigo foliáceo

    OpenAIRE

    Tavares-Neto,José; Alves,Denise Barcelos; Franciscon,José Umberto; Serrano,Carlos Roberto S.

    1991-01-01

    Em 30 pacientes com pênfigo foliáceo, a freqüência da estrongiloidíase foi de 40,0%, através de três exames de Baermann-Moraes. No "Hospital do Pênfigo", em Uberaba, as freqüências da estrongiloidíase nos funcionários (n = 14) e escolares (n = 47) da Escola-creche, anexa, também foram altas, respectivamente 35,7% e 23,4%. Em 7 (58,3 %) das 12 amostras do solo, do jardim/pátio do "Hospital", foram observadas formas de vida livre do Strongyloides stercoralis. O fator ambiental e a predisposição...

  4. Self-rated health in different social classes of Slovenian adult population: nationwide cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farkas, Jerneja; Pahor, Majda; Zaletel-Kragelj, Lijana

    2011-02-01

    Self-rated health can be influenced by several characteristics of the social environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between self-rated health and self-assessed social class in Slovenian adult population. The study was based on the Countrywide Integrated Non-communicable Diseases Intervention Health Monitor database. During 2004, 8,741/15,297 (57.1%) participants aged 25-64 years returned posted self-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to determine unadjusted and adjusted estimates of association between poor self-rated health and self-assessed social class. Poor self-rated health was reported by 9.6% of participants with a decrease from lower to upper-middle/upper self-assessed social class (35.9 vs. 3.7%). Logistic regression showed significant association between self-rated health and all self-assessed social classes. In an adjusted model, poor self-rated health remained associated with self-assessed social class (odds ratio for lower vs. upper-middle/upper self-assessed social class 4.23, 95% confidence interval 2.46-7.25; P social classes. Participants from lower self-assessed social class reported poor self-rated health most often and should comprise the focus of multisectoral interventions.

  5. Promoting children's health through physically active math classes: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erwin, Heather E; Abel, Mark G; Beighle, Aaron; Beets, Michael W

    2011-03-01

    School-based interventions are encouraged to support youth physical activity (PA). Classroom-based PA has been incorporated as one component of school wellness policies. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of integrating PA with mathematics content on math class and school day PA levels of elementary students. Participants include four teachers and 75 students. Five math classes are taught without PA integration (i.e., baseline) followed by 13 math classes that integrate PA. Students wear pedometers and accelerometers to track PA during math class and throughout the school day. Students perform significantly more PA on school days and in math classes during the intervention. In addition, students perform higher intensity (step min(-1)) PA during PA integration math classes compared with baseline math classes. Integrating PA into the classroom is an effective alternative approach to improving PA levels among youth and is an important component of school-based wellness policies.

  6. Photocatalytic degradation effect of malachite green and catalytic hydrogenation by UV-illuminated CeO2/CdO multilayered nanoplatelet arrays: Investigation of antifungal and antimicrobial activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maria Magdalane, C; Kaviyarasu, K; Judith Vijaya, J; Jayakumar, C; Maaza, M; Jeyaraj, B

    2017-04-01

    CeO 2 /CdO multi-layered nanoplatelet arrays have been synthesized by sol-gel method at two different temperatures using Citrus limonum fruit extract and the effect of particle size on the photocatalytic performance is studied. The particle size and phases was analysed by X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) which brought out the formation of cubic phase in the synthesized samples. Field Emission Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed the surface morphology and made up of cumulative form of platelet shaped arrays with an average size of 10nm. The elemental composition and the purity of the nanomaterials were confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). CeO 2 /CdO multilayered binary metal oxide nanoplatelet arrays were formed which was further explored with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), it reveals that the nanocomposites contain CeO and CdO bonds. Determination of the direct and indirect bandgap energy of the nanoplatelet arrays was carried out by UV-Vis-DRS studies. In MG degradation, both the hole (h + ) and hydroxyl radical (OH) played a major role than the superoxide radical (O 2 - ). Possible photo degradation mechanisms are proposed and discussed in this article. CeO 2 /CdO multi-layered nanoplatelet arrays showed antibacterial activity and among the tested ones, it showed better growth inhibition towards P. aeruginosa MTCC73. Thus, this greener synthetic procedure was a highly effective method due to low-cost, highly effective UV light responsive material for environmental safety. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Leadership and priority setting: the perspective of hospital CEOs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeleder, David; Goel, Vivek; Singer, Peter A; Martin, Douglas K

    2006-11-01

    The role of leadership in health care priority setting remains largely unexplored. While the management leadership literature has grown rapidly, the growing literature on priority setting in health care has looked in other directions to improve priority setting practices--to health economics and ethical approaches. Consequently, potential for improvement in hospital priority setting practices may be overlooked. A qualitative study involving interviews with 46 Ontario hospital CEOs was done to describe the role of leadership in priority setting through the perspective of hospital leaders. For the first time, we report a framework of leadership domains including vision, alignment, relationships, values and process to facilitate priority setting practices in health services' organizations. We believe this fledgling framework forms the basis for the sharing of good leadership practices for health reform. It also provides a leadership guide for decision makers to improve the quality of their leadership, and in so doing, we believe, the fairness of their priority setting.

  8. 121Sb-NMR study of filled skutterudite CeOs4Sb12

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yogi, M.; Niki, H.; Mukuda, H.; Kitaoka, Y.; Sugawara, H.; Sato, H.

    2007-01-01

    121 Sb nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of filled skutterudite compound CeOs 4 Sb 12 has been carried out to investigate a spin fluctuation below T∼25K. In spite of a powdered sample, many sharp peaks, similar to a data for single crystal, were observed because of an orientation of the sample from the anisotropy of the magnetization. A numerical calculation well reproduces resonance fields for Sb(1) sites with H parallel V zz . The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate divided by temperature 1/T 1 T shows continuous decrease with increasing magnetic field, indicating a suppression of the spin fluctuation by the field

  9. Guideline-based intervention to reduce telemetry rates in a large tertiary centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramkumar, Satish; Tsoi, Edward H; Raghunath, Ajay; Dias, Floyd F; Li Wai Suen, Christopher; Tsoi, Andrew H; Mansfield, Darren R

    2017-07-01

    Inappropriate cardiac telemetry use is associated with reduced patient flow and increased healthcare costs. To evaluate the outcomes of guideline-based application of cardiac telemetry. Phase I involved a prospective audit (March to August 2011) of telemetry use at a tertiary hospital. Data were collected on indication for telemetry and clinical outcomes. Phase II prospectively included patients more than 18 years under general medicine requiring ward-based telemetry. As phase II occurred at a time remotely from phase I, an audit similar to phase I (phase II - baseline) was completed prior to a 3-month intervention (May to August 2015). The intervention consisted of a daily telemetry ward round and an admission form based on the American Heart Association guidelines (class I, telemetry indicated; class II, telemetry maybe indicated; class III, telemetry not indicated). Patient demographics, telemetry data, and clinical outcomes were studied. Primary endpoint was the percentage reduction of class III indications, while secondary endpoint included telemetry duration. In phase I (n = 200), 38% were admitted with a class III indication resulting in no change in clinical management. A total of 74 patients was included in phase II baseline (mean ± standard deviation (SD) age 73 years ± 14.9, 57% male), whilst 65 patients were included in the intervention (mean ± SD age 71 years ± 18.4, 35% male). Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. There was a reduction in class III admissions post-intervention from 38% to 11%, P 0.05). Guideline-based telemetry admissions and a regular telemetry ward round are associated with a reduction in inappropriate telemetry use. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  10. Reading literacy intervention with fifth graders in Lima

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Morales Silva

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the effects of the reading comprehension program Lectura for fifth graders of middle-class and low-class social economic backgrounds in Lima (Peru on read­ing literacy and reading motivation. The intervention emphasized reading strategies and dimensions of reading motivation. ANOVA was used in order to calculate the effects of measurement point, group, social economic status and gender on reading comprehension and reading motivation. Results showed that reading literacy increased more in the interven­tion group than in the control group. Children from the low social economic background benefited more from the intervention than children with a middle social economic back­ground. The program had also a significant impact on children’s reading motivation.

  11. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Reduction in Medical Education: Humor as an Intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramesh Narula

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: In recent years there has been a growing appreciation of the issues of quality of life and stresses involved in medical training as this may affect their learning and academic performance. Objective of the study was to explore the effectiveness of humor when used as intervention in large group teaching over negative emotions amongst students. Method: The present Interventional, Randomized control trial study was carried out on medical students of 4th Semester of RMCH, Bareilly, which has total 90 students. Using simple random sampling lottery method the whole class was divided in two groups-A and B consisting of 45 students each. Group A as control group and Group B experimental group. In first and last lecture of both groups Dass-21 was used as measuring scale, for depression, anxiety and stress and results were compared to see the effect of humor on these three negative emotions. Result: Comparison of Severe and Extremely severe Stress: In Group A 40.54% in class -1 increased to 47.54% in class- 4, while in group B initial 13.15 % was reduced to 0 % (highly significant. Anxiety: In group A, after Class 1 -57.45% increased to 61.11% after class 4, while in group B, after class 1- 23.68% reduced to 2.27% only (highly significant. Depression: In group A, after Class 1 - 40.53% & 41.66 % after class 4 (not significant, while in group B, after class 1- 18.41% reduced to 0% (highly significant. Conclusion: In present study humor was found to be very effective intervention in relieving students on their negative emotions of depression, anxiety and stress to a larger extent. Further research would justify the use of humor as an effective teaching aid in medical education.

  12. Direct synthesis and structure characterization of ultrafine CeO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Chenguo; Zhang Zuwei; Liu Hong; Gao Puxian; Wang Zhonglin

    2006-01-01

    A new method to directly synthesize single-crystalline CeO 2 nanoparticles has been developed. The advantages of the method are rapid synthesis, at normal atmosphere, 100% productive ratio and low cost, with a great potential for scale-up. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra showed unusual peak width versus particle size, compared with Scherrer equation predictions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), electron diffraction and ultraviolet (UV) absorption were used to examine the particle size and microstructure to find out the cause. As a result, ultrafine particles with a size less than 6 nm were found to be self-assembled into a 'coherent interface', so that a large group of particles behave like a large single particle in XRD

  13. Online Class Review: Using Streaming-Media Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loudon, Marc; Sharp, Mark

    2006-01-01

    We present an automated system that allows students to replay both audio and video from a large nonmajors' organic chemistry class as streaming RealMedia. Once established, this system requires no technical intervention and is virtually transparent to the instructor. This gives students access to online class review at any time. Assessment has…

  14. Cetáceos de las aguas costeras del Pacífico norte y sur de Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damián Martínez-Fernández

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available De las 29 especies de cetáceos presentes en Costa Rica, se han realizado investigaciones exhaustivas solamente para tres especies. Lo anterior evidencia la poca información general existente sobre cetáceos, a pesar de que Costa Rica posee un notable crecimiento de actividades de avistamiento. Debido al uso que se está generando en las zonas costeras, cada vez se hace más necesario determinar la ocurrencia de cetáceos en zonas de alta actividad turística, con el fin de proponer medidas de conservación. En el presente estudio, se determinaron variables ambientales que estaban relacionadas con la presencia de especies registradas, a partir de 166 avistamientos entre el 2005 y 2006. Las especies con mayor proporción de avistamientos fueron Stenella attenuata (68%, seguida por Megaptera novaeangliae (13% y Tursiops truncatus (10%. La presencia del delfín manchado se relaciona con cambios de salinidad y trasparencia del agua, mientras que la de la ballena jorobada estuvo relacionada con el oleaje y la temperatura superficial del agua. Se confirma la presencia de 7 especies de cetáceos en dos zonas costeras del Pacífico de Costa Rica, de las cuales tres están presentes a lo largo del año. Se encontraron variables ambientales relacionadas con la presencia de al menos dos especies.Inshore cetaceans from the North and South Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Twenty nine cetacean species occur in Costa Rican waters but extensive research has been conducted only for three species. The latter shows there is a lack of general and local information about these mammals, even when the country, has shown a remarkable growth in whale watching activities. The increasing use of marine resources in coastal areas has also developed the need to determine the occurrence of cetaceans in areas showing high tourist presence, in order to propose sound conservation measures. In this study, environmental variables were determined and subsequently related to the

  15. TEM investigation of irradiation damage in single crystal CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye Bei; Kirk, Mark A.; Chen, Weiying; Oaks, Aaron; Rest, Jeffery; Yacout, Abdellatif; Stubbins, James F.

    2011-01-01

    In order to understand the evolution of radiation damage in oxide nuclear fuel, 150-1000 keV Kr ions were implanted into single crystal CeO 2 , as a simulation of fluorite ceramic UO 2 , while in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations were carried out. Two characteristic defect structures were investigated: dislocation/dislocation loops and nano-size gas bubbles. The growth behavior of defect clusters induced by 1 MeV Kr ions up to doses of 5 x 10 15 ions/cm 2 were followed at 600 deg. C and 800 deg. C. TEM micrographs clearly show the development of defect structures: nucleation of dislocation loops, transformation to extended dislocation lines, and the formation of tangled dislocation networks. The difference in dislocation growth rates at 600 deg. C and 800 deg. C revealed the important role which Ce-vacancies play in the loop formation process. Bubble formation, studied through 150 keV Kr implantations at room temperature and 600 deg. C, might be influenced by either the mobility of metal-vacancies correlated with at threshold temperature or the limitation of gas solubility as a function of temperature.

  16. Investigating an intervention to support computer simulation use in whole-class teaching

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rutten, N.P.G.; van Joolingen, W.R.; van der Veen, J.T.

    2016-01-01

    Going beyond simply measuring the effectiveness of a teaching approach with computer simulations during whole-class science instruction, we investigated the interaction between teachers and their students as well as searched for mechanisms in the pedagogical context related to teachers’

  17. Effects of nitrogen content in monocrystalline nano-CeO2 on the degradation of dye in indoor lighting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Dongfeng; Gu, Mingjie; Li, Ruixing; Yin, Shu; Song, Xiaozhen; Zhao, Bin; Li, Chengqiang; Li, Junping; Feng, Zhihai; Sato, Tsugio

    2013-01-01

    Azo dyes are an abundant class of synthetic dyes, however their complex structure makes them difficult to biologically degrade. We sought to degrade acid orange 7 (AO7) using nitrogen-doped nano-CeO 2 , which is a promising alternative photocatalyst to nitrogen-doped TiO 2 . Nitrogen-doped monocrystalline CeO 2 nanoparticles with various nitrogen contents were synthesized solvothermally at 120 o C from Ce(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O, triethanolamine, and ethanol. The CeO 2 monocrystals were between 7 and 8 nm in diameter. Nitrogen was shown to be incorporated into CeO 2 lattice from the results of the lattice parameter calculations, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and elemental analysis. The degradation of AO7 in water was investigated using a domestic 10 W compact fluorescent lamp. The degradation efficiency of AO7 by monocrystalline CeO 2 increased with increasing nitrogen content, reaching 97.6% for the sample with a N:Ce molar ratio of 0.3.

  18. Class C firework injuries in a pediatric population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCauley, R L; Stenberg, B A; Rutan, R L; Robson, M C; Heggers, J P; Herndon, D N

    1991-03-01

    Class C fireworks are those which can be readily purchased by the public. Between July 1971 and August 1988, 23 patients were admitted to our institution with firework injuries. Fourteen patients (60.9%) sustained injuries related to Class C fireworks. All patients were males with a mean age of 9.0 +/- 3.6 years, with a total body surface area (TBSA) burn of 18 +/- 20% with 10 +/- 15% being full thickness. Thirteen of the 14 patients required hospitalization. Five patients were admitted acutely and eight patients were referred to our institution at least 3 days postinjury. All patients required operative intervention in order to obtain wound closure. Patients admitted acutely showed a decrease in length of hospital stay and patient morbidity when compared to referral patients. Our data suggest that class C firework injuries, although small in terms of TBSA burned, result in full-thickness wounds that warrant aggressive surgical management.

  19. Medical students perceive better group learning processes when large classes are made to seem small.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hommes, Juliette; Arah, Onyebuchi A; de Grave, Willem; Schuwirth, Lambert W T; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; Bos, Gerard M J

    2014-01-01

    Medical schools struggle with large classes, which might interfere with the effectiveness of learning within small groups due to students being unfamiliar to fellow students. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of making a large class seem small on the students' collaborative learning processes. A randomised controlled intervention study was undertaken to make a large class seem small, without the need to reduce the number of students enrolling in the medical programme. The class was divided into subsets: two small subsets (n=50) as the intervention groups; a control group (n=102) was mixed with the remaining students (the non-randomised group n∼100) to create one large subset. The undergraduate curriculum of the Maastricht Medical School, applying the Problem-Based Learning principles. In this learning context, students learn mainly in tutorial groups, composed randomly from a large class every 6-10 weeks. The formal group learning activities were organised within the subsets. Students from the intervention groups met frequently within the formal groups, in contrast to the students from the large subset who hardly enrolled with the same students in formal activities. Three outcome measures assessed students' group learning processes over time: learning within formally organised small groups, learning with other students in the informal context and perceptions of the intervention. Formal group learning processes were perceived more positive in the intervention groups from the second study year on, with a mean increase of β=0.48. Informal group learning activities occurred almost exclusively within the subsets as defined by the intervention from the first week involved in the medical curriculum (E-I indexes>-0.69). Interviews tapped mainly positive effects and negligible negative side effects of the intervention. Better group learning processes can be achieved in large medical schools by making large classes seem small.

  20. Effect of template post-annealing on Y(Dy)BaCuO nucleation on CeO2 buffered metallic tapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xuefeng; Zhong, Yun; Zhong, Huaxiao; Fan, Feng; Sang, Lina; Li, Mengyao; Fang, Qiang; Zheng, Jiahui; Song, Haoyu; Lu, Yuming; Liu, Zhiyong; Bai, Chuanyi; Guo, Yanqun; Cai, Chuanbing

    2017-08-01

    Substrate engineering is very significant in the synthesis of the high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coated conductor. Here we design and synthesize several distinct and stable Cerium oxide (CeO2) surface reconstructions which are used to grow epitaxial films of the HTS YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO). To identify the influence of annealing and post-annealing surroundings on the nature of nucleation centers, including Ar/5%H2, humid Ar/5%H2 and O2 in high temperature annealing process, we study the well-controlled structure, surface morphology, crystal constants and surface redox processes of the ceria buffers by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field-emission scanning electronic microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The ceria film post-annealed under humid Ar/5%H2 gas shows the best buffer layer properties. Furthermore, the film absorbs more oxygen ions, which appears to contribute to oxygenation of superconductor film. The film is well-suited for ceria model studies as well as a perfect substitute for CeO2 bulk material.

  1. Fabricated CeO2 nanopowders as a novel sensing platform for advanced forensic, electrochemical and photocatalytic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohini, B. S.; Nagabhushana, H.; Darshan, G. P.; Basavaraj, R. B.; Sharma, S. C.; Sudarmani, R.

    2017-11-01

    In Forensic investigation, identification of various types of ridge details are essential in order to fix the criminals associated in various crimes. Even though several methods and labeling agents are available to visualize latent finger prints (LFPs) there is still simple, accurate, cost-effective, and non-destructive tool is required. In the present work, CeO2 nanopowders (NPs) are prepared via simple solution combustion route using Tamarindus indica fruit extract as a fuel. The optimized NPs are utilized for visualization of LFPs on various surfaces by powder dusting method. Results revealed that visualized LFPs exhibit Level 3 features such as pores and ridge contours under normal light with high sensitivity and without background hindrance. The photometric characteristics of the prepared samples exhibit blue color emission and highly useful in warm light emitting diodes. The photocatalytic studies were carried out with different Methylene blue (MB) dye concentration and pH values. The obtained results reveal that the CeO2 NPs exhibits an excellent catalytic properties which can act as a good catalytic reagent. The findings demonstrate that the prepared NPs are quite useful as a labeling agent for visualization of LFPs, efficient catalysts for dye degradation as well as solid-state lighting applications.

  2. Antenatal education in small classes may increase childbirth self-efficacy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brixval, Carina S; Axelsen, Solveig F; Thygesen, Lau C

    2016-01-01

    Antenatal education in small classes may increase childbirth self-efficacy. In this randomised trial we assessed the effect of a structured antenatal programme versus auditorium-based lectures on childbirth self-efficacy measured by three single items. We found that women in the intervention group...... reported statistically significant higher levels of confidence in their ability to cope at home during labour compared to the control group. Likewise, the intervention had a positive effect on the women's confidence in own ability to handle the birth process....

  3. Germination and early plant development of 10 plant species exposed to Nano TiO2 and CeO2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ten agronomic plant species were exposed to different concentrations of nano-TiO2 or CeO2 (0, 250, 500 and 1000 ug/l) and followed to examine effects on germination and early seedling development. For TiO2, cabbage showed increased and corn decreased percent germination, while ...

  4. Medical Students Perceive Better Group Learning Processes when Large Classes Are Made to Seem Small

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hommes, Juliette; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; de Grave, Willem; Schuwirth, Lambert W. T.; Scherpbier, Albert J. J. A.; Bos, Gerard M. J.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Medical schools struggle with large classes, which might interfere with the effectiveness of learning within small groups due to students being unfamiliar to fellow students. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of making a large class seem small on the students' collaborative learning processes. Design A randomised controlled intervention study was undertaken to make a large class seem small, without the need to reduce the number of students enrolling in the medical programme. The class was divided into subsets: two small subsets (n = 50) as the intervention groups; a control group (n = 102) was mixed with the remaining students (the non-randomised group n∼100) to create one large subset. Setting The undergraduate curriculum of the Maastricht Medical School, applying the Problem-Based Learning principles. In this learning context, students learn mainly in tutorial groups, composed randomly from a large class every 6–10 weeks. Intervention The formal group learning activities were organised within the subsets. Students from the intervention groups met frequently within the formal groups, in contrast to the students from the large subset who hardly enrolled with the same students in formal activities. Main Outcome Measures Three outcome measures assessed students' group learning processes over time: learning within formally organised small groups, learning with other students in the informal context and perceptions of the intervention. Results Formal group learning processes were perceived more positive in the intervention groups from the second study year on, with a mean increase of β = 0.48. Informal group learning activities occurred almost exclusively within the subsets as defined by the intervention from the first week involved in the medical curriculum (E-I indexes>−0.69). Interviews tapped mainly positive effects and negligible negative side effects of the intervention. Conclusion Better group learning processes can be

  5. Early class III occlusal tendency in children and its selective management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kapur A

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Class III malocclusion may develop in children as a result of an inherent growth abnormality, i.e., true class III malocclusion, or as a result of premature occlusal contacts causing forward functional shift of the mandible, which is known as pseudo class III malocclusion. These cases, if not treated at the initial stage of development, interfere with normal growth of the skeletal bases and may result in severe facial deformities. The treatment should be carried out as early as possible with the aim of permitting normal growth. This paper deals with the selection of an appropriate treatment approach from the various current options available for early intervention in children developing class III occlusal tendencies; the different clinical features are depicted in the three case reports.

  6. Evaluating the Intervention of an Ethics Class in Students' Ethical Decision-Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Marquita

    2011-01-01

    In this pilot study, the author evaluated the impact of an ethics class in terms of students' ethical decision-making. The research compares aggregate responses from scenario-based pre- and post-survey open-ended survey questions designed to elicit changes in ethical decision-making by comparing students' cognitive and affective perceptions about…

  7. Feasibility of Delivering a Dance Intervention for SubAcute Stroke in a Rehabilitation Hospital Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demers, Marika; McKinley, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    Dance can be a promising treatment intervention used in rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities to address physical, cognitive and psychological impairments. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a modified dance intervention as an adjunct therapy designed for people with subacute stroke, in a rehabilitation setting. Using a descriptive qualitative study design, a biweekly 45-min dance intervention was offered to individuals with a subacute stroke followed in a rehabilitation hospital, over 4 weeks. The dance intervention followed the structure of an usual dance class, but the exercises were modified and progressed to meet each individual’s needs. The dance intervention, delivered in a group format, was feasible in a rehabilitation setting. A 45-min dance class of moderate intensity was of appropriate duration and intensity for individuals with subacute stroke to avoid excessive fatigue and to deliver the appropriate level of challenge. The overall satisfaction of the participants towards the dance class, the availability of space and equipment, and the low level of risks contributed to the feasibility of a dance intervention designed for individuals in the subacute stage of post-stroke recovery. PMID:25785497

  8. Feasibility of Delivering a Dance Intervention for SubAcute Stroke in a Rehabilitation Hospital Setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marika Demers

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Dance can be a promising treatment intervention used in rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities to address physical, cognitive and psychological impairments. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a modified dance intervention as an adjunct therapy designed for people with subacute stroke, in a rehabilitation setting. Using a descriptive qualitative study design, a biweekly 45-min dance intervention was offered to individuals with a subacute stroke followed in a rehabilitation hospital, over 4 weeks. The dance intervention followed the structure of an usual dance class, but the exercises were modified and progressed to meet each individual’s needs. The dance intervention, delivered in a group format, was feasible in a rehabilitation setting. A 45-min dance class of moderate intensity was of appropriate duration and intensity for individuals with subacute stroke to avoid excessive fatigue and to deliver the appropriate level of challenge. The overall satisfaction of the participants towards the dance class, the availability of space and equipment, and the low level of risks contributed to the feasibility of a dance intervention designed for individuals in the subacute stage of post-stroke recovery.

  9. Non-Enzymatic Glucose Biosensor Based on CuO-Decorated CeO2 Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panpan Guan

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Copper oxide (CuO-decorated cerium oxide (CeO2 nanoparticles were synthesized and used to detect glucose non-enzymatically. The morphological characteristics and structure of the nanoparticles were characterized through transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The sensor responses of electrodes to glucose were investigated via an electrochemical method. The CuO/CeO2 nanocomposite exhibited a reasonably good sensitivity of 2.77 μA mM−1cm−2, an estimated detection limit of 10 μA, and a good anti-interference ability. The sensor was also fairly stable under ambient conditions.

  10. Social class & risk preferences and behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kish-Gephart, Jennifer J

    2017-12-01

    This paper reviews recent work regarding the link between one's societal ranking (or social class), and risk preferences and behavior. While the topic of social class and its relationship to risk has been studied only tentatively in psychology, preliminary evidence suggests that experiences with rank, access to resources, and movement between classes have a meaningful impact on people's risk preferences and behaviors. Yet, a clear pattern of results remains elusive. Some studies suggest that lower social class standing is related to risk aversion, while others suggest it is related to risk taking. These mixed results highlight the need for future research that examines when and why lower social class standing is related to more or less risky decisions. By shedding light on this important phenomenon, the hope is to offer intervention opportunities that influence policies and mitigate inequality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Assessing Hubbard-corrected AM05+U and PBEsol+U density functionals for strongly correlated oxides CeO_2 and Ce_2O_3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weck, Philippe F.; Kim, Eunja

    2016-01-01

    The structure–property relationships of bulk CeO_2 and Ce_2O_3 have been investigated using AM05 and PBEsol exchange–correlation functionals within the frameworks of Hubbard-corrected density functional theory (DFT+U) and density functional perturbation theory (DFPT+U). Compared with conventional PBE+U, RPBE+U, PW91+U and LDA+U functionals, AM05+U and PBEsol+U describe experimental crystalline parameters and properties of CeO_2 and Ce_2O_3 with superior accuracy, especially when +U is chosen close to its value derived by the linear-response approach. Lastly, the present findings call for a reexamination of some of the problematic oxide materials featuring strong f- and d-electron correlation using AM05+U and PBEsol+U.

  12. Crustáceos decápodos de la cuenca del Río Sinú, Córdoba, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Alexander Quirós Rodríguez

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Para evaluar la composición, abundancia y distribución de los crustáceos decápodos en la cuenca del río Sinú, departamento de Córdoba (Colombia, se estudiaron ocho localidades: cuatro en el río Sinú y cuatro en el complejo cenagoso del bajo Sinú. Para ello, se realizaron seis muestreos entre abril de 2005 y mayo de 2006. En total se registraron 458 crustáceos decápodos distribuidos en tres familias, seis géneros y ocho especies. La familia mejor representada fue Trichodactylidae con cuatro géneros y cuatro especies, seguida de Palaemonidae con un género y tres especies, mientras que de la familia Atyidae solo registró una especie. Especies como Macrobrachium carcinus y M. acanthurus, presentaron el rango más amplio de distribución, siendo características tanto para el rio Sinú como para el CCBS. Entre las especies identificadas, Atya crassa en el río Sinú y Trichodactylus quinquedentatus en el CCBS son nuevos registros para el departamento de Córdoba.

  13. EXAFS analysis of the L3 edge of Ce in CeO2: effects of multielectron excitations and final-state mixed valence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonda, E.; Andreatta, D.; Colavita, P.E.; Vlaic, G.

    1999-01-01

    Cerium oxide (IV) (CeO 2 ) is extensively employed in heterogeneous catalysis, particularly as a promoter of noble metal action in three-way catalysts. For this reason there is a great scientific and economical interest in the development of any possible chemical or structural analysis technique that could provide information on these systems. EXAFS spectroscopy has revealed itself as a powerful technique for structural characterization of such catalysts. Unfortunately, good quality K-edge spectra of cerium are not yet easily obtainable because of the high photon energy required (>40 keV). On the other hand, at lower energies it is easy to collect very good spectra of the L 3 edge (5.5 keV), but L 3 -edge spectra of cerium (IV) are characterized by the presence of two undesired additional phenomena that interfere with EXAFS analysis: final-state mixed-valence behaviour and intense multi-electron excitations. Here, a comparative analysis of the K, L 3 , L 2 and L 1 edges of Ce in CeO 2 has been made and a procedure for obtaining structural parameters from L 3 -edge EXAFS, even in the presence of these features, has been developed. This procedure could allow further studies of catalytic compounds containing tetravalent cerium surrounded by oxygen ligands. (au)

  14. Changes in Classes of Injury-Related Risks and Consequences of Risk-Level Drinking: a Latent Transition Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cochran, Gerald; Field, Craig; Caetano, Raul

    2015-07-01

    Risk-level drinking, drinking and driving, and alcohol-related violence are risk factors that result in injuries. The current study sought to identify which subgroups of patients experience the most behavioral change following a brief intervention. A secondary analysis of data from a brief alcohol intervention study was conducted. The sample (N = 664) includes at-risk drinkers who experienced an injury and were admitted for care to a Level 1 trauma center. Injury-related items from the Short Inventory of Problems+6 were used to perform a latent transition analysis to describe class transitions participants experienced following discharge. Four classes emerged for the year before and after the current injury. Most individuals transitioned from higher-risk classes into those with lower risk. Some participants maintained risky profiles, and others increased risks and consequences. Drinking and driving remained a persistent problem among the study participants. Although a large portion of intervention recipients improved risks and consequences of alcohol use following discharge, more intensive intervention services may be needed for a subset of patients who showed little or no improvement.

  15. An Intervention Study on Mental Computation for Second Graders in Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Der-Ching; Huang, Ke-Lun

    2014-01-01

    The authors compared the mental computation performance and mental strategies used by an experimental Grade 2 class and a control Grade 2 class before and after instructional intervention. Results indicate that students in the experimental group had better performance on mental computation. The use of mental strategies (counting, separation,…

  16. Delivering phonological and phonics training within whole-class teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro, Laura R; Solity, Jonathan

    2008-12-01

    Early, intensive phonological awareness and phonics training is widely held to be beneficial for children with poor phonological awareness. However, most studies have delivered this training separately from children's normal whole-class reading lessons. We examined whether integrating this training into whole class, mixed-ability reading lessons could impact on children with poor phonological awareness, whilst also benefiting normally developing readers. Teachers delivered the training within a broad reading programme to whole classes of children from Reception to the end of Year 1 (N=251). A comparison group of children received standard teaching methods (N=213). Children's literacy was assessed at the beginning of Reception, and then at the end of each year until 1 year post-intervention. The strategy significantly impacted on reading performance for normally developing readers and those with poor phonological awareness, vastly reducing the incidence of reading difficulties from 20% in comparison schools to 5% in intervention schools. Phonological and phonics training is highly effective for children with poor phonological awareness, even when incorporated into whole-class teaching.

  17. Does HOPSports Promote Youth Physical Activity in Physical Education Classes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Stephanie T.; Shores, Kindal A.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated how a technological intervention, HOPSports (HOPS), impacted youth physical activity (PA) in a physical education (PE) class. Research indicates rising levels of youth television watching and video game use, physical inactivity, and related overweight. One approach to increase youth PA is to use technology-based…

  18. Distribución de los microcrustáceos en lagunas de Castilla-La Mancha. Ciclos estacionales y migración vertical en lagunas cársticas estratificadas

    OpenAIRE

    Boronat Chirivella, Mª Dolores

    2003-01-01

    RESUMEN Este trabajo presenta el estudio ecológico de los microcrustáceos planctónicos o semiplanctónicos de las aguas continentales siendo tres los objetivos principales. (1). Relacionar la distribución de estos organismos con las características físico-químicas de sus hábitats e intentar establecer una tipología de los mismos basada en las asociaciones de microcrustáceos. Se estudiaron los litorales de 45 lagunas de Castilla-La Mancha, encontrándose un total de 82 especies (32 copépod...

  19. Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of Clostridium perfringens DNA Based Morphology-Dependent DNA Adsorption Properties of CeO2 Nanorods in Dairy Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingcan Qian

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Foodborne pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens can cause diverse illnesses and seriously threaten to human health, yet far less attention has been given to detecting these pathogenic bacteria. Herein, two morphologies of nanoceria were synthesized via adjusting the concentration of NaOH, and CeO2 nanorod has been utilized as sensing material to achieve sensitive and selective detection of C. perfringens DNA sequence due to its strong adsorption ability towards DNA compared to nanoparticle. The DNA probe was tightly immobilized on CeO2/chitosan modified electrode surface via metal coordination, and the DNA surface density was 2.51 × 10−10 mol/cm2. Under optimal experimental conditions, the electrochemical impedance biosensor displays favorable selectivity toward target DNA in comparison with base-mismatched and non-complementary DNA. The dynamic linear range of the proposed biosensor for detecting oligonucleotide sequence of Clostridium perfringens was from 1.0 × 10−14 to 1.0 × 10−7 mol/L. The detection limit was 7.06 × 10−15 mol/L. In comparison, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV method quantified the target DNA with a detection limit of 1.95 × 10−15 mol/L. Moreover, the DNA biosensor could detect C. perfringens extracted DNA in dairy products and provided a potential application in food quality control.

  20. Hydrocracking of cumene over Ni/Al 2O 3 as influenced by CeO 2 doping and γ-irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Shobaky, G. A.; Doheim, M. M.; Ghozza, A. M.

    2004-01-01

    Cumene hydrocracking was carried out over pure and doped Ni/Al 2O 3 solids and also, on these solids after exposure to different doses of γ-rays between 0.4 and 1.6 MGy. The dopant concentration was varied between 1 and 4 mol% CeO 2. Pure and doped samples were subjected to heat treatment at 400°C and cumene hydrocracking reaction was carried out using various solids at temperatures between 250°C and 400°C by means of micropulse technique. The results showed that both CeO 2 doping and γ-irradiation of the investigated system brought about an increase in its specific surface area. γ-irradiation of pure samples increased their catalytic activities effectively. However, the doping caused a decrease in the catalytic activity. γ-irradiation of the doped samples brought about a net decrease in the catalytic activity. The catalytic reaction products over different investigated solids were ethylbenzene as a major product together with different amounts of toluene, benzene and C 1-C 3 gaseous hydrocarbons. The selectivity towards the formation of various reaction products varies with the reaction temperature, doping and γ-irradiation.

  1. A pilot study: mindfulness meditation intervention in COPD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Roxane Raffin; Giardino, Nicholas; Larson, Janet L

    2015-01-01

    Living well with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires people to manage disease-related symptoms in order to participate in activities of daily living. Mindfulness practice is an intervention that has been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic disease and improve accurate symptom assessment, both of which could result in improved disease management and increased wellness for people with COPD. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate an 8-week mindful meditation intervention program tailored for the COPD population and explore the use of breathing timing parameters as a possible physiological measure of meditation uptake. Results demonstrated that those randomized to the mindful meditation intervention group (N=19) had a significant increase in respiratory rate over time as compared to those randomized to the wait-list group (N=22) (P=0.045). It was also found that the mindful meditation intervention group demonstrated a significant decrease in level of mindfulness over time as compared to the wait-list group (P=0.023). When examining participants from the mindful meditation intervention who had completed six or more classes, it was found that respiratory rate did not significantly increase in comparison to the wait-list group. Furthermore, those who completed six or more classes (N=12) demonstrated significant improvement in emotional function in comparison to the wait-list group (P=0.032) even though their level of mindfulness did not improve. This study identifies that there may be a complex relationship between breathing parameters, emotion, and mindfulness in the COPD population. The results describe good feasibility and acceptability for meditation interventions in the COPD population. PMID:25767382

  2. Tuning the hybridization and magnetic ground state of electron and hole doped CeOs2Al10 : An x-ray spectroscopy study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kai; Sundermann, Martin; Strigari, Fabio; Kawabata, Jo; Takabatake, Toshiro; Tanaka, Arata; Bencok, Peter; Choueikani, Fadi; Severing, Andrea

    2018-04-01

    Here we present linear and circular polarized soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data at the Ce M4 ,5 edges of the electron (Ir) and hole-doped (Re) Kondo semiconductor CeOs2Al10 . Both substitutions have a strong impact on the unusual high Néel temperature TN=28.5 K, and also the direction of the ordered moment in case of Ir. The substitution dependence of the linear dichroism is weak thus validating the crystal-field description of CeOs2Al10 being representative for the Re and Ir substituted compounds. The impact of electron and hole doping on the hybridization between conduction and 4 f electrons is related to the amount of f0 in the ground state and reduction of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. A relationship of c f -hybridization strength and enhanced TN is discussed. The direction and doping dependence of the circular dichroism strongly supports the idea of strong Kondo screening along the crystallographic a direction.

  3. Everyone Playing in Class: A Group Play Provision for Enhancing the Emotional Well-Being of Children in School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolf, Alison

    2011-01-01

    "Everyone Playing in Class" is an unstructured free play based provision for small classes or groups. The intervention involves training staff in attachment theory, presenting up-to-date research findings on the role of play in emotional well-being and relationship building, as well as teaching reflective communication skills. In this…

  4. Study of the defect structure of ''pure'' and doped nonstoichiometric CeO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blumenthal, R.N.

    1975-09-01

    Electrical conductivity and thermogravimetric measurements were made on Ta 2 O 5 -doped nonstoichiometric CeO 2 (i.e. Ce/sub 1-y/Ta/sub y/O/sub 2-x/ ) as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Over a limited range of temperature and nonstoichiometry, the isothermal dependence of the electrical conductivity on nonstoichiometry may be described by the equation sigma = A + Bx, where A is the electronic conductivity associated with the electronic defects produced by doping CeO 2 with Ta 2 O 5 . The electronic conductivity resulting from the nonstoichiometric defect reaction O/sup x/ + 2Ce/sub Ce//sup x/ = V 0 + 2Ce'sub Ce/ + 1 / 2 O 2 (g) is equal to Bx. The ionic conductivity may be described by the relation sigma/sub i/ = B[y+x]eμ'/sub V 0 / exp (--E/sub i//kT), and the electronic conductivity by the isothermal expressions sigma/sub e/ proportional to P/sub O 2 //sup -1/4/ and sigma/sub e/ proportional to x; x less than 3 x 10 -2 . These results are consistent with defect models involving doubly ionized oxygen vacancies. An empirical expression (i.e. Δ anti H/sub O 2 / proportional to y/2 or z/4) was obtained relating the dependence of Δ anti H/sub O 2 / on the dopant concentration of lower valent foreign cations (e.g. y/2 for Ce/sub 1-y/M/sub y/O/sub 2-y-x/ and z/4 for Ce/sub 1-z/M/sub z/O/sub 2-z/2-x/ where M = Ca, Sr and M' = Y, La). (auth)

  5. Sintering behaviour of CeO2-Gd2O3 powders prepared by the oxalate coprecipitation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duran, P.; Jurado, J.R.; Moure, C.

    1993-01-01

    The powder and compact characteristics as well as the sintering behaviour of two CeO 2 -Gd 2 O 3 compositions prepared by the oxalate coprecipitation method are studied as a function of the powder particle size and the pore-size distribution in the powder compacts. Shrinkage was measured at a constant heating rate and the results are compared with those obtained by isothermal sintering experiments. Grain growth and microstructural development on sintered samples were studied. (orig.)

  6. A 3-year physical activity intervention program increases the gain in bone mineral and bone width in prepubertal girls but not boys: the prospective copenhagen school child interventions study (CoSCIS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasselstrøm, H A; Karlsson, M K; Hansen, S E; Grønfeldt, V; Froberg, K; Andersen, L B

    2008-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing the amount of time spent in physical education classes on bone mineral accrual and gain in bone size in prepubertal Danish children. A total of 135 boys and 108 girls, aged 6-8 years, were included in a school-based curriculum intervention program where the usual time spent in physical education classes was doubled to four classes (180 min) per week. The control group comprised age-matched children (62 boys and 76 girls) recruited from a separate community who completed the usual Danish school curriculum of physical activity (90 min/week). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to evaluate bone mineral content (BMC; g), bone mineral density (g/cm(2)), and bone width at the calcaneus and distal forearm before and after 3 years of intervention. Anthropometrics and Tanner stages were evaluated on the same occasions. General physical activity was measured with an accelerometer worn for 4 days. In girls, the intervention group had a 12.5% increase (P = 0.04) in distal forearm BMC and a 13.2% increase (P = 0.005) in distal forearm scanned area compared with girls in the control group. No differences were found between the intervention and control groups in boys. Increasing the frequency of physical education classes for prepubertal children is associated with a higher accrual of bone mineral and higher gain in bone size after 3 years in girls but not in boys.

  7. CEO Appointments and the Loss of Firm-specific Knowledge - Putting Integrity Back into Hiring Decisions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rost, Katja; Salomo, Søren

    2008-01-01

    that over the past decades the dishonesty of the predecessor has become relatively more important for the appointment decisions of firms. We conclude that outside hires are a suboptimal trend because external candidates even step up the regression of integrity in firms: As nobody has an incentive to invest......A rarely studied trend in corporate governance is the increasing tendency to fill CEO openings through external hires rather than through internal promotions: Kevin J. Murphy and Ján Zábojník (2004) show that the proportion of outside hires has doubled and their pay premium almost quadrupled over...

  8. September 11, 2001. A CEO's story.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, Jeffrey W

    2002-10-01

    On the day of the terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center, 1,779 employees of Marsh & McLennan Companies had office space in the twin towers, and another 129 were visiting that day. From his office at MMC headquarters in midtown, CEO Jeffrey Greenberg watched in horror as the second plane hit. By the time the towers fell, he had gathered a team of his colleagues to begin to outline how the company would respond. In this first-person account, Greenberg relates what it was like to manage through the unimaginable. The needs of MMC's people, and the families of employees who perished, took top priority. In the midst of chaos and unforeseeable problems, Greenberg and his colleagues improvised ways of communicating and assembled a broad-based program of support. Help appeared from all sides, from people of various ranks, titles, and functional expertise within MMC as well as past chairmen, outside directors, and retired executives. An emergency communications center was immediately set up at MMC headquarters and became a centralized location for messages and information and a memorial to colleagues lost in the attacks. The company arranged for grief counselors and established a family assistance center and a Family Relationship Management Program for those who had lost MMC employees. It has also provided families with access to long-term psychological and financial counseling. At the same time, Greenberg offers lessons about leadership, company culture, and adaptability. He and his colleagues held responsibility for a business beset by operational destruction and financial losses and facing dramatically changed market conditions. Their resolve was not simply to keep it on course but to come back stronger than ever.

  9. A CEO roundtable on making mergers succeed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandl, A; Bohnett, D; Liddy, E; Komansky, D; Kozlowski, D; Leschly, J; Gupta, R; McDonald, M; Avery, B; Moore, N; Krekel, T

    2000-01-01

    The announcement in January of the merger between America Online and Time Warner marked the convergence of the two most important business trends of the last five years--the rise of the Internet and the resurgence of mergers and acquisitions. M&A activity is at a fever pitch, spurred in large part by the breathtaking influx of capital into the Internet space. And all signs indicate the trend will only accelerate. Against this background, an impressive group of experienced deal makers came together to share their experiences of what makes mergers work. They were assembled in Scottsdale, Arizona, under the auspices of the M&A Group, a professional society formed in 1999 for CEOs interested in M&A as a business strategy. Participants included top executives from Internet start-ups like Teligent; venture capital firms like Baroda Ventures; financial institutions like Merrill Lynch and PricewaterhouseCoopers; and major corporations like Allstate, Tyco International, SmithKline Beecham, Rohm and Haas, VF, Crown Cork & Seal, and Hughes Space and Communications. The spirited and surprisingly frank discussion cut a wide swath, considering issues such as whether most mergers fail to pan out as well as expected, how to increase the odds of success, the nuts and bolts of the integration process, the trade-offs between acquiring a company and growing from within, the importance of cultural issues, and why anyone would want to be on the board of a merged company.

  10. Class effect of pharmacotherapy in bipolar disorder: fact or misbelief?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vieta Eduard

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Anecdotal reports suggests that most clinicians treat medications as belonging to a class with regard to all therapeutic indications; this means that the whole 'class' of drugs is considered to possesses a specific therapeutic action. The present article explores the possible existence of a true 'class effect' for agents available for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Methods We reviewed the available treatment data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs and explored 16 'agent class'/'treatment issue' cases for bipolar disorder. Four classes of agents were examined: first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs, second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs, antiepileptics and antidepressants, with respect to their efficacy on four treatment issues of bipolar disorder (BD (acute mania, acute bipolar depression, maintenance against mania, maintenance against depression. Results From the 16 'agent class'/' treatment issue' cases, only 3 possible class effects were detected, and they all concerned acute mania and antipsychotics. Four effect cases have not been adequately studied (FGAs against acute bipolar depression and in maintenance protection from depression, and antidepressants against acute mania and protection from mania and they all concern treatment cases with a high risk of switching to the opposite pole, thus research in these areas is poor. There is no 'class effect' at all concerning antiepileptics. Conclusions The available data suggest that a 'class effect' is the exception rather than the rule in the treatment of BD. However, the possible presence of a 'class effect' concept discourages clinicians from continued scientific training and reading. Focused educational intervention might be necessary to change this attitude.

  11. PRODUÇÃO DE QUITOSANA A PARTIR DA QUITINA EXTRAÍDA DE RESÍDUOS DE CRUSTÁCEOS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline de Souza Fontes

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available A atividade pesqueira brasileira gera um PIB de R$ 5 bilhõese mobiliza 800 mil profissionais. Em função desta atividade econômica, o descarte de resíduos de crustáceos sem nenhum tratamento tem se tornado um problema ambiental, uma proposta para minimiza-lo é a utilização destes resíduos para a obtenção de matéria prima de interesse industrial. Sendo assim, foi avaliado o efeito da concentração do NaOH no processo de obtenção da quitosana. Com base na utilização de materiais comuns de laboratório, a obtenção da quitosana foi realizada a partir da algumas etapas, como a desacetilação da quitina. Esta proposta demonstrou-se eficiente uma vez que o aumento no teor de NaOH promoveu um aumento no rendimento na produção da quitosana. Acredita-se que este trabalho venha a contribuir com a redução de resíduos de crustáceos, visto que o interesse industrial pela quitosana vem aumentando devido as suas propriedades bacteriostáticas, fungistática e cicatrizantes.

  12. STEM for Non-STEM Majors: Enhancing Science Literacy in Large Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Guang; Bierma, Tom

    2013-01-01

    This study evaluated a strategy using "clickers," POGIL (process oriented guided inquiry learning), and a focused science literacy orientation in an applied science course for non-STEM undergraduates taught in large classes. The effectiveness of these interventions in improving the science literacy of students was evaluated using a…

  13. RE-AIM Analysis of a School-Based Nutrition Education Intervention in Kindergarteners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Andrew L.; Liao, Yue; Alberts, Janel; Huh, Jimi; Robertson, Trina; Dunton, Genevieve F.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Few nutrition interventions in kindergarten classes have been evaluated, and none has been tested for program effectiveness, implementation, and dissemination. Building a Healthy Me (BHM) is a nutrition intervention for kindergarteners that is classroom-based and includes a family component. This study evaluated the public health…

  14. An evaluation of a body image intervention in adolescent girls delivered in single-sex versus co-educational classroom settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunstan, Candice J; Paxton, Susan J; McLean, Siân A

    2017-04-01

    Body dissatisfaction is now recognized as having considerable negative impact on social, psychological, and physical health, particularly in adolescent girls. Consequently, we have developed a six-session co-educational body image intervention (Happy Being Me Co-educational) designed to reduce body dissatisfaction and its risk factors in Grade 7 girls. In addition to evaluating the program's efficacy, we aimed to identify whether girls would benefit equally when it was delivered as a universal intervention to a whole class including both boys and girls (co-educational delivery), or delivered as a selective intervention to girls only (single-sex delivery). Participants were 200 Grade 7 girls from five schools in Melbourne, Australia. Schools were randomly allocated to receive the intervention in single-sex classes (n=74), co-educational classes (n=73), or participate as a no-intervention control (n=53). Girls completed self-report assessments of body dissatisfaction, psychological (internalization of the thin ideal, appearance comparison, and self-esteem) and peer environment (weight-related teasing and appearance conversations) risk factors for body dissatisfaction, and dietary restraint, at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Significant improvements in body dissatisfaction and psychological risk factors were observed in the intervention group at post-intervention and these were maintained at follow-up for psychological risk factors. Importantly, no significant differences between universal and selective delivery were observed, suggesting that the intervention is appropriate for dissemination in both modes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The Effects of the CW-FIT Group Contingency on Class-Wide and Individual Behavior in an Urban First Grade Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naylor, Anna Schmidt; Kamps, Debra; Wills, Howard

    2018-01-01

    The current study examined the effects of the Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), a class-wide group contingency, on the on-task behavior of all students in a first grade class and the on-task and disruptive behavior of three target students within that class who were nominated by their teacher through a behavioral screening.…

  16. Water-based synthesis of TiO2/CeO2 composites supported on plasma-treated montmorillonite for parathion methyl degradation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Henych, Jiří; Kormunda, M.; Šťastný, Martin; Janoš, P.; Vomáčka, Petr; Matoušek, J.; Štengl, Václav

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 144, AUG (2017), s. 26-35 ISSN 0169-1317 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015073 Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : Montmorillonite * Parathion methyl * Plasma treatment * TiO2 /CeO2 composites Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry OBOR OECD: Inorganic and nuclear chemistry Impact factor: 3.101, year: 2016

  17. Fostering Adolescents' Value Beliefs for Mathematics with a Relevance Intervention in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaspard, Hanna; Dicke, Anna-Lena; Flunger, Barbara; Brisson, Brigitte Maria; Häfner, Isabelle; Nagengast, Benjamin; Trautwein, Ulrich

    2015-01-01

    Interventions targeting students' perceived relevance of the learning content have been shown to effectively promote student motivation within science classes (e.g., Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009). Yet, further research is warranted to understand better how such interventions should be designed in order to be successfully implemented in the…

  18. Evidence of Coulomb correction and spinorbit coupling in rare-earth dioxides CeO 2, PrO 2 and TbO 2: An ab initio study

    KAUST Repository

    Kanoun, Mohammed; Reshak, A. H.; Kanoun-Bouayed, Nawel; Goumri-Said, Souraya

    2012-01-01

    The current study investigates the structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of CeO 2, PrO 2 and TbO 2 using the full potential (linearized) augmented plane wave plus local orbital method within the WuCohen generalized gradient approximation (GGA) with Hubbard (U) correction and spinorbit coupling (SOC). The GGAU implementation lead us to describe correctly the relativistic effect on 4f electrons for CeO 2. We clarify that the inclusion of the Hubbard U parameter and the spinorbit coupling are responsible for the ferromagnetic insulating of PrO 2 and TbO 2. The magnetic description is achieved by the spin-density contours and magnetic moment calculations, where we show the polarization of oxygen atoms from the rare earth atoms. The mechanical stability is shown via the elastic constants calculations. The optical properties, namely the dielectric function and the reflectivity are calculated for radiation up to 12 eV, giving interesting optoelectronic properties to these dioxides. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Evidence of Coulomb correction and spinorbit coupling in rare-earth dioxides CeO 2, PrO 2 and TbO 2: An ab initio study

    KAUST Repository

    Kanoun, Mohammed

    2012-04-01

    The current study investigates the structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of CeO 2, PrO 2 and TbO 2 using the full potential (linearized) augmented plane wave plus local orbital method within the WuCohen generalized gradient approximation (GGA) with Hubbard (U) correction and spinorbit coupling (SOC). The GGAU implementation lead us to describe correctly the relativistic effect on 4f electrons for CeO 2. We clarify that the inclusion of the Hubbard U parameter and the spinorbit coupling are responsible for the ferromagnetic insulating of PrO 2 and TbO 2. The magnetic description is achieved by the spin-density contours and magnetic moment calculations, where we show the polarization of oxygen atoms from the rare earth atoms. The mechanical stability is shown via the elastic constants calculations. The optical properties, namely the dielectric function and the reflectivity are calculated for radiation up to 12 eV, giving interesting optoelectronic properties to these dioxides. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Ionic conductivity ageing behaviour of 10 mol.% Sc2O3–1 mol.% CeO2–ZrO2 ceramics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Omar, Shobit; Bonanos, Nikolaos

    2010-01-01

    The long-term ionic conductivity behaviour of samples of zirconia co-doped with 10 mol.% of Sc2O3 and 1 mol.% CeO2 is evaluated in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres at 600 °C. After 3,000 h, the sample kept in reducing atmospheres exhibits 20% loss in the ionic conductivity, while the sample kep...

  1. Electrifying Engagement in Middle School Science Class: Improving Student Interest Through E-textiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tofel-Grehl, Colby; Fields, Deborah; Searle, Kristin; Maahs-Fladung, Cathy; Feldon, David; Gu, Grace; Sun, Chongning

    2017-08-01

    Most interventions with "maker" technologies take place outside of school or out of core area classrooms. However, intervening in schools holds potential for reaching much larger numbers of students and the opportunity to shift instructional dynamics in classrooms. This paper shares one such intervention where electronic textiles (sewable circuits) were introduced into eighth grade science classes with the intent of exploring possible gains in student learning and motivation, particularly for underrepresented minorities. Using a quasi-experimental design, four classes engaged in a traditional circuitry unit while the other four classes undertook a new e-textile unit. Overall, students in both groups demonstrated significant learning gains on standard test items without significant differences between conditions. Significant differences appeared between groups' attitudes toward science after the units in ways that show increasing interest in science by students in the e-textile unit. In particular, they reported positive identity shifts pertaining to their perceptions of the beliefs of their friends, family, and teacher. Findings and prior research suggest that student-created e-textile designs provide opportunities for connections outside of the classroom with friends and family and may shift students' perceptions of their teacher's beliefs about them more positively.

  2. Towards understanding the electronic structure of Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles with X-ray spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei-Cheng; Chen, Shih-Yun; Glans, Per-Anders; Guo, Jinghua; Chen, Ren-Jie; Fong, Kang-Wei; Chen, Chi-Liang; Gloter, Alexandre; Chang, Ching-Lin; Chan, Ting-Shan; Chen, Jin-Ming; Lee, Jyh-Fu; Dong, Chung-Li

    2013-09-21

    This study reports on the electronic structure of Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs), determined by coupled X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray emission spectroscopy. A comparison of the local electronic structure around the Ce site with that around the Fe site indicates that the Fe substitutes for the Ce. The oxygen K-edge spectra that originated from the hybridization between cerium 4f and oxygen 2p states are sensitive to the oxidation state and depend strongly on the concentration of Fe doping. The Ce M(4,5)-edges and the Fe L(2,3)-edges reveal the variations of the charge states of Ce and Fe upon doping, respectively. The band gap is further obtained from the combined absorption-emission spectrum and decreased upon Fe doping, implying Fe doping introduces vacancies. The oxygen vacancies are induced by Fe doping and the spectrum reveals the charge transfer between Fe and Ce. Fe(3+) doping has two major effects on the formation of ferromagnetism in CeO2 nanoparticles. The first, at an Fe content of below 5%, is that the formation of Fe(3+)-Vo-Ce(3+) introduces oxygen deficiencies favoring ferromagnetism. The other, at an Fe content of over 5%, is the formation of Fe(3+)-Vo-Fe(3+), which favors antiferromagnetism, reducing the Ms. The defect structures Fe(3+)-Vo-Ce(3+) and Fe(3+)-Vo-Fe(3+) are crucial to the magnetism in these NPs and the change in Ms can be described as the effect of competitive interactions of magnetic polarons and paired ions.

  3. Stabilization of the high coercivity ε-Fe2O3 phase in the CeO2–Fe2O3/SiO2 nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mantlikova, A.; Poltierova Vejpravova, J.; Bittova, B.; Burianova, S.; Niznansky, D.; Ardu, A.; Cannas, C.

    2012-01-01

    We have investigated the processes leading to the formation of the Fe 2 O 3 and CeO 2 nanoparticles in the SiO 2 matrix in order to stabilize the ε-Fe 2 O 3 as the major phase. The samples with two different concentrations of the Fe were prepared by sol–gel method, subsequently annealed at different temperatures up to 1100 °C, and characterized by the Mössbauer spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and magnetic measurements. The evolution of the different Fe 2 O 3 phases under various conditions of preparation was investigated, starting with the preferential appearance of the γ-Fe 2 O 3 phase for the sample with low Fe concentration and low annealing temperature and stabilization of the major ε-Fe 2 O 3 phase for high Fe concentration and high annealing temperature, coexisting with the most stable α-Fe 2 O 3 phase. A continuous increase of the particle size of the CeO 2 nanocrystals with increasing annealing temperature was also observed. - Graphical abstract: The graphical abstract displays the most important results of our work. The significant change of the phase composition due to the variation of preparation conditions is demonstrated. As a result, significant change of the magnetic properties from superparamagnetic γ-Fe 2 O 3 phase with negligible coercivity to the high coercivity ε-Fe 2 O 3 phase has been observed. Highlights: ► Research of the stabilization of the high coercivity ε-Fe 2 O 3 in CeO 2 –Fe 2 O 3 /SiO 2 . ► Samples with two different concentrations of Fe and three annealing temperatures. ► Phase transition γ→ε→(β)→α with increasing annealing temperature and particle size. ► Elimination of the superparamagnetic phases in samples with higher content of Fe. ► Best conditions for high coercivity ε-Fe 2 O 3 —higher Fe content and T A =1100°C.

  4. Study design and protocol for a mixed methods evaluation of an intervention to reduce and break up sitting time in primary school classrooms in the UK: The CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) Programme

    OpenAIRE

    Routen, Ash C; Biddle, Stuart J H; Bodicoat, Danielle H; Cale, Lorraine; Clemes, Stacy; Edwardson, Charlotte L; Glazebrook, Cris; Harrington, Deirdre M; Khunti, Kamlesh; Pearson, Natalie; Salmon, Jo; Sherar, Lauren B

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Children engage in a high volume of sitting in school, particularly in the classroom. A number of strategies, such as physically active lessons (termed movement integration (MI)), have been developed to integrate physical activity into this learning environment; however, no single approach is likely to meet the needs of all pupils and teachers. This protocol outlines an implementation study of a primary school-based MI intervention: CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) programm...

  5. Assessment of the effectiveness of physical activity interventions in the Brazilian Unified Health System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evelyn Helena Corgosinho Ribeiro

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of interventions on the levels of physical activity of healthy adults, users of the Brazilian Unified Health System and attended by the Family Health Strategy. METHODS Non-randomized experimental study with 157 adults allocated in three groups: 1 physical exercise classes (n = 54, 2 health education (n = 54, 3 control (n = 49. The study lasted for18 months, with 12 months of interventions and six months of follow-up after intervention. Assessments took place at the beginning, in the 12 months, and in the 18 months of study. Physical activity has been assessed by questionnaires and accelerometry. For the analyses, we have used the intention-to-treat principle and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS After 12 months, both intervention groups have increased the minutes of weekly leisure time physical activity and annual scores of physical exercise, leisure and transport-related physical activity. The exercise class group has obtained the highest average annual physical exercises score when compared to the other groups (p < 0.001. In the follow-up period, the exercise class group reduced its annual score (average: -0.3; 95%CI -0.5–-0.1, while the health education group increased this score (average: 0.2; 95%CI 0.1–0.4. There have been no differences in the levels of physical activity measured by accelerometry. CONCLUSIONS The interventions have been effective in increasing the practice of physical activity. However, we have observed that the health education intervention was more effective for maintaining the practice of physical activity in the period after intervention. We recommend the use of both interventions to promote physical activity in the Brazilian Unified Health System, according to the local reality of professionals, facilities, and team objectives.

  6. Recent advances in pediatric interventional cardiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seong-Ho

    2017-08-01

    During the last 10 years, there have been major technological achievements in pediatric interventional cardiology. In addition, there have been several advances in cardiac imaging, especially in 3-dimensional imaging of echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and cineangiography. Therefore, more types of congenital heart diseases can be treated in the cardiac catheter laboratory today than ever before. Furthermore, lesions previously considered resistant to interventional therapies can now be managed with high success rates. The hybrid approach has enabled the overcoming of limitations inherent to percutaneous access, expanding the application of endovascular therapies as adjunct to surgical interventions to improve patient outcomes and minimize invasiveness. Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation has become a successful alternative therapy. However, most of the current recommendations about pediatric cardiac interventions (including class I recommendations) refer to off-label use of devices, because it is difficult to study the safety and efficacy of catheterization and transcatheter therapy in pediatric cardiac patients. This difficulty arises from the challenge of identifying a control population and the relatively small number of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. Nevertheless, the pediatric interventional cardiology community has continued to develop less invasive solutions for congenital heart defects to minimize the need for open heart surgery and optimize overall outcomes. In this review, various interventional procedures in patients with congenital heart disease are explored.

  7. Thermoluminescence induced by UV radiation in ZrO2-La2O3 and ZrO2-CeO2 mixed systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estrada G, R.; Salas C, P.; Mendoza A, D.; Gonzalez, P.R.

    2002-01-01

    Nowadays, the development of catalytic materials by means of pure or mixed oxides mainly as TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , La 2 O 3 and CeO 2 used as support or active phases, are widely used in oxidation-reduction reactions in the chemical industry and in petroleum refining processes. the cerium and lanthanum oxides in zircon, have been studied recently in processes for reduction of pollutant gases (SO x , NO x , etc.). They result very interesting for resolving the problems of environmental pollution. Moreover, it has been observed that some of these materials are highly sensitive to ultraviolet radiation (UV), characteristic that can be took in advantage for detecting this type of radiation. In this work the preliminary obtained results on the thermoluminescent response (Tl) induced by the UV radiation in ZrO 2 -La 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 -CeO 2 mixed systems obtained by the sol-gel method are presented. The results show that the first system has a high sensitivity to UV radiation with a Tl curve composed by three peaks, two ones of greater intensity located in 70 and 140 Centigrade degrees. Likewise it was observed that for both materials, the peak located at low temperature is fadeout in few minutes after irradiation, while that the second one peak presented very good stability, resulting promising for dosimetric applications in UV radiation fields. (Author)

  8. Social Class, Economic Inequality, and the Convergence of Policy Preferences: Evidence from 24 Modern Democracies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Robert; Curtis, Josh

    2015-08-01

    Using data from the World Values Survey and national-level indicators for 24 modern democracies, we assess the influence of social class and economic inequality on preferences for government responsibility. We improve on previous research by using multilevel models that account for differences in attitudes both within (i.e., over time) and across countries. Our findings are consistent with the economic self-interest hypothesis. Specifically, working class individuals, who tend to gain the most from government intervention because of their low and often more precarious economic position, are more likely than others to support government intervention. We also find a positive relationship between national-level income inequality and support for government intervention. As income inequality rises, its social ills tend to be more pervasive, resulting in public opinion becoming more supportive of governments taking responsibility for their citizens. We further demonstrate that inequality moderates the relationship between social class and attitudes. Although the effect of income inequality is positive for all social classes, attitudes across social classes become more similar as inequality rises. © 2015 Canadian Sociological Association/La Société canadienne de sociologie.

  9. Social-class indicators differentially predict engagement in prevention vs. detection behaviours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haught, Heather M; Rose, Jason P; Brown, Jill A

    2016-01-01

    Few systematic studies have examined the contexts in which social-class variables will predict engagement in health-relevant behaviours. The current research examined whether the impact of social-class on health behaviours depends upon how social-class is assessed and the category of health behaviour under consideration. Our sample was drawn from the Health Information National Trends Survey in 2012 (N = 3959). Participants reported their income and education as well as their engagement in a variety of prevention and detection behaviours. Consistent with our hypothesised framework, we found that income predicted engagement in a variety of detection behaviours above and beyond education, whereas education predicted engagement in a variety of prevention behaviours above and beyond income. Our findings suggest that income and education operate on health behaviours via different pathways and have implications for public health policy and intervention.

  10. Study design and protocol for a mixed methods evaluation of an intervention to reduce and break up sitting time in primary school classrooms in the UK: The CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) Programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Routen, Ash C; Biddle, Stuart J H; Bodicoat, Danielle H; Cale, Lorraine; Clemes, Stacy; Edwardson, Charlotte L; Glazebrook, Cris; Harrington, Deirdre M; Khunti, Kamlesh; Pearson, Natalie; Salmon, Jo; Sherar, Lauren B

    2017-11-08

    Children engage in a high volume of sitting in school, particularly in the classroom. A number of strategies, such as physically active lessons (termed movement integration (MI)), have been developed to integrate physical activity into this learning environment; however, no single approach is likely to meet the needs of all pupils and teachers. This protocol outlines an implementation study of a primary school-based MI intervention: CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) programme. This study aims to (A) determine the degree of implementation of CLASS PAL, (B) identify processes by which teachers and schools implement CLASS PAL and (C) investigate individual (pupil and teacher) level and school-level characteristics associated with implementation of CLASS PAL. The intervention will provide teachers with a professional development workshop and a bespoke teaching resources website. The study will use a single group before-and-after design, strengthened by multiple interim measurements. Six state-funded primary schools will be recruited within Leicestershire, UK.Evaluation data will be collected prior to implementation and at four discrete time points during implementation: At measurement 0 (October 2016), school, teacher and pupil characteristics will be collected. At measurements 0 and 3 (June-July 2017), accelerometry, cognitive functioning, self-reported sitting and classroom engagement data will be collected. At measurements 1(December 2016-March 2017) and 3 , teacher interviews (also at measurement 4; September-October 2017) and pupil focus groups will be conducted, and at measurements 1 and 2 (April-May 2017), classroom observations. Implementation will be captured through website analytics and ongoing teacher completed logs. Ethical approval was obtained through the Loughborough University Human Participants Ethics Sub-Committee (Reference number: R16-P115). Findings will be disseminated via practitioner and/or research journals and to relevant regional and

  11. A person-centered approach to individualizing a school-based universal preventive intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caldwell, Linda L; Bradley, Stephanie; Coffman, Donna

    2009-01-01

    This manuscript focuses on how individualized components may be embedded within a universal preventive intervention (TimeWise: Taking Charge of Leisure Time) to make program delivery more effective. Leisure related variables (motivation, boredom/interest and peer and parental influence) were used to suggest ways to individualize the program. Latent Class Analysis was used to develop individualized risk and strength profiles of adolescents (N = 617). Comparisons were made between a treatment and control group. Four classes were identified: undifferentiated high, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation/amotivation, undifferentiated low. These classes were related to substance use. Membership in the intrinsic class was associated with intervention group while the extrinsic class was related to the control group. Results were useful in suggesting ways to tailor a universal prevention program.

  12. Interventions for Primary School Children With Difficulties in Mathematics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowker, Ann

    2017-01-01

    Difficulty with arithmetic is a common problem for children and adults, though there has been some work on the topic for a surprisingly long time. This chapter will review some of the research that has been done over the years on interventions with primary school children. Interventions can be of various levels of intensiveness, ranging from whole-class approaches that take account of individual differences through small-group and limited-time individual interventions to extended-time individual interventions. Interventions discussed here include those involving peer tuition and group collaboration; those involving board and computer games; and those that involve assessing children's strengths and weaknesses in different components of mathematics; and targeting remedial activities to the assessed weaknesses. Most of the interventions discussed in this chapter specifically involve mathematics (usually mainly arithmetic), but there is also some discussion of attempts to improve mathematics by training children in domain-general skills, including Piagetian operations, metacognition, and executive functions. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. OPIÁCEOS: MECANISMOS DE ACCIÓN, METABOLISMO, Y RELACIÓN CON EL SÍNDROME DE ABSTINENCIA NEONATAL

    OpenAIRE

    Osorio, José Henry

    2009-01-01

    Los niños expuestos a ciertas drogas in utero, pueden resultar físicamente dependientes de estas, sufriendo después del nacimiento síntomas de abstinencia, lo que se denomina síndrome de abstinencia neonatal (NAS). Los niños con NAS presentan disfunción multisistémica, que involucra los sistemas nervioso, gastrointestinal y respiratorio. La presente revisión analiza la literatura disponible, relacionada con el consumo de opiáceos por la madre gestante y el síndrome de abstinencia neonatal. ...

  14. Metabolomic effects of CeO2, SiO2 and CuO metal oxide nanomaterials on HepG2 cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    To better assess potential hepatotoxicity of nanomaterials, human liver HepG2 cells were exposed for 3 days to five different CeO2 (either 30 or 100 μg/ml), 3 SiO2 based (30 μg/ml) or 1 CuO (3 μg/ml) nanomaterials with dry primary particle sizes ranging from 15 to 213 nm. Metabol...

  15. 'Whatever happened to the class of 2000?' An outcome survey of potential interventional radiologists

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nicholson, A.A.; Adam, A.

    2006-01-01

    Objectives: To find out what final career choices were made by trainee doctors who had indicated a strong interest in pursuing a career in interventional radiology and to establish the reasons behind their final career choice. Methods: Eighty-eight doctors who attended a meeting in 2000 designed to promote interventional radiology as a career were questioned as to whether the meeting influenced their potential career choices and then further surveyed via postal questionnaire 5 years later to find out their eventual career choices. Of the 88 doctors who attended, 56 were radiology trainees and 32 were training in either medical or surgical specialties. There were 25 women and 63 men. Results: Five years after the meeting, six are now interventional radiologists (6.8%) though four of these are still in a 6th year interventional radiology fellowship. A further 12 (13.6%) are systems based, predominantly diagnostic radiologists with an interest in intervention. Thirty-two (43.2%) are diagnostic radiologists who undertake little or no therapeutic intervention. Of the 32 non-radiologists who attended the meeting only three entered radiology and are still in training. Conclusions: Interventional radiology is a popular initial career choice amongst trainee doctors. However, only a small number eventually pursue the specialty. If the manpower shortage of interventional radiologists is to be addressed, there needs to be improvements in training, accreditation, career opportunities and working conditions

  16. Latent classes of resilience and psychological response among only-child loss parents in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, An-Ni; Zhang, Wen; Zhang, Jing-Ping; Huang, Fei-Fei; Ye, Man; Yao, Shu-Yu; Luo, Yuan-Hui; Li, Zhi-Hua; Zhang, Jie; Su, Pan

    2017-10-01

    Only-child loss parents in China recently gained extensive attention as a newly defined social group. Resilience could be a probable solution out of the psychological dilemma. Using a sample of 185 only-child loss people, this study employed latent class analysis (a) to explore whether different classes of resilience could be identified, (b) to determine socio-demographic characteristics of each class, and (c) to compare the depression and the subjective well-being of each class. The results supported a three-class solution, defined as 'high tenacity-strength but moderate optimism class', 'moderate resilience but low self-efficacy class' and 'low tenacity but moderate adaption-dependence class'. Parents with low income and medical insurance of low reimbursement type and without endowment insurance occupied more proportions in the latter two classes. The latter two classes also had a significant higher depression scores and lower subjective well-being scores than high tenacity-strength but moderate optimism class. Future work should care those socio-economically vulnerable bereaved parents, and an elastic economic assistance policy was needed. To develop targeted resilience interventions, the emphasis of high tenacity-strength but moderate optimism class should be the optimism. Moderate resilience but low self-efficacy class should be self-efficacy, and low tenacity but moderate adaption-dependence class should be tenacity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Intervention strategy to stimulate energy-saving behavior of local residents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Q.; Nieuwenhijsen, I.; Vries, B. de; Blokhuis, E.; Schaefer, W.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates intervention strategy in stimulating energy-saving behavior to achieve energy neutral urban development. A tree structure overview of potential interventions classified into three categories is revealed. An integrated behaviour model is developed reflecting the relations between behaviour and influence factors. A latent class model is used to identify segments of local residents who differ regarding their preferences for interventions. Data are collected from a sample of residents in the Eindhoven region of the Netherlands in 2010. The results indicate that social-demographic characteristics, knowledge, motivation and context factors play important roles in energy-saving behaviour. Specifically, four segments of residents in the study area were identified that clearly differed in their preferences of interventions: cost driven residents, conscious residents, ease driven residents and environment minded residents. These findings emphasize that the intervention strategy should be focused on specific target groups to have the right mixture of interventions to achieve effective results on stimulating them to save energy. - Highlights: ► A latent class model to identify segments with preferred energy-saving interventions. ► An integrated energy-saving behavior model of casual relations. ► A tree structure overview of potential interventions

  18. "Does Hope Change? Testing a Project-Based Health Intervention among Urban Students of Color"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zusevics, Kaija L.; Johnson, Sheri

    2014-01-01

    Hope is positively correlated with educational attainment and health. Interventions based on project-based learning (PBL) may increase youth hope. This study examined how a PBL intervention affected hope among urban students of color. Students in health classes were invited to participate. A PBL health class was implemented in four classrooms. The…

  19. Social affiliation in same-class and cross-class interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Côté, Stéphane; Kraus, Michael W; Carpenter, Nichelle C; Piff, Paul K; Beermann, Ursula; Keltner, Dacher

    2017-02-01

    Historically high levels of economic inequality likely have important consequences for relationships between people of the same and different social class backgrounds. Here, we test the prediction that social affiliation among same-class partners is stronger at the extremes of the class spectrum, given that these groups are highly distinctive and most separated from others by institutional and economic forces. An internal meta-analysis of 4 studies (N = 723) provided support for this hypothesis. Participant and partner social class were interactively, rather than additively, associated with social affiliation, indexed by affiliative behaviors and emotions during structured laboratory interactions and in daily life. Further, response surface analyses revealed that paired upper or lower class partners generally affiliated more than average-class pairs. Analyses with separate class indices suggested that these patterns are driven more by parental income and subjective social class than by parental education. The findings illuminate the dynamics of same- and cross-class interactions, revealing that not all same-class interactions feature the same degree of affiliation. They also reveal the importance of studying social class from an intergroup perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Raising Citizens: Parenting Education Classes and Somali Mothers’ Experiences of Childrearing in Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Fellin

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Mothers are viewed as the people who are raising future citizens of Canada; therefore, their parenting practices are being targeted for intervention by civic organizations funded by the state. In this article, I argue that modernity narratives and neoliberalism approaches to mothering inform parenting education classes for Somali refugee women to Canada. Thus, Somali women are often seen as victims. Stereotyped identities conceal their social and historical agency. This research draws on 15 individual interviews with Somali mothers and participant- observation in two parenting education classes in Canada.