Addressing the Inadequacies of Information Available on the Internet: The Prospect for a Technical Solution

In the past ten years the Internet has been the carrier and transmitter of vast amounts of information. Most of it has never been subjected to peer review or even casual review and has therefore been the source of misinformation. Additionally, there is need for more researchers to utilize critical thinking techniques of evaluating the credibility of sources. This paper chronicles my critical and creative thinking processes and results regarding these three areas of the information problems that are prevalent on the Internet. The first area is the problem of bad, biased or incorrect information including hoaxes and scams. I used critical thinking techniques to analyze these areas to provide a basis to define a problem to be solved. The second area of concern is the critical thinking process that should be used to evaluate the reliability of resources and the credibility of information. This process can help prevent the Internet user from being a victim of bad or biased information. The third area deals with similar problems of information that were solved both inside and outside the Internet that could provide bases for solutions. Here, I used critical thinking in regard to other possible outcomes. I discuss what other industries such as consumer product review companies and academia have done to deal with similar problems. I take a look at Underwriters Laboratories and others who devised systems that verified the quality of product as well as research methods that assure quality of information. I developed a conceptual framework for a software-based solution that can help assure that high quality information is presented on the Internet. I used a process of divergent and convergent thinking to arrive at a best solution. The solution allows for those who use the Internet data to leave information with or without leaving evaluation comments that describe the quality and usefulness of what was presented. The results of this user feedback are not only available to others who search for this information, but it can be presented in a prioritized form from most reviewed to least reviewed thus saving researchers time and effort while assuring a better quality of information

Anisotropy and large magnetoresistance in narrow gap semiconductor FeSb2

A study of the anisotropy in magnetic, transport and magnetotransport properties of FeSb2 has been made on large single crystals grown from Sb flux. Magnetic susceptibility of FeSb2 shows diamagnetic to paramagnetic crossover around 100K. Electrical transport along two axes is semiconducting whereas the third axis exhibits a metal - semiconductor crossover at temperature Tmin which is sensitive to current alignment and ranges between 40 and 80K. In H=70kOe semiconducting transport is restored for T<300K, resulting in large magnetoresistance [rho(70kOe)-rho(0)]/rho(0)=2200% in the crossover temperature rangeComment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Magnetic structure of Nd in NdFeAsO studied by x-ray resonant magnetic scattering

The magnetic structure of Nd in NdFeAsO compound has been investigated by x-ray resonant magnetic scattering at the Nd L2 edge (E=6.725 keV) at 1.7≤T≤15 K. At T=1.7 K we find that the Nd moments are aligned along the crystallographic c direction with the (1, 0, 0) propagation vector, and are arranged antiferromagnetically along the a direction and ferromagnetically along the b and c directions. At 1.

β-Mn-Type Co8+xZn12–x as a Defect Cubic Laves Phase: Site Preferences, Magnetism, and Electronic Structure

The results of crystallographic analysis, magnetic characterization, and theoretical assessment of β-Mn-type Co–Zn intermetallics prepared using high-temperature methods are presented. These β-Mn Co–Zn phases crystallize in the space group P4132 [Pearson symbol cP20; a = 6.3555(7)–6.3220(7)], and their stoichiometry may be expressed as Co8+xZn12–x [1.7(2) \u3c x \u3c 2.2(2)]. According to a combination of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, atomic site occupancies establish clear preferences for Co atoms in the 8c sites and Zn atoms in the 12d sites, with all additional Co atoms replacing some Zn atoms, a result that can be rationalized by electronic structure calculations. Magnetic measurements and neutron powder diffraction of an equimolar Co:Zn sample confirm ferromagnetism in this phase with a Curie temperature of ∼420 K. Neutron powder diffraction and electronic structure calculations using the local spin density approximation indicate that the spontaneous magnetization of this phase arises exclusively from local moments at the Co atoms. Inspection of the atomic arrangements of Co8+xZn12–x reveals that the β-Mn aristotype may be derived from an ordered defect, cubic Laves phase (MgCu2-type) structure. Structural optimization procedures using the Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP) and starting from the undistorted, defect Laves phase structure achieved energy minimization at the observed β-Mn structure type, a result that offers greater insight into the β-Mn structure type and establishes a closer relationship with the corresponding α-Mn structure (cI58)

METHOD OF MAKING QUASICRYSTAL ALLOY POWDER, PROTECTIVECOATINGS AND ARTICLES

A method of making quasicrystalline alloy particulates wherein an alloy is superheated and the meltis atomized to form generally spherical alloy particulates free of mechanical fracture and exhibiting a predominantly quasicrystalline in the atomized condition structure. The particulates can be plasma sprayed to form a coating or consolidated to form an article of manufacture

Activation and Oxidation of Mesitylene C−H Bonds by (Phebox)Iridium(III) Complexes

A pincer iridium(III) complex, (Phebox)Ir(OAc)_2OH_2 (1) (Phebox = 3,5-dimethylphenyl-2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)), selectively cleaves the benzylic C–H bond of mesitylene to form an isolable iridium mesityl complex, (Phebox)Ir(mesityl)(OAc) (3), in >90% yield. The trifluoroacetate analogue, (Phebox)Ir(OCOCF_3)_2OH_2 (2), was synthesized to compare with complex 1 for C–H activation, and (Phebox)Ir(mesityl)(OCOCF_3) (4) was synthesized by ligand exchange of complex 3. Both complexes 1 and 2 catalyze H/D exchange between mesitylene and D2O at 180 °C, exclusively at the benzylic position; 2 gave a higher turnover number (11 TO) than 1 (6 TO) in 12 h. Using d4-acetic acid as the source of deuterium, up to 92 turnovers of benzylic H/D exchange of mesitylene were obtained with complex 1. (Phebox)Ir(OCOCF3)_2OH_2 catalyzed the benzylic C–H oxidation of mesitylene using Ag_2O as a terminal oxidant at 130 °C, to form 3,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde and 3,5-dimethylbenzoic acid in 35% ± 4% yield (5.1 ± 0.6 TO). DFT calculations were used to investigate two possible pathways for the catalytic oxidation of mesitylene: (1) C–H activation followed by oxy-functionalization and (2) Ir-oxo formation followed by outer-sphere C–H hydroxylation. Results of calculations of the C–H activation pathway appear to be the more consistent with the experimental observations