Environmental test program for superconducting materials and devices

A systematic approach to obtaining real time, superconducting YBa2Cu30(7-x) materials is presented. The work was carried out under the overall direction of Clemson University with tasks being performed at both Clemson and Westinghouse (Aiken, SC). Clemson prepared the tapecast superconducting 123 material and fabricated in into substrate-supported, environmentally-protected conducting links. Following this, all of the elements were individually tested for resistance vs. temperature and Tc; and then a portion of them were kept at Clemson for further testing while a randomly selected group was delivered to Westinghouse for specialized testing and evaluation in their low temperature/high vacuum and radiation facilities. In addition, a number of control samples (12 ea.) were put on the shelf at Clemson for further reference at the end of the testing period. The specific tests conducted at Clemson and Westinghouse/SRC are presented with a summary of the results

Integrating Wildlife Conservation with Commercial Silviculture — Demography of the Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii), a Migrant Bird of Conservation Concern in Southern Pine Forests, USA

Intensively managed pine (Pinus spp.) forests encompass over 15.8 million hectares in the southeastern United States and provide an important source of wood products and an economic return to landowners. Given the extent of this landscape and the diversity of management goals and stakeholders, understanding how these forests can also be managed for biological diversity is important. Swainson’s warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii; SWWA), a species of high conservation priority, has been documented occupying young, unthinned pine plantations (a novel habitat type), but demographic assessment is lacking. We compared breeding phenology and reproductive success of SWWA in commercial loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands versus bottomland hardwood forest (the historical habitat type). Timing of nesting, clutch size, and hatching rates were not significantly different with 59% (n = 32) of eggs hatching in pine versus 69% in bottomland hardwood (n = 52). Mayfield estimates of nesting success were similar in pine (27%) versus hardwoods (32%) within and across years. These results indicate that closed-canopy, short-rotation pine stands can provide suitable breeding habitat for SWWA. We also review the value of intensively managed pine landscapes for avian conservation in general

Far-infrared/submillimeter imager-polarimeter using distributed antenna-coupled transition edge sensors

We describe a new concept for a detector for the submillimeter and far infrared that uses a distributed hot-electron transition edge sensor (TES) to collect the power from a focal-plane-filling slot antenna array. Because superconducting transmission lines are lossy at frequencies greater than about 1 Thz, the sensors must directly tap the antenna, and therefore must match the antenna impedance (~ 30 ohms). Each pixel contains many TESs that are all wired in parallel as a single distributed TES, which results in a low impedance that can match to a multiplexed SQUID readout. These detectors are inherently polarization sensitive, with very low cross-polarization, but can also be easily configured to sum both polarizations for imaging applications. The single polarization version can have a very wide bandwidth of greater than 10:1 with a quantum efficiency greater than 50%. The dual polarization version is narrow band, but can have a higher quantum efficiency. The use of electron-phonon decoupling obviates the need for micro-machining, making the focal plane much easier to fabricate than with absorber-coupled, geometrically isolated pixels. An array of these detectors would be suitable for an imager for the Single Aperture Far Infrared (SAFIR) observatory. We consider two near-term applications of this technology, a 32 x 32 element imaging polarimeter for SOFIA and a 350 µm camera for the CSO

Country uncertainty, power distance, and payment methods in acquisitions

This study examines the impact of country-specific uncertainty on the choice of payment method in international acquisitions. Our results show a negative correlation between the level of target country-specific uncertainty and cash transactions. Specifically, when the host country experiences a high level of country uncertainty, acquirers are more likely to choose non-cash transactions in which acquiring firms can issue their own equity to the target firm as part or all of the purchase consideration of the deal. The result is robust to alternative tests and analysis of subsamples. We also find that differences in uncertainty between host and home countries are informative in bidders’ payment decisions. Further, we find that the negative relation between target country-specific uncertainty and cash payment becomes weaker when there are larger differences in power distance between host and home countries. Our findings provide recommendations for policy-making bodies, and have implications for firm managers making corporate restructuring decisions

Case report: Octreotide Associated Hyperkalemia

78-year-old female with past medical history of acromegaly status post pituitary adenoma status post resection presents to the emergency department with abdominal pain. ED workup was not significant for any acute intra-abdominal abnormalities; however, incidental finding of hyperkalemia was pertinent to the visit. Patient was treated in the ED for her condition but her potassium levels remained elevated despite repeated saline infusions. Patient was ultimately admitted to the hospital where it was discovered that she had recently been switched from octreotide injections to an oral somatostatin analogue Mycapssa. We believe that this patient’s hyperkalemia was caused by octreotide-induced insulin suppression and resultant impaired cellular potassium uptake. Although octreotide has a wide variety of medical applications it can/should be used with caution as complications arising from elevated potassium can be potentially dangerous

Publication records of Australian accounting and finance faculty promoted to full professor, set within an international context

Australian accounting and finance faculty promoted to full professor required a median 15 papers in ABDC‐listed journals, with 7 at the highest A*/A quality levels. Promotees were typically 44 years old, with 14 years' academic experience including 9 years post‐PhD. Neither gender nor whether promotion was internal/external seemed to affect promotion requirements. Finance professors typically had more publications than accounting professors, though not at the higher quality levels; however, accounting promotees had greater academic experience but a shorter period post‐PhD. Female promotees were typically older than males. Both the volume and quality of pre‐promotion publications have increased over time