Reply to the comment by C. Capan and K. Behnia on "Nernst effect in poor conductors and in the cuprate superconductors" (cond-mat/0501288)

The comment criticisms (cond-mat/0501288) are completely out of line with the context of the commented theory (Phys. Rev. Lett. v.93, 217002 (2004)). The comment neglected essential parts of the theory, which actually addressed all relevant experimental observations. I argue that the coexistence of the large Nernst signal and the insulating-like in-plane resistivity in underdoped cuprates rules out the vortex scenario, but agrees remarkably well with our theory.Comment: 1 page, 1 figur

The importance of collegiality and reciprocal learning in the professional development of beginning teachers

This paper discusses factors which enhance induction experiences for beginning teachers. It reports the findings from case studies which explore the impact of new entrants to the teaching profession in Scotland. The data suggest that the most supportive induction processes mix both formal and informal elements, but that the informal elements such as collegiality, good communication and a welcoming workplace environment should not be underestimated. The study also highlights the potential benefits of a more collegiate environment for teachers across the career phases. Experienced teachers and new entrants had a range of experience to offer each other, thus creating more cohesive professional working which was supportive of early career teachers while encouraging reflection on practice among the more experienced professionals

Genotypic characterisation of Giardia from domestic dogs in the USA

The first large-scale urban survey of Giardia infections in dogs was undertaken in the USA. It involved several locations in the Western United States with Giardia isolates from microscopy-positive samples characterised by multi-locus PCR and sequencing. A high prevalence of Giardia was confirmed in asymptomatic domestic dogs, and for the first time, provides evidence that zoonotic assemblages/subgroups of Giardia occur frequently in domestic dogs living in urban environments, and more frequently than the dog specific assemblages

Compensation of the Federal Judiciary: A Reexamination

The compensation of the federal judiciary has been a persistent issue since the enactment of the Judiciary Act of 1789. The problem has been traditionally perceived in the context of particular proposals for salary increases, but the underlying issues are much more fundamental than the concerns of the day. The institutional arrangements by which judicial compensation is determined and the factors which shape that determination have a profound impact on the fiscal and human resources of the judiciary, on the power relationships among the three branches of the national government, and, thereby, on the independence and quality of the judicial branch. Though many analogous problems are shared by state judges, those of the federal judiciary are of special concern. Its judges enjoy a salient prestige, its courts are distributed geographically throughout the country, and its relationship with Congress and the Executive Branch is unique. While the states differ widely in their approaches to judicial compensation, these differences no doubt reflect variations in local needs and priorities. The federal system itself, on the other hand, establishes a dichotomy which sets federal courts and judges apart from their state counterparts, implying separate consideration of their requirements. This analysis, therefore, will first examine and criticize the present system of compensation for federal judges. Next, an inquiry will be made into the purposes and goals that a compensation scheme for the federal judiciary should serve. Finally, a proposal for a new system of compensation will be offered, which, it is hoped, is responsive to presently perceived needs

It\u27s a Pirate\u27s Life for Some: The Development of an Illegal Industry in Response to an Unjust Global Power Dynamic

This Note discusses the domestic and international economic effects of the recent surge of piracy off the coast of Somalia, and uses Somali piracy as a method of exploring conflicting ideological conditions that arise from globalization. In exploring the underlying motivations for this trend, it identifies a dichotomy between primary needs satisfaction within underdeveloped nations and the satisfaction of secondary interests in developed nations, and explains how globalization may be exacerbating the turn toward piracy. This Note first discusses the recent rise in piracy and then explores how the contemporary history of Somalia has engendered the upsurge. Next, it considers how piracy has influenced the economy of coastal Somalia, followed by a look at the ideological intersection between primary domestic interests and secondary global interests. Finally, this Note explores some of the international implications of the rise of piracy in Africa, and whether further expansion is a possibility

Nanoclay-Based Solid-Amine Adsorbents for Carbon Dioxide Capture

The objective of this research was to develop an efficient, low cost, recyclable solid sorbent for carbon dioxide adsorption from large point sources, such as coal-fired power plants. The current commercial way to adsorb CO 2 is to use a liquid amine or ammonia process. These processes are used in industry in the sweetening of natural gas, but liquid based technologies are not economically viable in the adsorption of CO2 from power plants due to the extremely large volume of CO2 and the inherent high regeneration costs of cycling the sorbent. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this research was to develop a novel sorbent that can be cycled and uses very little energy for regeneration.;The sorbent developed here is composed of a nanoclay (montmorillonite), commonly used in the production of polymer nanocomposites, grafted with commercially available amines. (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS) was chemically grafted to the edge hydroxyl groups of the clay. While another amine, polyethylenimine (PEI), was attached to the surface of the clay by electrostatic interactions. To confirm the attachment of amines to the clay, the samples were characterized using FTIR and the corresponding peaks for amines were observed. The amount of amine loaded onto the support was determined by TGA techniques. The treated clay was initially analyzed for CO2 adsorption in a pure CO 2 stream. The adsorption temperatures that had the highest adsorption capacity were determined to be between 75°C and 100°C for all of the samples tested at atmospheric pressure. The maximum CO2 adsorption capacity observed was with nanoclay treated with both APTMS and PEI at 85°C. In a more realistic flue gas of 10% CO2 and 90% N2, the adsorbents had essentially the same overall CO2 adsorption capacity indicating that the presence of nitrogen did not hinder the adsorption of CO2. Adsorption studies in pure CO2 at room temperature under pressure from 40-300 PSI were also conducted. The average adsorption capacity for the adsorbents did not change significantly over the range of pressures studied, indicating that the uptake of CO2 was due mainly to chemical reaction and not to the physical absorption of CO2. The average CO2 adsorption capacity at 300 psi and room temperature for clay treated with APTMS alone was 7.6 wt% CO2. The combination of APTMS and PEI treatment increased the average adsorption capacity to 11.4 wt% CO2.;The regeneration method for the majority of the adsorption tests employed pure N2 at 100°C as a sweep gas, and it was successful in regenerating the adsorbent. The regeneration of the adsorbent was also studied with pure and humid CO2 at 155°C. Using CO2 as a sweep gas for regeneration is more commercially relevant and was able to regenerate the sorbents. Vacuum regeneration and the stability of the adsorbents to water vapor were also studied. Our studies showed that the developed adsorbents were able to adsorb CO2 at atmospheric conditions using pure CO 2 as well as 10% CO2 and 90% nitrogen. Additionally, the adsorbents developed have the potential to be cycled using commercially applicable regeneration schemes. While these results are comparable to results of other emerging CO2 adsorption technologies, our adsorbent has the benefit of a very cheap support, and it could provide a commercially useful CO 2 adsorbent