Enhanced hydrogen storage in Ni/Ce composite oxides

The properties of dried (but not calcined) coprecipitated nickel ceria systems have been investigated in terms of their hydrogen emission characteristics following activation in hydrogen. XRD and BET data obtained on the powders show similarities to calcined ceria but it is likely that the majority of the material produced by the coprecipitation process is largely of an amorphous nature. XPS data indicate very little nickel is present on the outermost surface of the particles. Nevertheless, the thermal analytical techniques (TGA, DSC and TPD-MS) indicate that the hydrogen has access to the catalyst present and the nickel is able to generate hydrogen species capable of interacting with the support. Both unactivated and activated materials show two hydrogen emission features, viz. low temperature and high temperature emissions (LTE and HTE, respectively) over the temperature range 50 and 500 °C. A clear effect of hydrogen interaction with the material is that the activated sample not only emits much more hydrogen than the corresponding unactivated one but also at lower temperatures. H2 dissociation occurs on the reduced catalyst surface and the spillover mechanism transfers this active hydrogen into the ceria, possibly via the formation and migration of OH− species. The amount of hydrogen obtained (0.24 wt%) is 10× higher than those observed for calcined materials and would suggest that the amorphous phase plays a critical role in this process. The affiliated emissions of CO and CO2 with that of the HTE hydrogen (and consumption of water) strongly suggests a proportion of the hydrogen emission at this point arises from the water gas shift type reaction. It has not been possible from the present data to delineate between the various hydrogen storage mechanisms reported for ceria

Multi-wavelength emissions from the millisecond pulsar binary PSR J1023+0038 during an accretion active state

Recent observations strongly suggest that the millisecond pulsar binary PSR J1023+0038 has developed an accretion disk since 2013 June. We present a multi-wavelength analysis of PSR J1023+0038, which reveals that 1) its gamma-rays suddenly brightened within a few days in June/July 2013 and has remained at a high gamma-ray state for several months; 2) both UV and X-ray fluxes have increased by roughly an order of magnitude, and 3) the spectral energy distribution has changed significantly after the gamma-ray sudden flux change. Time variabilities associated with UV and X-rays are on the order of 100-500 seconds and 50-100 seconds, respectively. Our model suggests that a newly formed accretion disk due to the sudden increase of the stellar wind could explain the changes of all these observed features. The increase of UV is emitted from the disk, and a new component in gamma-rays is produced by inverse Compton scattering between the new UV component and pulsar wind. The increase of X-rays results from the enhancement of injection pulsar wind energy into the intra-binary shock due to the increase of the stellar wind. We also predict that the radio pulses may be blocked by the evaporated winds from the disk and the pulsar is still powered by rotation.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; accepted for publication in Ap

Low-Lying Excited States of Quantum Antiferromagnets on a Triangular Lattice

We study low-lying states of the XY and Heisenberg antiferromagnets on a triangular lattice to clarify whether spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs at $T=0$ in the thermodynamic limit. Approximate forms of low-lying states are proposed, in which degrees of freedom of the sublattice magnetization and of the chirality are separated. It is shown that low-lying states can be accurately described with the present approximation. It was argued that low-lying states play an important role in symmetry breaking. With help of this approximation, we discuss the contribution of low-lying states to symmetry breaking of two types, namely creation of the spontaneous sublattice magnetization and the spontaneous chirality. Furthermore, to show an evidence for the occurrence of the symmetry breaking, we numerically study the low-lying states of finite systems of the XY and Heisenberg antiferromagnets. It is found that the necessary conditions for the symmetry breaking to occur are satisfied in these models.Comment: LaTex 22 pages, figures included in uuencoded form, to be published in J.Stat.Phy

Effectiveness of a Technology-Based Injury Prevention Program for Enhancing Mothers’ Knowledge of Child Safety: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Protocolpublished_or_final_versio

Quantum disorder in the two-dimensional pyrochlore Heisenberg antiferromagnet

We present the results of an exact diagonalization study of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a two-dimensional version of the pyrochlore lattice, also known as the square lattice with crossings or the checkerboard lattice. Examining the low energy spectra for systems of up to 24 spins, we find that all clusters studied have non-degenerate ground states with total spin zero, and big energy gaps to states with higher total spin. We also find a large number of non-magnetic excitations at energies within this spin gap. Spin-spin and spin-Peierls correlation functions appear to be short-ranged, and we suggest that the ground state is a spin liquid.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figures, RevTeX minor changes made, Figure 6 correcte

From sparse to dense and from assortative to disassortative in online social networks

Inspired by the analysis of several empirical online social networks, we propose a simple reaction-diffusion-like coevolving model, in which individuals are activated to create links based on their states, influenced by local dynamics and their own intention. It is shown that the model can reproduce the remarkable properties observed in empirical online social networks; in particular, the assortative coefficients are neutral or negative, and the power law exponents are smaller than 2. Moreover, we demonstrate that, under appropriate conditions, the model network naturally makes transition(s) from assortative to disassortative, and from sparse to dense in their characteristics. The model is useful in understanding the formation and evolution of online social networks.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures and 2 table

Age-related grey matter volume correlates of response inhibition and shifting in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Background Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties with executive function and impulse control which may improve with age. Aims To map the brain correlates of executive function in ADHD and determine age-related changes in reaction times and brain volumes. Method Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and control groups were compared on the change task measures of response inhibition (stop signal reaction time, SSRT) and shifting (change response reaction time, CRRT). voxel-wise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) correlations of reaction times and grey matter volume were determined, along with bivariate correlations of reaction times, brain volumes and age.Results Individuals in the ADHD group had longer SSRTs and CRRTs. Anterior cingulate, striatal and medial temporal volumes highly correlated with SSRT. Striatal and cerebellar volumes strongly correlated with CRRT. Older children had faster reaction times and larger regional brain volumes. In controls, orbitofrontal, medial temporal and cerebellar volumes correlated with CRRT but not SSRT. Neither reaction times nor regional brain volumes were strongly age- dependent. Conclusions Our evidence supports delayed brain maturation in ADHD and implies that some features of ADHD improve with age.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Exact spectra, spin susceptibilities and order parameter of the quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the triangular lattice

Exact spectra of periodic samples are computed up to $N=36$. Evidence of an extensive set of low lying levels, lower than the softest magnons, is exhibited. These low lying quantum states are degenerated in the thermodynamic limit; their symmetries and dynamics as well as their finite-size scaling are strong arguments in favor of N\'eel order. It is shown that the N\'eel order parameter agrees with first-order spin-wave calculations. A simple explanation of the low energy dynamics is given as well as the numerical determinations of the energies, order parameter and spin susceptibilities of the studied samples. It is shown how suitable boundary conditions, which do not frustrate N\'eel order, allow the study of samples with $N=3p+1$ spins. A thorough study of these situations is done in parallel with the more conventional case $N=3p$.Comment: 36 pages, REVTeX 3.0, 13 figures available upon request, LPTL preprin