Crystal structure and electronic properties of new uranium intermetallic compound UGa1.85Zr0.15

The intermetallic compound UGa_1.85Zr_0.15 does not crystallize in the AlB₂ structure shared by UGa₂ and UZr₂. Instead, it forms in the same orthorhombic structure as U₃Ga₅ (Pu₃Pd₅ type), but the somewhat smaller lattice parameters reduce the unit cell volume by 2.1% with respect to U₃Ga₅. Basic magnetic properties, namely the ferromagnetic ground state below T_C = 23 K, are similar to U₃Ga₅. A more detail study of magnetic properties reveals interesting metamagnetic behavior with a critical field of 2–3 T, which increases with increasing temperature. The high γ-value of 110 mJ mol⁻¹ K⁻² points to a narrow 5f band at Fermi level.     

Grasping behavior in schizophrenia suggests selective impairment in the dorsal visual pathway.

This study frames anomalous functional brain organization in schizophrenia (SCZ) within an evolutionary model of brain development, the dual trends theory (DTT). The DTT argues that neural architecture develops along 2 separate pathways: the dorsal archicortical trend and the ventral paleocortical trend. The DTT dovetails with visual system organization, which is also composed of 2 independent pathways: a dorsal stream dedicated to visuomotor action and a ventral stream dedicated to perceptual processing. The present study examined the integrity of these pathways using a size-contrast visual illusion. Prior research has shown that, normally, perceptual estimations of object size are susceptible to visual illusions, whereas goal-directed actions are resistant. The authors hypothesized that, unlike control participants, SCZ patients' actions would be susceptible to the illusion, reflecting dorsal stream dysfunction. Here, 42 SCZ patients and 42 healthy controls grasped and estimated the size of target blocks in control and illusion conditions. During estimation, both groups were equally perturbed by the illusion; however, grasping movements of patients alone were influenced by the illusion. These results suggest disrupted dorsal brain circuitry in SCZ but relatively intact ventral circuitry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bound electron states in a system of coupled quantum waveguides in a transverse electric field

It is shown that a bound electron state exists in a system of quantum waveguides laterally coupled via a small window and placed in a transverse electric field. A field-induced shift of the eigenvalue is estimated using a variational method.     

Improving the thermal insulation of high-temperature furnaces by the use of diatomite

Diatomite components are used in the design of the thermal insulation for a high-temperature furnace. It is shown that the proposed construction for the heat insulation has an advantage over existing ones. Translated from Novye Ogneupory, No. 4, pp. 85 – 87, April, 2009.     

Aligning goals and services through goal and business modelling

E-services are used as the cornerstones for modelling interaction points of cooperating IT systems, within and between enterprises. So far, research and development of e-services have mainly focused on an operational perspective, such as the development of standards for message exchanges and service coordination. However, on a strategic level, the success of e-services depends on their ability to work as a medium for the exchange of business values. In this paper, we present an approach that utilizes goal and business models as the foundation for designing e-services. The approach can be used to ensure that the developed e-services support the desired goals and business values of involved actors. A case study from the Swedish health care sector is used to ground and apply the presented approach.