Co3(SO4)3(OH)2[enH2]: a newS= 3/2 Kagome-type layered sulfate with a unique connectivity

The Kagome lattice, comprising a two-dimensional array of corner-sharing equilateral triangles, is central to the exploration of magnetic frustration. In such a lattice, antiferromagnetic coupling between ions in triangular plaquettes prevents all of the exchange interactions being simultaneously satisfied and a variety of novel magnetic ground states may result at low temperature. Experimental realization of a Kagome lattice remains difficult. The jarosite family of materials of nominal composition AM3(SO4)2(OH)6 (A = monovalent cation; M= Fe3+, Cr3+), offers perhaps one of the most promising manifestations of the phenomenon of magnetic frustration in two dimensions. The magnetic properties of jarosites are however extremely sensitive to the degree of coverage of magnetic sites. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the use of soft chemical techniques for the design and synthesis of novel materials in which to explore the effects of spin, degree of site coverage and connectivity on magnetic frustration.

Chess Endgame News

Three topics are discussed. First, an issue in the epistemology of computer simulation - that of the chess endgame 'becoming' what computer-generated data says it is. Secondly, the endgames of the longest known games are discussed, and the concept of a Bionic Game is defined. Lastly, the set of record-depth positions published by Bourzutschky and Konoval are evaluated by the new MVL tables in Moscow - alongside the deepest known mate of 549 moves.

Chess endgame news

This note defines what it means by the 'chess endgame' and looks at the frequency of sub-n-man and 'FinalGen' positions in games and studies and in the FIDE 2013 World Cup. It includes the exposition of the DTM-minimaxing line from one of the three DTM-deepest known (KQPKRBN) positions. It refines the definitions of 'longest game' and 'bionic game'. The games of the FIDE 2013 World Cup and the longest known decisive game are available here.

Relative values: residential leasehold reform in England and Wales - valuation of lease extension and enfranchisement

This research report was commissioned by the DETR and examines valuation issues relating to leasehold enfanchisement and lease extension - the right for flat owners to collectively purchase the freehold or buy a longer lease. The two factors examined examined in detail are the yield to be applied when capitalising the ground rent and the relative value of leases with a relatively short period left to run as against the value of the freehold or a new long lease, which determines the level of 'marriage level'. The research report will be of interest to all those involved in the valuation of residential leasehold property and those with an interest in legislative proposals for leasehold reform.

Tuning chelation by the surfactant-like peptide A6H using predetermined pH values

We examine the self-assembly of a peptide A6H comprising a hexa-alanine sequence A6 with a histidine (H) “head group”, which chelates Zn2+ cations. We study the self assembly of A6H and binding of Zn2+ ions in ZnCl2 solutions, under acidic and neutral conditions. A6H self-assembles into nanotapes held together by a β-sheet structure in acidic aqueous solutions. By dissolving A6H in acidic ZnCl2 solutions, the carbonyl oxygen atoms in A6H chelate the Zn2+ ions and allow for β-sheet formation at lower concentrations, consequently reducing the onset concentration for nanotape formation. A6H mixed with water or ZnCl2 solutions under neutral conditions produces short sheets or pseudocrystalline tapes, respectively. The imidazole ring of A6H chelates Zn2+ ions in neutral solutions. The internal structure of nanosheets and pseudocrystalline sheets in neutral solutions is similar to the internal structure of A6H nanotapes in acidic solutions. Our results show that it is possible to induce dramatic changes in the self-assembly and chelation sites of A6H by changing the pH of the solution. However, it is likely that the amphiphilic nature of A6H determines the internal structure of the self-assembled aggregates independent from changes in chelation.

Are investors guided by the news disclosed by companies or by journalists?

Most previous studies demonstrating the influential role of the textual information released by the media on stock market performance have concentrated on earnings-related disclosures. By contrast, this paper focuses on disposal announcements, so that the impacts of listed companies’ announcements and journalists’ stories can be compared concerning the same events. Consistent with previous findings, negative words, rather than those expressing other types of sentiment, statistically significantly affect adjusted returns and detrended trading volumes. However, extending previous studies, the results of this paper indicate that shareholders’ decisions are mainly guided by the negative sentiment in listed companies’ announcements rather than that in journalists’ stories. Furthermore, this effect is restricted to the announcement day. The average market reaction–measured by adjusted returns–is inversely related only when the announcements are ignored by the media, but the dispersion of market reaction–measured by detrended trading volume–is positively affected only when announcements are followed up by journalists.

Chess Endgame News

This note includes some endgame reflections on the last World Chess Championship, an update on the search for the longest decisive games between computers, and a brief mention of the sets of endgame table (EGT) statistics recently received from Yakov Konoval (2013) and from Victor Zakharov (2013) for the Lomonosov team.

Spiritual capital: the co-evolution of an ethical framework based on Abrahamic religious values in the Islamic tradition

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate how values from within Abrahamic religions could be adopted to improve liberal market economies’ (LMEs’) corporate governance business practices. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of spiritual capitalism is explained from an Islamic perspective by adopting three universal Abrahamic values to critically analyse LMEs and offer an ethical alternative to current capitalism concerns. Findings – It is found that LMEs can be improved by considering all stakeholders, putting ethics before economics, and introducing shared risk/reward plus lower debt. Originality/value – The paper compares LMEs/Co-ordinated market economies (CMEs)/Islamic countries economies (ICEs) within an ethical framework for LMEs.

Chess Endgame News

This paper notes FIDE's 75-move rule (9.6b) and suggests some implications. It reviews two endgame-table initiatives associated with the 50-move rule. One is Huntington's mainly sub-6-man multi-valued DTM50 EGTs implemented in HASKELL. The other is Ronald de Man's WDL' and DTZ50' EGTs which introduce a 5-way evaluation of positions, and ascribe a depth to decisive positions which are not 50-move-rule wins or losses. There is also some first detail about the Lomonosov '7-man DTM EGT' team, and comments on reactions to 'Haworth's Law'.

An investigation into the relationship between values and commitment: a study of staff in the UK charity sector

Abstract The concept of values “fit” has been a significant theme in the management literature for many years. It is argued that where there is alignment of staff and organizational values a range of positive outcomes are encountered. What is unclear is how this translates into the charity sector. This study explores the phenomenon of values alignment in two UK charities. Questionnaires were used to measure staff values, perceptions of organization values and staff commitment. Drawing on the work of Finegan (2000), an interaction term is used as a proxy for fit. Analyses of data from 286 participants indicated that it was the perceptions of organization values that had the greatest impact on staff commitment. The alignment of staff values and perceptions of organization values only had a degree of effect within one of the charities. This challenges the dominant view on such alignment and the implications of this are discussed. Keywords staff, values fit, commitment, organizational identification

Chess Endgame News

This note investigates the recently revived proposal that the stalemated side should lose, and comments further on the information provided by the FRITZ14 interface to Ronald de Man’s DTZ50' EGTs. The history of stalemate is convoluted, and there is an argument for computing chess endgame tables to revised rules to examine the impact of any change. The FRITZ14 interface to the DTZ50' EGTs exhibits residual 'one-out' and end-of-phase errors. Example positions are provided to illustrate the stalemate and the DTZ50' issues described.

Chess Endgame News

Newborn and Hyatt recently tested the chess-engine CRAFTY on two test sets of 16 positions each. The performance of an engine making greater use of endgame tables (EGTs) is compared with that of CRAFTY. Reference is made to three other articles in which composed positions have been used to test a variety of chess engines. Supporting data here comprises two pgn files, an annotated-pgn file and the original data worksheets used.