ubs

How to build an investor relations area for your website with HubSpot

“Investors, both individual and professional, want more than just the data that independent services can provide. They want the company’s own story and investment vision. What they don’t want is to wade through complex or irrelevant information.” Investor Relations on Corporate Websites, Nielsen Norman Group

Understand investor jobs-to-be-done

Primary users of investor relations areas on a website include, obviously, investors themselves but also analysts and financial journalists. There is an important secondary audience of potential customers and employees too. But the core audience is generally looking for:

  • Company background and overview
  • Press releases
  • Stock exchange filings
  • One-page financial overview
  • Annual reports
  • Quarterly reports
  • Historical financial information
  • Executive biographies
  • Share price information
  • Press and IR contact details
  • Corporate governance information

Of course, each company will go beyond statutory reporting to add content and user journeys specific to their needs. For example, if they are dealing with specific events in their company history, such as acquisitions, crises or if they are approaching an IPO.

Interestingly, according to NN/Group, some of the fancier functionality that you often see on an IR site, such as webcasts, slides and investment calculators, were less important to real users. “People research company financials are more interested in getting facts quickly than in the technology used to deliver them.”

Best practice examples

GE Aerospace does well with very clear navigation on a fast-loading site that is designed to get people to the information they are looking for quickly.

Microsoft’s IR site clearly surfaces stock price information with a tidy design and recent company news, but we are not fans of carousels as a user interface solution.

In contrast, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) has the leanest, text-only IR page, which, like GE’s, aims to get visitors to key information as quickly as possible. Notably, they offer HTML and PDF versions of key reports, and we think this is good practice. PDFs are not great for usability but have an important role in communicating statutory information in a compliant way, so it’s important to find a user-friendly, SEO-friendly parallel structure to sit alongside them.

Michelmersh combines Microsoft’s visual approach with direct access to the most important information.

Core and optional functionality

We use a tool called Octopus to collaborate with clients to design a website’s information architecture and the high-level structure of individual pages.

For investor relations areas, the following site map templates from NN/Group are good starting points for high, medium and low-priority content. But each client is different and so understanding client needs and their users’ needs is always a project in itself.

Don’t forget basic website usability

For more information about how Articulate tackles the website design and development process, including information architecture and user journeys, see How we build websites at Articulate. For the end results, take a look at our Portfolio.

We think all sites - and all visitors - deserve a well-designed, easy-to-use website that helps them find the information they want. In particular, this means that IR areas need to be:

  • Mobile-friendly. The widespread use of PDFs makes many IR sites difficult to use on mobile devices, representing an opportunity for forward-thinking companies to improve the user experience by offering HMTL options.
  • Searchability. IR information should be searchable alongside other site content, either with a domain-specific search box (i.e. just the IR section) or as part of an integrated site-wide search.
  • Accessibility is a basic requirement for a modern website, yet 97 percent of websites have fundamental accessibility issues. Designing for accessibility is good for every visitor. For example, our blog’s speed reading mode and audio player help people engage with our content whether they have specific needs or not. See our article about why accessibility is crucial for website design.
  • Loading speed. Google and GE prioritise loading speed and ‘time to find’ for visitors over fancy imagery and functionality. This is in line with NN/Group’s user study findings. Some clients prefer more fizz and ginger on their IR sites as part of their investor brand, but this should never come at the expense of loading speed. For more on improving Core Web Vitals (as Google calls them) see: Don't lose traffic because of Google’s Core Web Vitals.
  • SEO. Investors, journalists and advisors, like most of us, use Google to find information. IR areas should get the same SEO attention as the rest of the site. For more on our approach to SEO see: The ultimate SEO guide for B2B technology companies.
  • PDFs vs. web pages. IR pages are loaded with PDFs for annual reports, statutory filings, and other important documents. It may be the case that these files have to be in PDF format—we’re not lawyers, so we can’t say for certain—but we think it would be valuable, as with Google, not to also make them available as web pages, even if it is a high-level summary page with a link to the downloadable PDF. There are strong usability reasons to avoid PDF files if at all possible.
  • Carousels. We strongly recommend against Carousels. Buy us a pint, and we’ll bore for England about why.
  • Use of videos, webcasts and podcasts. IR pages often feature investor briefings and other content in video format. This should never be a substitute for clear, scannable, searchable text. Where possible, provide transcripts or summaries. Where possible, provide short (<4 minutes) highlight reels as well as longer content. Videos should have captions and chapter headings so that people can find what they need quickly. Never autoplay videos.

Examples of investor-specific functionality

Company overview

“Offer a brief company overview that highlights a few significant facts, along with a link to more detailed corporate information.” For example, Causeway’s website has this succinct summary right on its homepage as well as more detailed information in a ‘Why us’ section.

Biographies

“Provide information about the company’s high-level managers, including each person’s name and job title, a recent picture, and a link to a full biography,” advises The Nielsen Norman Group. For example, HealthHero has a really easy-to-use, highly visual, and on-brand biographies section on its About Us page.

Press information

Journalists don’t just need press information, they need relevant, high-resolution images, logos, PR contacts and company information.

Press releases

Your news page should look like high-end news site or blog with all the support infrastructure such as the ability to sign up for alerts, search for specific information, filter and sort the information, as on this example from TCN.

ESG reports. Your investor brand goes beyond statutory reporting. Increasingly, environmental, social and governance information influences investment decisions and build investor confidence. HPE does a great job of communicating its progress in this area, and, ahem, we think our own Impact Report is pretty good, too. (Related to this, see our guide to establishing a strong ESG tone of voice.)

Security, availability, access controls and approvals

  • Security and access control. IR areas often include market-sensitive information such as earnings announcements or new product introductions. For this reason (and others), it is important that any content management system (CMS) used for IR pages should have robust security and access controls, meaning that only authorised users can add or modify IR pages. We recommend HubSpot Content Hub which has granular user permissions, access control to specific assets (e.g. individual web pages) and (with an Enterprise tier) SSO integration and role-based permissions.
  • Content approvals. HubSpot also has the option to require approvals before website changes are published. This may be valuable to ensure that legally responsible people, e.g. directors, have a final review and approval of statutory updates to the site, even if they delegate the content creation to others.
  • Scheduling for publication. With time-sensitive and embargoed information, it is important to be able to set a specific publication time and date for content so that you can prepare the pages in advance but make sure they are published at the right time. With HubSpot, this is possible for pages and blog/new posts.

How Articulate can help

We design and code signature websites using our proprietary Nucleus technology, which are hosted on HubSpot Content Hub (CMS). See our website services page for more information.

Brochure websites are old-school. Instead, our team will build you a marketing engine that drives traffic, leads and customers, all while telling your brand story.

If you’d like an SEO, usability, or content review of your investor relations website or if you’d like us to help build a new one, please get in touch.




ubs

The problem with superscripts and subscripts

When marking up a web page featuring text that requires superscripts or subscripts, we should use the semantically meaningful <sup> and <sub> elements. Examples include footnote references(1) and simple maths 1210=C12.

When browsers come across <sup> and <sub> elements, their user agent stylesheet usually applies rules like this:

sub { 
  vertical-align: sub;
  font-size: smaller;
  line-height: normal;
}

This makes the text smaller and shifts the baseline up or down. There’s two downsides to this. The first is that the baseline shift usually causes anomalous line spacing, that is to say lines are pushed up or down to make space for the sub- or superscript. Secondly the sub/superscripted characters look slightly off – effectively their font weight has been reduced compared with the surrounding text.

Many OpenType fonts ship with properly designed sub- and superscripts. These are specifically designed for the purpose – the glyphs are already small (no change in font size required), retain a comparable weight and have a different shape compared with regular characters, as befits a thoughtfully shrunk down glyph. Even if these characters are available in the current font, browsers will ignore them and continue to synthesise using CSS properties. There are sensible reasons for this, as we shall see.

It is very easy to get browsers to swap in the OpenType glyphs instead – just use the font-variant-position property. For browsers which support it (all modern ones) you can override the user agent stylesheet and implement font-variant-position as follows:

@supports ( font-variant-position: sub ) {
  sub {
    vertical-align: baseline;
    font-size: 100%;
    line-height: inherit;
    font-variant-position: sub;
  }
}

But there’s a potential problem. What happens if the characters in the text you need to superscript are not all available as OpenType alternates in the current font? According to the CSS Fonts Module Level 4 specification, browsers should synthesise the whole superscript, even if some characters are available as proper superscripts:

Because of the semantic nature of subscripts and superscripts, when the value [of font-variant-position] is either sub or super for a given contiguous run of text, if a variant glyph is not available for all the characters in the run, simulated glyphs should be synthesised for all characters using reduced forms of the glyphs that would be used without this feature applied.

Phew. Job done. You’d have thought. Unfortunately at the time of writing only Firefox supports this behaviour; WebKit and Chromium do not. If the webfont has loaded, the font you are currently reading contains the following superscript alternates: 0123456789(). That is to say no letters or other characters except the numbers 0–9 and a pair of parentheses. Now let’s consider the following markup:

2a<sup>2</sup> a<sup>2a</sup> a<sup>(2)</sup>
a<sup>(2a)</sup> a<sup>[2]</sup>

The superscripts vary, in that some of them contain characters which are all available, and others contain a mixture. The text should render like this:

Screenshot from Firefox 129b/Mac

This is how it renders in the browser you are currently using:

2a2 a2a a(2) a(2a) a[2]
As currently rendered in your browser

The chances are that none of the ‘a’s or square brackets are superscripted at all. I’ve filed this as a bug in Chromium and Webkit. I’ve also asked that font-variant-position be removed from Baseline until these bugs are fixed, as support is evidently incomplete, but also because that lack of support is harmful to the visual semantics, in other words it could change the intention and meaning of the text.

Finally I’ve proposed that full support for font-variant-position is included in Interop 2025. If you want to see this happen give my proposal some love.

Read or add comments




ubs

Corporate subsidies are out of control

Trying to entice businesses is expensive and ineffective




ubs

Attention, votre airfryer pourrait produire une substance cancérigène dans vos aliments selon une étude - Yahoo Actualités

  1. Attention, votre airfryer pourrait produire une substance cancérigène dans vos aliments selon une étude  Yahoo Actualités
  2. 3 bonnes raisons de choisir un Airfryer en 2024  La Provence
  3. Nos 30 recettes rapides et faciles au Airfryer, du plat de résistance au dessert  Le Figaro
  4. Les air fryers sont-ils dangereux pour la santé ? Une étude lance l'alerte  Allo Docteurs
  5. Airfryer : attention aux acrylamides potentiellement cancérigènes  Pourquoi Docteur ?




ubs

Healthcare industry input parameters for a deterministic model that optimally locates additive manufacturing hubs

Recent innovations in additive manufacturing (AM) have proven its efficacy for not only the manufacturing industry but also the healthcare industry. Researchers from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and California State University Long Beach are developing a model that will determine the optimal locations for additive manufacturing hubs that can effectively serve both the manufacturing and healthcare industries. This paper will focus on providing an overview of the healthcare industry's unique needs for an AM hub and summarise the specific inputs for the model. The methods used to gather information include extensive literature research on current practices of AM models in healthcare and an inclusive survey of healthcare practitioners. This includes findings on AM's use for surgical planning and training models, the workflow to generate them, sourcing methods, and the AM techniques and materials used. This paper seeks to utilise the information gathered through literature research and surveys to provide guidance for the initial development of an AM hub location model that locates optimal service locations.




ubs

RON95 subsidy-messaging needs tune-up

I APPLAUD the government’s plan to introduce targeted subsidies for RON95 petrol as announced in Budget 2025. In the long run, this approach will ensure that subsidies reach those who need them most.

This targeted move means funds can be better spent on essential services such as healthcare, education and infrastructure. It also avoids wasteful spending where the wealthiest and even foreign nationals currently benefit disproportionately from subsidies meant to help the average Malaysian.

However, the communication surrounding this important change has been a complete mess.

Since the announcement, various government figures have given conflicting messages, leaving the public confused and anxious.

For instance, while the prime minister mentioned that around 85% of Malaysians would still benefit from the subsidies, other officials have added confusing layers.

We have Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli suggesting a
two-tier pricing system that differentiates prices based on income, introducing the concept of a “T15” group. Days later, he conceded that the definition of T15 is still in the works.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke further added a suggestion of using MyKad at petrol stations to restrict subsidies to Malaysians only. Treasury Secretary-General Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican then weighed in, saying the government is “considering” a tiered subsidy similar to electricity. So, which is which?

Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah has asked the public to avoid speculation as the income threshold is still undecided.

With these overlapping, sometimes contradictory statements, Malaysians are left wondering: What exactly is happening? Is there even a clear plan? Or is each ministry proposing its version, leaving the people in limbo?

These confusing signals do more harm than good. They create a sense of uncertainty and give the impression that there is no cohesive approach to implementing an important policy.

A unified, single message
is essential, especially when dealing with subsidies that affect people’s daily lives.

The government must assign a clear project leader to this subsidy reform. Is it the Finance Ministry, the Economy Ministry or the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry?

Once the lead is determined, all communications should flow directly from this designated ministry to avoid confusion.

A good example of effective communication was seen in the recent diesel subsidy rationalisation.

Information was straight-forward, easy to understand and delivered consistently. People knew what to expect and who to turn to for information.

If the government does not get its act together on communicating the RON95 subsidy reforms, it will only cause anxiety, confusion and distrust.

Getting communications right is not just a matter of public relations – it is crucial for gaining public support and making this beneficial change work smoothly.

Abdul Latiff Abdul Hakim




ubs

LG says subscription-based home appliance services catching on in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The shift towards subscription-based services is gaining traction in Malaysia, aligning with a broader global trend that redefines how consumers access products.

This model provides an appealing option for many Malaysians, particularly young families and newlyweds, who face rising living costs.

Offering high-quality appliances on a subscription basis eases the financial burden of ownership, allowing consumers to enjoy premium products without the pressure of a large upfront investment.

One notable brand offering subscription-based home appliance services is the South Korean brand, LG.

LG Malaysia product director of subscription business Hojin Jung said the introduction of the LG Rent Up Subscription in Malaysia is a natural progression of the company’s commitment to providing innovative and accessible solutions tailored to the evolving needs of modern consumers.

“LG Rent Up Subscription is inspired by our success with subscription models in South Korea, where we saw significant growth, driven by increasing demand for convenience and affordability.

“Recognising similar trends here, we noticed a growing interest in flexible ownership models in Malaysia, spurred by the need for more cost-effective solutions amidst rising living expenses and fuelled by shifting consumer preferences.

“Since its launch in March 2024, the market response has been encouraging. We have seen growing inquiries from customers who have signed up for our water purifier subscription model and are now exploring subscriptions for other high-demand appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and TVs.

“This shift highlights a changing mindset in how Malaysians approach home appliance ownership – especially among younger, urban consumers who prioritise access over ownership, seeking premium products without the upfront financial commitment,” Hojin told SunBiz.

He said urbanisation and the desire for more sustainable, convenience-focused living have made subscription services an attractive option.

“By offering top-tier technology on a subscription basis, we make high-end living more accessible while emphasising affordability and environmental responsibility. LG’s Rent Up Subscription model meets Malaysians’ evolving needs, allowing them to enjoy premium technology without the burden of ownership,” he said.

Hojin said the subscription model is gaining popularity among young Malaysians, especially urban professionals and families facing high living costs and limited space.

This trend, he said, reflects a growing shift toward a ‘sharing economy,‘ where access to energy-efficient appliances without the financial strain of ownership is valued.

LG Rent Up Subscription’s launch saw a strong uptake in Kuala Lumpur and major cities, where 40% of tech-savvy millennials prefer renting to stay updated with technology affordably.

Elaborating on the model further, Hojin said that although subscription services share similarities across markets, the Malaysian context has distinct differences.

“In South Korea, for example, the rental model for water purifiers is well-established, with over 70% market penetration. Malaysia, meanwhile, is still in its early phase, but consumer awareness is rising quickly. Moreover, this trend is not isolated to Malaysia. LG is actively preparing to introduce the subscription model in other markets, including Taiwan and Thailand, by year-end.”

Touching on the vision for LG Rent Up in Malaysia, Hojin said the LG Rent Up Subscription is just the beginning of a transformative journey in how it engages with consumers in Malaysia.

“As we look ahead, we plan to expand our subscription offerings to include a wider array of smart home appliances and electronics, reflecting the growing demand for connected living solutions.

“Our vision for LG Rent Up Subscription is to enhance the customer experience by offering seamless integration with our LG ThinQ technology, which already empowers our appliances to be more intuitive and user-friendly. This will allow our customers to enjoy a smart, responsive lifestyle, further elevating the convenience and efficiency of their homes,” he explained.

Hojin said that as the subscription economy continues to evolve, particularly among tech-savvy and environmentally conscious consumers, LG Rent Up Subscription aims to play a pivotal role in making premium technology more accessible.

“Our ultimate goal is to foster a circular economy model in which subscribing to high-quality appliances reduces the financial burden on consumers and contributes to sustainability by extending product lifecycles and minimising waste.

“The more we enhance our subscription model, the more committed we are to making innovative technology more attainable. We ultimately aim to enrich the lives of our customers while promoting responsible consumption and environmental stewardship,” Hojin said.




ubs

MajorGeeks YouTube Channel just crossed over 50,000 subscribers!!!! Thanks!!!

...




ubs

Karachi Zoo welcomes three new lion cubs

.




ubs

China deploying new land-attack missile subs

The Chinese navy has built three new cruise missile-firing nuclear submarines in what U.S. defense officials say is a significant advance in its attack submarine program.




ubs

SBSTTA 19 - Nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

SBSTTA 19 - Nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice will take place from 2 to 5 November 2015 in Montreal, Canada.

Article 25 of the Convention on Biological Diversity establishes an open-ended intergovernmental scientific advisory body known as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) to provide the Conference of the Parties (COP) and, as appropriate, its other subsidiary bodies, with timely advice relating to the implementation of the Convention. As a subsidiary body of the COP, SBSTTA is to report regularly to the COP on all aspects of its work. 
 
SBSTTA has met 18 times to date and produced a total of 193 recommendations to the Conference of the Parties, some of which have been endorsed in full by the latter. Such endorsement makes these recommendations de facto decisions of the Conference of the Parties. Parts of other recommendations have also been endorsed, and many others have been taken up in modified form.
 
For more information on SBSTTA past and future meetings, please visit the dedicated webpage.

 





ubs

IUBS 2015 Frontiers in Unified Biology

The 32rd International Union of Biological Sciences General Assembly and Conference will take place from 14 to16 December 2015 in Berlin, Germany.
 
Symposia:
  • Biological Consequences of Global Change: current challenges
  • Building an Informatics Agenda that will deliver a Unified Biology
  • Integrated Biology Education for Future Earth
  • Integrative Climate Change Biology - Biodiversity, functional traits, and lessons from the past
  • BioNomenclature: Making nomenclatural codes, concepts and tools fit for modern research
  • Biology and the Societal Interfaces
  • From Urban Biology to sustainable BiodiverCities

More information available on teh official conference website.






ubs

Red Sox $48 million 'frontline starter' surprisingly linked to Cubs by MLB insider

The Chicago Cubs are just a couple of pieces away from finally returning to the playoffs. In 2024, the Cubs were profoundly mediocre on both sides of the ball. Improving the rotation is a worthy objective for the Cubs, because Imanaga could be due for regression as the league adjusts to his unique high-spin fastball. Chicago may try for the Corbin Burneses and Max Frieds of the world, but perhaps a lower-budget option could turn out to be the perfect Cubs addition.




ubs

Red Sox Have Substantial Competition for Reunion With Starting Pitcher

Eovaldi gets ready to pitch against the Royals. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Boston's former ace is reportedly on their radar this offseason. by: Michael Kadlick Posted: Nov 12, 2024 / 03:59 PM EST Updated: Nov 12, 2024 / 03:59 PM EST SHARE As the MLB's 2025 offseason begins, the Red Sox have a former ace on their radar. According to WEEI's Rob Bradford , Boston is among "about a dozen teams" who have shown interest in starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. He declined his 2025 player option on Nov. 4 and is set to hit free agency this winter. While top tier available pitchers remain Red Sox priority, they are one of about a dozen teams who have shown some level of interest in Nathan Eovaldi — Rob




ubs

‘Substantial rise’ in individual giving as major charity’s income up by 10 per cent

The charity also received a £5m grant from the People’s Postcode Lottery




ubs

Offshore safety agency says text notification system has more than 7,000 subscribers

Washington — In the more than 18 months since the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement unveiled its free BSEE!Safe text message alert system, the agency reports it has supplied links to BSEE safety alerts and bulletins covering offshore oil and gas work on the Outer Continental Shelf to over 7,000 subscribers.




ubs

2014 Subscriber Market Forecast Study

Sometimes it’s good to be wrong. In late 2012, security systems integrators and dealers forecasted that their total annual revenue would improve only slightly — 1 percent, on average — during 2013.




ubs

ASSA ABLOY Acquires Level Lock to Create Ambient Property Technologies Subsidiary

Level Lock was founded in 2016 by John Martin and Ken Goto and has approximately 70 employees. 




ubs

NTSB report spotlights ‘growing problem’ of cannabis and other substances

Washington — Although alcohol is a factor in nearly 1 out of 3 traffic deaths, federal and state agencies need to also address driver impairment from cannabis and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.




ubs

Newly updated: Substance use disorder webpage for federal workers and contractors

Washington — The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has updated its online hub of information and resources on substance use disorder and recovery.




ubs

COVID-19’s impact on mental health and substance use: tools now in Spanish

Washington — The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Worker Training Program has published Spanish-language versions of its resources on COVID-19’s impact on mental health and substance use.




ubs

Hearing loss higher than expected in some health care and social assistance subsectors: NIOSH

Washington — Workers in certain subsectors of the health care and social assistance industry experience hearing loss at a rate higher than expected “for an industry that has had assumed ‘low-exposure’ to noise,” according to a recent study from NIOSH.




ubs

Researchers find elevated risk of hearing loss in certain agriculture, forestry and fishing subsectors

Washington — Although work-related hearing loss in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector is lower overall than most other industries, three specific subsectors “would benefit from continued hearing conservation efforts,” according to researchers from NIOSH.




ubs

Study finds elevated prevalence, risk of hearing loss in many service industry subsectors

Washington — “Large numbers” of workers in the service industry “have an elevated risk of hearing loss and need immediate hearing conservation efforts,” NIOSH researchers say in a recent study.




ubs

OSI Group Subsidiary Purchases Park 100 Foods

The addition of Park 100 will complement OSI’s existing business while providing a significant presence in the attractive soup, sauce, and macaroni and cheese categories.




ubs

Schönox FP One-Step Solution for Porous and Non-porous Substrates

Schönox FP is a flexible, one-part filling and priming compound for priming and filling in one step.




ubs

USDA Releases Updated Guideline to Strengthen Substantiation of Animal-Raising and Environment-Related Claims on Meat and Poultry Labels

In the updated guideline, FSIS strongly encourages the use of third-party certification to substantiate animal-raising or environment-related claims.




ubs

CFI Offers Subfloor Substrate Prep Inspection Workshop

CFI is hosting a Subfloor Substrate Prep Inspection (SSPI) course April 20-21, in Tampa, Fla.






ubs

Exploratory Studies to Investigate Mechanisms of HIV infection, Replication, Latency, and/or Pathogenesis in the Context of Substance Use Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) [Letter of Intent Due Date: July 14]

The post Exploratory Studies to Investigate Mechanisms of HIV infection, Replication, Latency, and/or Pathogenesis in the Context of Substance Use Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) [Letter of Intent Due Date: July 14] was curated by information for practice.




ubs

Opioid substitution treatment, relapse and addiction-related outcomes in prison setting and after release: A longitudinal study

Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Ahead of Print. Aims: Opioid addiction is a common problem among prisoners. The aim of this study was to examine differences between people who are incarcerated receiving opioid substitution treatment (OST) and those not receiving OST on addiction-related outcome variables during incarceration and after release from prison. Variables covered […]

The post Opioid substitution treatment, relapse and addiction-related outcomes in prison setting and after release: A longitudinal study was curated by information for practice.



  • Open Access Journal Articles



ubs

Over 200K subscribers flee Washington Post after Bezos blocks Harris endorsement

Over 200,000 people canceled their subscriptions in the first few days following news that The Washington Post would not endorse any presidential candidate.




ubs

What Is Imitation Crab Meat? Is the Crab Substitute Vegan?

If you've had a grocery store California roll or mixed seafood salad, you've probably eaten imitation crab meat. But what is imitation crab, exactly?





ubs

Morphological control for hollow rod crystals of a photochromic di­aryl­ethene on spherulites by surface properties of substrates

1,2-Bis(3,5-di­methyl-2-thienyl)perfluoro­cyclo­pentene formed its own spherulites by sublimation onto the hydro­philic surfaces of the (0001) planes of α-quartz and sapphire substrates. The formation of different morphologies of these spherulites was attributed to the surface properties of each substrate. Depending on the morphology of the spherulites, hollow rod crystals with cross sections of different sizes and shapes and branching structures were generated on the surfaces of the spherulites.




ubs

Seed layer formation by deposition of micro-crystallites on a revolving substrate: modeling of the effective linear elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric coefficients

The rotating substrate method of crystallite deposition is modeled, allowing computation of effective material coefficients of the layers resulting from the averaging. A worked numerical example particularized to 6mm ZnO is provided.




ubs

Morphological control for hollow rod crystals of a photochromic diarylethene on spherulites by surface properties of substrates

Sublimation methods utilizing the surface properties of substrates can address the challenge of controlling hollow morphologies in rod crystals. Spherulites were formed on the hydrophilic surface of the (0001) planes of α-quartz and sapphire substrates by sublimation of 1,2-bis(3,5-dimethyl-2-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (1a). Various types of hollow morphologies, distinguished by the size and shape of their cross sections and by the presence or absence of branching structures, were formed separately on α-quartz and sapphire substrates. Such precise control of the hollow morphologies was attributed to the wettability of each substrate, leading to the formation of spherulites of 1a. In addition, it was indicated that the formation process of the surface morphologies of spherulites was associated with the hollow morphologies of rod crystals of 1a.




ubs

The diamond–silicon carbide composite Skeleton® as a promising material for substrates of intense X-ray beam optics

The paper considers the possibility of using the diamond-silicon carbide composite Skeleton® with a technological coating of polycrystalline silicon as a substrate for X-ray mirrors used with powerful synchrotron radiation sources (third+ and fourth generation). Samples were studied after polishing to provide the following surface parameters: root-mean-square flatness ≃ 50 nm, micro-roughness on the frame 2 µm × 2 µm σ ≃ 0.15 nm. The heat capacity, thermal conductivity and coefficient of linear thermal expansion were investigated. For comparison, a monocrystalline silicon sample was studied under the same conditions using the same methods. The value of the coefficient of linear thermal expansion turned out to be higher than that of monocrystalline silicon and amounted to 4.3 × 10−6 K−1, and the values of thermal conductivity (5.0 W cm−1 K−1) and heat capacity (1.2 J K−1 g−1) also exceeded the values for Si. Thermally induced deformations of both Skeleton® and monocrystalline silicon samples under irradiation with a CO2 laser beam have also been experimentally studied. Taking into account the obtained thermophysical constants, the calculation of thermally induced deformation under irradiation with hard (20 keV) X-rays showed almost three times less deformation of the Skeleton® sample than of the monocrystalline silicon sample.




ubs

Crystallographic fragment-binding studies of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis trifunctional enzyme suggest binding pockets for the tails of the acyl-CoA substrates at its active sites and a potential substrate-channeling path between them

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis trifunctional enzyme (MtTFE) is an α2β2 tetrameric enzyme in which the α-chain harbors the 2E-enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECH) and 3S-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) active sites, and the β-chain provides the 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (KAT) active site. Linear, medium-chain and long-chain 2E-enoyl-CoA molecules are the preferred substrates of MtTFE. Previous crystallographic binding and modeling studies identified binding sites for the acyl-CoA substrates at the three active sites, as well as the NAD binding pocket at the HAD active site. These studies also identified three additional CoA binding sites on the surface of MtTFE that are different from the active sites. It has been proposed that one of these additional sites could be of functional relevance for the substrate channeling (by surface crawling) of reaction intermediates between the three active sites. Here, 226 fragments were screened in a crystallographic fragment-binding study of MtTFE crystals, resulting in the structures of 16 MtTFE–fragment complexes. Analysis of the 121 fragment-binding events shows that the ECH active site is the `binding hotspot' for the tested fragments, with 41 binding events. The mode of binding of the fragments bound at the active sites provides additional insight into how the long-chain acyl moiety of the substrates can be accommodated at their proposed binding pockets. In addition, the 20 fragment-binding events between the active sites identify potential transient binding sites of reaction intermediates relevant to the possible channeling of substrates between these active sites. These results provide a basis for further studies to understand the functional relevance of the latter binding sites and to identify substrates for which channeling is crucial.




ubs

Elastic and inelastic strain in submicron-thick ZnO epilayers grown on r-sapphire substrates by metal–organic vapour phase deposition

A significant part of the present and future of optoelectronic devices lies on thin multilayer heterostructures. Their optical properties depend strongly on strain, being essential to the knowledge of the stress level to optimize the growth process. Here the structural and microstructural characteristics of sub-micron a-ZnO epilayers (12 to 770 nm) grown on r-sapphire by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition are studied. Morphological and structural studies have been made using scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. Plastic unit-cell distortion and corresponding strain have been determined as a function of film thickness. A critical thickness has been observed as separating the non-elastic/elastic states with an experimental value of 150–200 nm. This behaviour has been confirmed from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements. An equation that gives the balance of strains is proposed as an interesting method to experimentally determine this critical thickness. It is concluded that in the thinnest films an elongation of the Zn—O bond takes place and that the plastic strained ZnO films relax through nucleation of misfit dislocations, which is a consequence of three-dimensional surface morphology.




ubs

The crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analysis of three new bromo-substituted 3-methyl-1-(phenyl­sulfon­yl)-1H-indole derivatives

Three new 1H-indole derivatives, namely, 2-(bromo­meth­yl)-3-methyl-1-(phenyl­sulfon­yl)-1H-indole, C16H14BrNO2S, (I), 2-[(E)-2-(2-bromo-5-meth­oxy­phen­yl)ethen­yl]-3-methyl-1-(phenyl­sulfon­yl)-1H-indole, C24H20BrNO3S, (II), and 2-[(E)-2-(2-bromo­phen­yl)ethen­yl]-3-methyl-1-(phenyl­sulfon­yl)-1H-indole, C23H18BrNO2S, (III), exhibit nearly orthogonal orientations of their indole ring systems and sulfonyl-bound phenyl rings. Such conformations are favourable for inter­molecular bonding involving sets of slipped π–π inter­actions between the indole systems and mutual C—H⋯π hydrogen bonds, with the generation of two-dimensional monoperiodic patterns. The latter are found in all three structures, in the form of supra­molecular columns with every pair of successive mol­ecules related by inversion. The crystal packing of the compounds is additionally stabilized by weaker slipped π–π inter­actions between the outer phenyl rings (in II and III) and by weak C—H⋯O, C—H⋯Br and C—H⋯π hydrogen bonds. The structural significance of the different kinds of inter­actions agree with the results of a Hirshfeld surface analysis and the calculated inter­action energies. In particular, the largest inter­action energies (up to −60.8 kJ mol−1) are associated with pairing of anti­parallel indole systems, while the energetics of weak hydrogen bonds and phenyl π–π inter­actions are comparable and account for 13–34 kJ mol−1.




ubs

Crystal structures of four gold(I) complexes [AuL2]+[AuX2]− and a by-product (L·LH+)[AuBr2]− (L = substituted pyridine, X = Cl or Br)

Bis(2-methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­bromido­aurate(I), [Au(C6H7N)2][AuBr2], (1), crystallizes in space group C2/c with Z = 4. Both gold atoms lie on twofold axes and are connected by an aurophilic contact. A second aurophilic contact leads to infinite chains of alternating cations and anions parallel to the b axis, and the residues are further connected by a short H⋯Au contact and a borderline Br⋯Br contact. Bis(3-methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­bromido­aurate(I), [Au(C6H7N)2][AuBr2], (2), crystallizes in space group C2/m with Z = 2. Both gold atoms lie on special positions with symmetry 2/m and are connected by an aurophilic contact; all other atoms except for one methyl hydrogen lie in mirror planes. The extended structure is closely analogous to that of 1, although the structures are formally not isotypic. Bis(3,5-di­methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­chlor­ido­aurate(I), [Au(C7H9N)2][AuCl2], (3) crystallizes in space group Poverline{1} with Z = 2. The cation lies on a general position, and there are two independent anions in which the gold atoms lie on inversion centres. The cation and one anion associate via three short H⋯Cl contacts to form a ribbon structure parallel to the b axis; aurophilic contacts link adjacent ribbons. Bis(3,5-di­methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­bromido­aurate(I), [Au(C7H9N)2][AuBr2], (4) is isotypic to 3. Attempts to make similar compounds involving 2-bromo­pyridine led instead to 2-bromopyridinium di­bromido­aurate(I)–2-bromo­pyridine (1/1), (C5H5BrN)[AuBr2]·C5H4BrN, (5), which crystallizes in space group Poverline{1} with Z = 2; all atoms lie on general positions. The 2-bromo­pyridinium cation is linked to the 2-bromo­pyridine mol­ecule by an N—H⋯N hydrogen bond. Two formula units aggregate to form inversion-symmetric dimers involving Br⋯Br, Au⋯Br and H⋯Br contacts.




ubs

Crystal structures of seven gold(III) complexes of the form LAuX3 (L = substituted pyridine, X = Cl or Br)

The structures of seven gold(III) halide derivatives of general formula LAuX3 (L = methyl­pyridines or di­methyl­pyridines, X = Cl or Br) are presented: tri­chlorido­(2-methyl­pyridine)­gold(III), [AuCl3(C6H7N)], 1 (as two polymorphs 1a and 1b); tri­bromido­(2-methyl­pyridine)­gold(III), [AuBr3(C6H7N)], 2; tri­bromido­(3-methyl­pyridine)­gold(III), [AuBr3(C6H7N)], 3; tri­bromido­(2,4-di­meth­yl­pyridine)­gold(III), [AuBr3(C7H9N)], 4; tri­chlorido­(3,5-di­methylpyridine)­gold(III), [AuCl3(C7H9N)], 5; tri­bromido­(3,5-di­methyl­pyridine)­gold(III), [AuBr3(C7H9N)], 6, and tri­chlorido­(2,6-di­methyl­pyridine)­gold(III), [AuCl3(C7H9N)], 7. Additionally, the structure of 8, the 1:1 adduct of 2 and 6, [AuBr3(C6H7N)]·[AuBr3(C7H9N)], is included. All the structures crystallize solvent-free, and all have Z' = 1 except for 5 and 7, which display crystallographic twofold rotation symmetry, and 4, which has Z' = 2. 1a and 2 are isotypic. The coordination geometry at the gold(III) atoms is, as expected, square-planar. Four of the crystals (1a, 1b, 2 and 8) were non-merohedral twins, and these structures were refined using the ‘HKLF 5’ method. The largest inter­planar angles between the pyridine ring and the coordination plane are observed for those structures with a 2-methyl substituent of the pyridine ring. The Au—N bonds are consistently longer trans to Br (average 2.059 Å) than trans to Cl (average 2.036 Å). In the crystal packing, a frequent feature is the offset-stacked and approximately rectangular dimeric moiety (Au—X)2, with anti­parallel Au—X bonds linked by Au⋯X contacts at the vacant positions axial to the coordination plane. The dimers are connected by further secondary inter­actions (Au⋯X or X⋯X contacts, `weak' C—H⋯X hydrogen bonds) to form chain, double chain (`ladder') or layer structures, and in several cases linked again in the third dimension. Only 1b and 7 contain no offset dimers; these structures instead involve C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds combined with Cl⋯Cl contacts (1b) or Cl⋯π contacts (7). The packing patterns of seven further complexes LAuX3 involving simple pyridines (taken from the Cambridge Structural Database) are compared with those of 1–8.




ubs

Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in the Human Diet - A Comparison of Naturally Occurring and Synthetic Substances

Cancer-causing chemicals that occur naturally in foods are far more numerous in the human diet than synthetic carcinogens, yet both types are consumed at levels so low that they currently appear to pose little threat to human health, a committee of the National Research Council said in a report released today.




ubs

New Report Calls for Coordinated, Multidecade National Effort to Reduce Negative Attitudes and Behavior Toward People With Mental and Substance Use Disorders

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should lead efforts among federal partners and stakeholders to design, implement, and evaluate a multipronged, evidence-based national strategy to reduce stigma toward people with mental and substance use disorders, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




ubs

Substantial Gap Exists Between Demand for Organ Transplants in U.S. and Number of Transplants Performed - New Report Offers Ethical, Regulatory, and Policy Framework for Research to Increase Quantity & Quality of Organs For Transplantation, Save Lives

The number of patients in the U.S. awaiting organ transplantation outpaces the amount of transplants performed in the U.S., and many donated organs are not transplanted each year due to several factors, such as poor organ function, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.