A general latent variable model is given which includes the specification of a missing data mechanism. This framework allows for an elucidating discussion of existing general multivariate theory bearing on maximum likelihood estimation with missing data. Here, missing completely at random is not a prerequisite for unbiased estimation in large samples, as when using the traditional listwise or pairwise present data approaches. The theory is connected with old and new results in the area of selection and factorial invariance. It is pointed out that in many applications, maximum likelihood estimation with missing data may be carried out by existing structural equation modeling software, such as LISREL and LISCOMP. Several sets of artifical data are generated within the general model framework. The proposed estimator is compared to the two traditional ones and found superior.

This paper introduces a new set of comprehensive and cross-country-comparable indexes of migration policy selectivity. Crucially, these reflect the multidimensional nature of the differential treatment of migrants. We use these indexes to study the evolution of migration policy selectivity and estimate how they affect migration flows. Combining all publicly available and relevant data since WWII, we build three composite indexes that identify selectivity in terms of skills, economic resources and nationality. First, we use these to characterize migration policies in 42 countries between 1990 and 2014. Second, we examine the relationship between the selectivity of migration policy and migration flows. Each of the three dimensions of migration policy is found to correlate strongly and significantly with both the size and structure of migration flows.

Natural erionite was exhaustively ion exchanged with Na+ to give the anhydrous unit-cell composition (K1.9Na5.4Ca0.1Mg0.1)[(AlO2)7.4(SiO2)28.6]. A thermodynamic study of alkali and alkaline earth metal ion exchange in this zeolite was made and the selectivity series found to be Rb > Cs ≥ K > Ba > Sr > Ca > Na > Li. In all cases approximately two K+ ions per unit cell (probably those in the cancrinite cages) could not be replaced by conventional ion exchange. It was also found that two Na+ ions per unit cell are extremely difficult to replace with alkaline earth ions. It is believed that complete replacement of the approximately six Na+ cations in the two large cages per unit cell of erionite would result in a non-uniform, divalent cation population in these cages. A more stable anhydrous composition is (K2Ca2Na2)[(AlO2)8(SiO2)28] in which each large cage contains one Ca2* or other alkaline earth cation and one Na+ ion.

Zn- and Ca-adsorption equilibria of five Ca-saturated halloysite samples were measured at equilibrium Zn concentrations up to 10−2 M in 10−4 to 10−2 M CaCl2. The results were interpreted on KCaZn vs. [Zn]/CEC (%) plots, where KCaZn is the selectivity coefficient (= [Zn][Ca]/[Ca][Zn]), Zn and Ca represent the adsorbed species, and CEC is the cation-exchange capacity. All Zn adsorption occurred at cation-exchange sites, and 0.77 to 36.0 meq Zn/100 g clay, which constitutes 9 to 83% of the CEC, was adsorbed with “high selectivities” (KCaZn > 10). The higher values were found for two spherical and one “filmy” halloysites, whereas the lower values were found for two tubular halloysites. The magnitude of their 001 intensity, hydration in interlayer space, CEC, and “free” iron oxide content did not correlate with the selective Zn adsorption, but a good correlation was found between the proportion of “high selectivity” sites for Zn and proportion of “high affinity” sites for H+. The adsorption of Zn at the “high selectivity” sites was not completely reversible, and KCaZn values >1000 were recorded in 0.5 M CaCl2 for Zn which occupied 10–40% of the exchange sites. Selective Zn adsorption decreased with decreasing pH, and all adsorbed Zn was extracted with 0.1 M HCl.

The decreasing preference of montmorillonite for K+ relative to Na+ as the clay adsorbs increasing amounts of K+ is shown to be the general rule for the exchange of strongly hydrating ions by weakly hydrating ions. Variability in the mass-action selectivity coefficient is interpreted in terms of a composition-dependent surface entropy, which is a function of the chemical properties of the exchanging ion as well as the nature of the adsorption sites. The generally used mass-action form of exchange equation may only be applicable to exchange systems in which both ions have solution-like mobility at the exchanger surface. It is suggested that experimental variables such as ionic strength can greatly influence the degree of fit of data to a given ion-exchange equation.

Clinoptilolite from the Fort LaClede deposit in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, shows a moderate selectivity for NH4− over Na+ in aqueous solution. At 30°C, the standard free energy of this replacement reaction is −0.7 kcal/mole at an ionic strength of 0.05 M and −0.8 kcal/mole at 0.5 M. The Na+-NH4+ exchange is complete within 3 days in agitated solution and proceeds to the same extent from the clinoptilolite saturated with either cation.

The Ca2+-Na+ exchange also is complete within 3 days in agitated aqueous solution and proceeds to the same extent from either the calcium or the sodium form of the zeolite. Using test methods which take into account the slower equilibration of Ca2+-loaded clinoptilolite, the cation-exchange capacity is substantially the same over the full range of loading by Ca2+ and Na+. Ca2+ replaces Na+ with decreasing selectivity as Ca2+ loading increases to about 80% at 30°C (95% at 63°C), above which the selectivity reverses. The standard free energy of replacement of two Na+ ions by one Ca2+ ion in 0.05 M solution is −1.2 ± 0.2 kcal/mole at 63°C and −0.3 to −0.8 kcal/mole at 30°C.

A thorough understanding of the capacity of clay minerals to adsorb radiocesium is essential in order to predict the fate of this pollutant in the environment and to interpret routine measurements, such as desorbability. We have investigated the adsorption of radiocesium onto 2 contrasting reference clay minerals in dilute suspensions after a 2-h contact period. The results have been expressed as the distribution coefficient, Kd, or the selectivity coefficient, Kc. The adsorption properties have been studied with respect to various parameters: nature of the charge compensating cation, ionic strength, concentration of Cs, concentration of K and concentration of a soil-extracted fulvic acid.

A Freundlich isotherm has been found to fit experimental data well for levels of adsorbed cesium in the range 10−7 to 1 mol kg−1. Evidence of surface heterogeneity is discussed, but it was not possible to deduce the exchange capacities of the groups of exchange sites with differing affinities for Cs, which are thought to exist in illites. The concentration dependence of adsorption upon montmorillonite is postulated to arise from a modification of the exchange complex with increasing presence of Cs, rather than from heterogeneity of exchange sites. Increasing ionic strength caused a decrease in the relative affinity for a trace amount of cesium on both minerals, although mass action led to a fall in Kd. This is thought to indicate a high covalent interaction between Cs and the clay surface.

Potassium caused a smaller decrease in adsorption than stable Cs, which suggests that neither K nor NH4 plays a decisive role in the immobilization of radiocesium by clay minerals. There was a small decrease in adsorption upon addition of soil organic matter, which may contribute to the poor fixation capacity observed for some soils with a high organic matter content.

This paper examines the ion-exchange properties of synthetic zeolite Na-Pc, which was produced from perlite-waste fines and has a SiO2:Al2O3 ratio of 4.45:1 and a cation-exchange capacity (CEC) of 3.95 meq g−1. Although equilibrium is attained rapidly for all three metals, exchange is incomplete, with Ac(max) (maximum equilibrium fraction of the metal in the zeolite) being 0.95 for Pb, 0.76 for Zn, and 0.27 for Ni. In both Na → ½Pb and Na → ½Zn exchange, the normalized selectivity coefficient is virtually constant for NAC (normalized equilibrium fraction of the metal in the zeolite) values of ≤0.6, suggesting a pronounced homogeneity of the available exchange sites. The Gibbs standard free energy, ΔG°, of the Na → ½Pb exchange calculated from the normalized selectivity coefficient is −3.11 kJ eq−1 and, for the Na → ½Zn exchange, it is 2.75 kJ eq−1.

Examination of the solid exchange products with X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a possible decrease in crystallinity of zeolite Pb-Pc as suggested by the significant broadening and disappearance of diffraction lines. This decrease is associated with a reduction of pore opening, as indicated from Fourier-transform infrared analysis (FTIR), which in turn results in a decrease of the amount of zeolitic water. Thermogra-vimetric-differential thermogravimetric (TG-DTG) analysis showed that water loss occurs in three steps, the relative significance of which depends on the type of exchangeable cation and subsequently on the type of complex formed with the cation and/or the zeolite channels. Zeolite Na-Pc might be utilized in environmental applications, such as the treatment of acid-mine drainage and electroplating effluents.

To get a better understanding of the mechanisms of selective retention of cations by clay minerals, we have studied the physicochemical state and the location of immobilized cations. The approach developed is based on the concomitant study of the exchange isotherms and the compensating cations/clay structure interactions, using far infrared (FIR) spectroscopy. For that, cations are used as spectroscopic probes to characterize the selective sites.

Exchanged K, Rb-, K, Cs-, K, NH4- and NH4, Cs-Llano vermiculite samples were prepared. The exchange isotherms illustrate the higher selectivity of Llano vermiculite in the following order: K+ < Rb+ < Cs+. Desorption experiments show that a 2 N MgCl2 solution can extract a small fraction of immobilized Cs+. The concomitant analyses of the exchange phenomena at microscopic (X-ray diffraction) and molecular (far and middle IR spectroscopy) levels show that: (1) only ∼65% of the interlamellar hydrated Mg2+ of Llano vermiculite is exchanged; (2) cations are randomly distributed in the interlamellar spaces; and (3) retention is strongly related to the distance between compensating cations and oxygen atoms of the ditrigonal cavity.

The low hydration energy of selectively retained cations induces strong cation/clay interactions, which give FIR absorption bands of compensating cations. The FIR absorption bands of smaller cations shift towards lower wavenumbers when the proportion of the larger cations increases, whereas the wavenumber of the larger ones is constant. This reproducible scenario shows that larger cations act as wedges and expand layers, thus increasing the distance between the smaller cations and the layers. Calculation of the distances dM-O inner and dM-O outer shows that selectively-retained cations are six-coordinated in these dehydrated systems. The decrease of the difference between dM-O outer and dM-O inner from K+ to Cs+ may explain the observed selectivity of Llano vermiculite.

Montmorillonite modified with the cationic biopolymer, chitosan, has, in weak acidic solutions, protonated amine groups which act as anion-adsorption sites. Due to the specific surroundings of the adsorption sites and diffusion paths in the interlayer of chitosan-montmorillonite, preferential adsorption of certain anions is likely. In the present study, the adsorption properties for the inorganic anions Cr(VI) and As(V) were determined, taking into account solution pH and competitive adsorption in the presence of Cl− and ${\text{SO}}_4^{2-}$${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$. Chitosan-montmorillonite was prepared by adding an amount of chitosan equivalent to 500% of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) at pH 5 and 75°C. The resulting anion exchange capacity was ∼0.34 molc/kg. The adsorption properties for As(V) and Cr(VI) were determined with the batch technique at pH 3 to 9. Adsorption isotherms were fitted to the Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich equations and judged quantitatively by the correlation coefficient. To describe the competitive adsorption, the selectivity (S) was determined by the ratio of amounts of anions A and B adsorbed (qA/qB) in a binary system. The ionic species adsorbed, i.e. either Cr(VI) or As(V), depended on the pH, as did the degree of protonation of the amine groups, and this played a decisive role in the amount of anions adsorbed. The maximum amount of Cr(VI) adsorbed was 180 mmol/kg at pH 3.5, whereas for As(V) it was 120 mmol/kg at pH 4.0 to 5.0. The adsorption process of Cr(VI) and As(V) fit well to the Langmuir isotherm. By increasing the concentration of the competitive anion, Cl−, in solution, the amount of Cr(VI) and As(V) adsorbed remained almostconstant, whereas ${\text{SO}}_4^{2-}$${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$ had a more pronounced competitive effect. At concentration ratios of 0.5 and 1 for ${\text{SO}}_4^{2-}$${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$ to Cr(VI) and As(V), respectively, the sorption capacity decreased by 10 and 25%, respectively. The sequence of the selectivity was: $\text{Cr}\left(\text{VI}\right)>{\text{SO}}_4^{2-}>\text{As}\left(\text{V}\right)>{\text{Cl}}^{-}$${\rm{Cr}}\left( {{\rm{VI}}} \right) > {\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - } > {\rm{As}}\left( {\rm{V}} \right) > {\rm{C}}{{\rm{l}}^ - }$. Chitosan-montmorillonite showed a high selectivity for Cr(VI), which adsorbed chemically. Despite the lower affinity for As(V) and physical adsorption, the adsorption capacity was relatively high.

Natural smectites bind aflatoxins from water effectively, but the complex chemical environment in the guts of mammals and other animals can limit binding of aflatoxins. Many efforts have been made to enhance the adsorption capacity and affinity of smectites for aflatoxins in the presence of biological compounds. The main objective of the present study was to modify smectite structures by pillaring and cation exchange to enhance aflatoxin B1 adsorption capacity and selectivity. Smectite was pillared with Al and Al-Fe polycations or saturated with Ca, Mg, Zn, or Li. Structural changes in smectites with or without heat treatment were determined using X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Equilibrium aflatoxin B1 adsorption to the smectites was measured in aqueous solution and in simulated gastric fluid. Pillaring with the polycations expanded smectites in the z-direction to 18.6 Å and the expansion was stable after heating at 500°C. Changes in the Al–OH–Al infrared bands in the stretching region supported the formation of pillared clays. Migration of Mg, Zn, and Li into the octahedral sites of the smectite was observed as Mg and Zn saturation yielded a d spacing of 15 Å at 200°C which collapsed to 9.6 Å at 400°C. The 14.6 Å peak of the Li-saturated smectite collapsed to 9.6 Å at 200°C while the 15 Å Ca-saturated smectite peak was stable up to 400°C. The unheated Al- and AlFe-pillared smectites adsorbed significantly more aflatoxin B1 from an aqueous suspension than did unpillared clay. In both water and simulated gastric fluid, heat treatment decreased aflatoxin B1 adsorption to pillared smectites, but heat treatment increased aflatoxin B1 adsorption to unpillared smectites. Without heat treatment, smectites saturated with divalent cations (Ca, Mg, Zn) adsorbed more aflatoxin B1 from an aqueous suspension than the smectite saturated with a monovalent cation (Li). Ca-saturated smectite showed the greatest aflatoxin B1 adsorption, 114 g kg–1, from aqueous suspension after 400°C heat treatment. The Zn-, Mg-, and Li-saturated smectites showed maximum aflatoxin adsorption of 107, 93, and 90 g kg–1, respectively, after 200°C heat treatment. From simulated gastric fluid with pepsin, the 200°C heated, Zn-saturated smectite had maximum aflatoxin B1 adsorption of 68 g kg–1. Pillared smectites effectively adsorbed aflatoxin B1 from aqueous suspension, but Ca- and Zn-saturated smectites after heat treatment might improve the selectivity of smectites for aflatoxin B1 over pepsin and enhance the efficacy of smectite as a feed additive.

In this paper, filter and antenna integration is studied to produce a compact device for wireless front-end equipment. Filtering antennas are advanced due to their selectivity performance, represented by a flat gain response. Two filtering antennas are proposed to improve the selectivity using different orders. The first antenna is based on second-order filter and the other on third-order filter. Both antennas are designed to operate at 4.65 GHz for mid-band 5 G application with a bandwidth of 6.45%. The first antenna integrates a rectangular radiator and an interdigital resonator based on second-order filter. It obtained a bandwidth impedance of −10 dB for 300 MHz and a maximum gain of 6.48 dBi. Meanwhile, the second design consists of a rectangular radiator and two interdigital resonators based on third-order filter as the feedline. Having the same bandwidth as the first design, the second design achieved a flat gain of 6.37 dBi in the operational bandwidth. The second antenna design showed better selectivity with sharper gain than the first design. The two antennas were fabricated and measured for validation. The simulation and measurement results showed good agreement.

In discussions of impunity, such as the one surrounding the International Criminal Court, the concept of impunity itself has remained relatively unattended. Examining the concept more closely reveals that we use it in both thin and thick senses, the thin relating to a concern about the values of punishment and the criminal law and the thick to a broader notion of equality, of which crimes being punished (equally) is one aspect, but not the totality of the issue. Only a thick version of impunity captures all that makes it a problem we care greatly about. According to this conception, what makes impunity a problem is primarily a failure to ensure equality before the law. This can show up in two ways. First, when a crime is not prosecuted or punished because the offender belongs to a group of people who are beyond the reach of the law. Second, when a crime is not prosecuted or punished because the victim belongs to a group of people deemed less important in the eyes the law. Institutions and courts of law end impunity, first and foremost, by restoring the experience of equality against privilege and brute power. This sets an important challenge to the International Criminal Court, because while the Court may serve many important values, its current institutional formation and its political context seem to undermine its capacity to contribute to end impunity in the thicker sense.

This article presents a novel miniaturized (0.105λ0 × 0.105λ0) flexible complementary frequency selective surfaces (CFSS) structure with sharp band edge selectivity and very high angular stability. To explore two diverse applications as a passband and stopband filter, a novel complementary convoluted square loop (CCSL) type structure has been designed and investigated on ultrathin dielectric material of thickness 0.0023λ0. The second-order wide controllable passband with fractional bandwidth of 19.23% (−3 dB) and remarkably wide stopband of 64.7% (−10 dB) and 54.8% (−20 dB) respectively have been achieved by using a cascaded resonating structure which is composed of asymmetrical meandered CCSL array, arranged on two ultrathin dielectric layers with air foam separation. This particular format would lead to sharp band edge selectivity with steep roll-off (72.43 dB/GHz) and an excellent passband selectivity factor (0.731). An equivalent lumped LC circuit in conjunction with the transmission line model has also been adopted to comprehend the physical mechanism of the proposed single layer and double layer structures. Further, better passband and stopband angular stability at an oblique incident angle of 45° and the bending characteristics have also been investigated thoroughly for the proposed flexible CFSS to check their employability in different conformal structures with WiMAX passband and WLAN stopband application.