PATTERNS OF CHILDREN'S EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING

This study was based upon the responses of 116 Taiwanese primary school children aged nine-ten years to a questionnaire concerning their emotional and motivational responses to mathematical problems. A cluster analysis revealed four distinct patterns of response, which were differentially related to attainment. These patterns of emotional response were subsequently investigated further with a smaller sample of children using a repertory grid technique and an associated interview. The four patterns were found to have differential characteristics and development processes in terms of emotional variables and preferred problem types. Emotion is an indispensable part of cognitive activities, such as mathematical problem-solving. Burton (1994) indicates that children as mathematicians often strive for progression and newness to enhance capacity, but also experience anxiety when confronted with the need to integrate new ideas with existing patterns of understanding. Mason, Burton and Stacey (1996) point out key moments in the problem-solving process, in which distinct emotional issues are likely to be raised, such as relief, excitement and confidence.     

A Self‐Digitization Dielectrophoretic (SD‐DEP) Chip for High‐Efficiency Single‐Cell Capture,On‐Demand Compartmentalization,and Downstream Nucleic Acid Analysis

The design and fabrication of a self‐digitization dielectrophoretic (SD‐DEP) chip with simple components for single‐cell manipulation and downstream nucleic acid analysis is presented. The device employed the traditional DEP and insulator DEP to create the local electric field that is tailored to approximately the size of single cells, enabling highly efficient single‐cell capture. The multistep procedures of cell manipulation, compartmentalization, lysis, and analysis were performed in the integrated microdevice, consuming minimal reagents, minimizing contamination, decreasing lysate dilution, and increasing assay sensitivity. The platform developed here could be a promising and powerful tool in single‐cell research for precise medicine.     

Oxidations of 4- and 3-Aminopyridinepentaammineruthenium(ii) Complexes by Ethylenediaminetetraacetatocobaltate(III)

Redox reactions of Co(edta)^? with Ru(NH₃)₅L²⁺ (L = 3- and 4-aminopyridine (AmPy)) were found to follow an outer-sphere electron transfer mechanism. The specific rate constants are (3.26 ± 0.03) × 10² and (3.07 ± 0.04) × 10₃ M^?1S^?1, for L = 3- and 4-AmPy, respectively, at μ, = 0.10 M LiClO₄, pH = 8.0 (tris) and T = 25 °C. The rate constants of oxidations for a series of Ru(NH₃)₅L²⁺ complexes are higher than those of the corresponding Fe(CN)₅L_3- complexes by factors of 4 to 15 even after corrections for differences in reduction potentials and in charges of the complexes. Nonadiabaticity in the reactions of Fe(CN)₅L3 complexes may account for the difference in the relative reactivities.     

Development of an improved divergence‐free‐condition compensated coupled framework to solve flow problems with time‐varying geometries

In this article a coupled version of the improved divergence‐free‐condition compensated method will be proposed to simulate time‐varying geometries by direct forcing immersed boundary method. The proposed method can be seen as a quasi‐multi‐moment framework due to the fact that the momentum equations are discretized by both cell‐centered and cell‐face velocity. For simulating time‐varying geometries, a semi‐implicit iterative method is proposed for calculating the direct forcing terms. Treatments for suppressing spurious force oscillations, calculating drag/lift forces, and evaluating velocity and pressure for freshly cells will also be addressed. In order to show the applicability and accuracy, analytical as well as benchmark problems will be investigated by the present framework and compared with other numerical and experimental results.     

Structural variations in novel silver(I) complexes with bitopic pyrazole/n-heterocyclic carbene ligands

The synthesis and structural characterization of several new silver complexes of L (L = a bidendate ligand of pyrazole and N-heterocyclic carbene) are described. The result shows that the choice of counterions, N-substitutions of L, and reaction conditions are crucial which lead to a variety of structural motifs, including novel metallomacrocycles [Ag2(mu-L)2]2+ with or without Ag...Ag close contact, a mononuclear [AgL2]+ complex, and a [LAg(NO3)]n coordination polymer. In particular, the nonbonding Ag...Ag distance and the overall geometry of the metallomacrocycles are controllable with different N-substitutions and counterions. All these complexes have been determined by X-ray diffraction. The solid-state aggregates are retained in solution as supported by the electrospray mass spectroscopic studies.     

Synthesis of symmetrical 1,5-bis-thio-substituted anthraquinones for cytotoxicity in cultured tumor cells and lipid peroxidation

The synthesis of a series of anthraquinone moieties bearing symmetrical sulfur-linked substituents in the 1 and 5 positions is described. These compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of suspended rat glioma C6 cells and human hepatoma G2 cells, respectively. In addition, the redox property of the compounds was determined based on the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in model membranes. Compounds 2a and 2h in this series compared favorably and exhibited the most potent cytotoxicity (0.02, 0.05 microM) against C6 cells in the XTT colorimetric assay. As far as redox properties are concerned, all bis-thio-anthraquinones show potential lipid peroxidation in model membranes very close to that of mitoxantrone (MX), and 2a, 2d, 2e, 2i, 2j, and 2k have more potential than that of MX. The lack of cytotoxicity of compound 2i cannot be related to lipid peroxidation, but the steric and electronic properties of the side-chain substituent maybe impair effective recognition of the cleavable complex. In contrast to MX, 2a and 2h are cytotoxic in rat glioma C6 cells and do not enhance lipid peroxidation in model membranes.     

Effects of phenolic compounds on gelation behavior of gelatin gels

The effects of phenolic additives on the gelation behavior of gelatin gels were investigated using thermomechanical analysis (TMA) for study of gel‐melting temperature, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) for study of gel‐storage modulus and gel‐aging stability, viscometry for study of gelation time, and texture analyzer for study of gel strength and gel melting. Thermodynamically, the addition of 1,3‐benzenediol, 1,4‐benzenediol or 1,3,5‐benzenetriol favored the gelation process of gelatin solutions (increases in T_m and aging stability) due to the introduction of extra physical crosslinks among gelatin chains through hydrogen bonding, while the addition of 1,2‐benzenediol had a negative effect (decreases in T_m and aging stability) possibly due to intra‐hydrogen bonding of the additive molecule itself. All the phenolic compounds had little effect on gel moduli. Kinetically, the introduction of 1,2‐benzenediol or 1,4‐benzenediol slowed the gelation process, while introduction of catechin, a polyphenol, accelerated the first stage of the gelation process. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 224–231, 2001     

Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Natural‐Product‐Like Hybrids by an Organocatalytic/Multicomponent Reaction Sequence

In an endeavor to provide an efficient route to natural product hybrids, described herein is an efficient, highly stereoselective, one‐pot process comprising an organocatalytic conjugate addition of 1,3‐dicarbonyls to α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes followed by an intramolecular isocyanide‐based multicomponent reaction. This approach enables the rapid assembly of complex natural product hybrids including up to four different molecular fragments, such as hydroquinolinone, chromene, piperidine, peptide, lipid, and glycoside moieties. The strategy combines the stereocontrol of organocatalysis with the diversity‐generating character of multicomponent reactions, thus leading to structurally unique peptidomimetics integrating heterocyclic, lipidic, and sugar moieties.