Effect of high pressure on the electronic properties of VO2

Samples of VO₂ were prepared at 50 kbar and 800°C in a belt apparatus. The products were then annealed in evacuated silica tubes at 800°C for 1 week. The X-ray diffraction patterns of these samples, before and after annealing, were compared with polycrystalline and ground single crystals of VO₂. In addition, the resistivity above and below 67°C was measured. The effect of high pressure on the metal-semiconducting transition is discussed in terms of the relative positions of the t₆ and π1 bands.     

A guide to the establishment of a successful mathematics learning support centre

In October 1996 the Mathematics Learning Support Centre at Loughborough University was established as part of the Department of Mathematical Sciences. The purpose of the Centre was to provide a range of resources and services for students, over and above those normally available. Almost immediately it proved to be an asset to Loughborough and it is now supported by all faculties and caters for students throughout the university. This article describes the philosophy behind its development and details a wide range of practical issues. As such, it is a case study of one particular support centre. The author hopes that the information contained herein will be of interest and help to those considering developing supplementary ways of supporting the learning of mathematics in their own institutions.     

Chemical and microbiological syntheses of intermediates in gibberellin biosynthesis

A partial synthesis of kaurenoic acid 1 from the hydroxy acid 3 is described. The hydroxylation of the 2′-carboxyethyl ester of 1 by Gibberella fujikuroi has been utilized for the synthesis of 7β-hydroxykaurenoic acid 2. An alternative synthesis of 2 is provided by the microbiological conversion of 3 to the 7β-hydroxy derivative by Calonectria decora.     

Substitutional Effects of 3d Transition Metals on the Magnetic and Structural Properties of Quasi-Two-Dimensional La5Mo4O16

Substituted phases with the composition La₅Mo_4−xT_xO_16−δ (T=Co, Fe, Mn, and Mg and x∼0.7) were prepared by fused-salt electrolysis and/or conventional solid-state methods. The crystal structure of the parent compound, La₅Mo₄O₁₆, contains perovskite-like corner-sharing MoO₆ octahedral units in the ab plane separated by Mo₂O₁₀ bioctahedral units along the c direction. Detailed single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies on the Co-substituted phase, La₅Mo_3.31Co_0.69O_16−δ, indicated that the unit cell is triclinic (space group C-1) with Co exclusively replacing Mo atoms in the perovskite layers. X-ray absorption measurements revealed that the transition metal ions are divalent, consistent with the crystal structure analysis. The anomalous magnetic transition observed at 180 K in the parent compound shifts to lower temperatures upon substitution with transition metal ions. No long-range magnetic order was evident in the Mg²⁺-substituted compositions. The electrical resistivity of all the substituted phases was at least 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the parent compound. Variations in the magnetic and electrical properties have been ascribed to the disruption of exchange correlations caused by substitutional disorder at the Mo sites.     

The determination of lactate,acetate, chloride and phosphate in an intravenous solution by non-suppressed ion chromatography

Summary The determination of acetate, lactate, chloride and phosphate in an intravenous solution is investigated using non-suppressed ion chromatography with indirect UV absorption detection. When phthalate eluents are used with low capacity anion-exchange columns, the above solute species cannot be resolved unless acetonitrile is added to the eluent. Optimum results are obtained with 0.3 mM phthalate (pH 6.0) containing 30% acetonitrile as eluent. The improved resolution with this eluent is attributed to the existence of a partial reversed-phase retention mechanism operating on the unfunctionalised portions of the styrene-divinylbenzene polymeric ion-exchange material.     

Computational modelling of variably saturated flow in porous media with complex three‐dimensional geometries

A computational procedure is presented for solving complex variably saturated flows in porous media, that may easily be implemented into existing conventional finite‐volume‐based computational fluid dynamics codes, so that their functionality might be geared upon to readily enable the modelling of a complex suite of interacting fluid, thermal and chemical reaction process physics. This procedure has been integrated within a multi‐physics finite volume unstructured mesh framework, allowing arbitrarily complex three‐dimensional geometries to be modelled. The model is particularly targeted at ore heap‐leaching processes, which encounter complex flow problems, such as infiltration into dry soil, drainage, perched water tables and flow through heterogeneous materials, but is equally applicable to any process involving flow through porous media, such as in environmental recovery processes. The computational procedure is based on the mixed form of the classical Richards equation, employing an adaptive transformed mixed algorithm that is numerically robust and significantly reduces compute (or CPU) time. The computational procedure is accurate (compares well with other methods and analytical data), comprehensive (representing any kind of porous flow model), and is computationally efficient. As such, this procedure provides a suitable basis for the implementation of large‐scale industrial heap‐leach models. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

‘I’m worried about the correctness’: undergraduate students as producers of screencasts of mathematical explanations for their peers – lecturer and student perceptions

Undergraduate mathematics is traditionally designed and taught by content experts with little contribution from students. Indeed, there are signs that there is resistance from mathematics lecturers to involve students in the creation of material to support their peers – notwithstanding the fact that students have been successfully engaged as co-creators of material in other disciplines. There appears to be little research into what issues may lead to reservations to using student-created content in mathematics learning. This paper takes a case study approach to investigate the reasons for lecturers’ resistance to undergraduate student contributions to learning material, in particular with a view to the production of screencasts of mathematical explanations. It also investigates the views of students producing mathematical screencasts. This study is part of a larger research project investigating undergraduate involvement in mathematics module design. Four second-year students, who were producing mathematics screencasts as part of an internship, and five academics, were interviewed to gain an understanding of their views of the value of student screencasts. The interviews focused on the particular contributions students make to screencasts, outcomes for the students and level of lecturer acceptance of these resources. We argue that students benefit from creating screencasts for their peers by gaining deeper mathematical understanding, improved technological skills and developing other generic skills required of today's graduates. In contrast, we confirm lecturer resistance to using student-generated screencasts in their teaching materials. Lecturer reservations pertain to students’ lack of mathematical maturity and concerns over the mathematical integrity of the content that students produce. We conclude that close collaboration between students and lecturers during the design and production phases of screencasts may help lecturers overcome reservations, whilst preserving the benefits for students. In addition, we provide evidence that the process is a valuable professional development opportunity for the lecturers themselves.