Mother and Child Emotions during Mathematics Homework

Mathematics is often thought of as a purely intellectual and unemotional activity. Recently, researchers have begun to question the validity of this approach, arguing that emotions and cognition are intertwined. The emotions expressed during mathematics work may be linked to mathematics achievement. We used behavioral measures to identify the emotions expressed by U.S. mothers and their 11-year-old children while solving pre-algebra tasks in the home. The most notable positive emotions displayed by mothers and children included positive interest, affection, joy, and pride, whereas the most notable negative emotions expressed included tension, frustration, and distress. Reflecting the social aspects of doing homework together, mothers' and children's emotions were highly correlated. Independent of pre-existing differences in knowledge, children's emotions were associated with their performance on a mathematics post-test: tension was linked to poorer performance while positive interest, humor, and pride were linked to better performance. We found no evidence of gender differences in the emotions while working the tasks, although boys responded with more tension following an incorrect solution than did girls.     

Low-temperature, solution processing of TiO2 thin films and fabrication of multilayer dielectric optical elements

High-quality TiO₂ thin films have been deposited from aqueous titanium-peroxo solutions via spin coating. The effects of precursor solution pH on the crystallization behavior, morphology, density, and refractive index of the films are reported. From X-ray diffraction measurements, the amorphous as-deposited films are found to crystallize in the anatase phase at 250 °C. Surface and cross-section SEM images reveal that films deposited from an acidic precursor are more uniform and denser than those deposited from a basic precursor. X-ray reflectivity measurements show that films with smooth surfaces and high densities (up to 87% of single-crystal anatase) can be produced at temperatures as low as 300 °C. Measured densities are consistent with high refractive indices at 633 nm of 2.24 and 2.11 for films derived from acidic and basic precursors, respectively. The uniformity and dense nature of the films have allowed fabrication of multilayer dielectric optical elements with thermal processing at only 300 °C. The distributed Bragg reflector with four bilayers exhibits a reflectance of 92% and a stop band width of 150 nm. The optical microcavity has a quality factor of 20. The optical properties of all elements agree well with theoretical models, indicating good optical quality. Use of the precursor chemistry for direct photopatterning of TiO₂ films without a polymer resist is also demonstrated.     

Parametric excitation of an internally resonant double pendulum,II

Summary The small, finite amplitude response of a damped, internally resonant double pendulum subject to parametric excitation at four times the frequency of the dominant pendulum is shown to exhibit chaotic behavoir for certain values of frequency offset and dissipation. This is in contrast to Miles [1], where the driving frequency approximated twice that of the dominant pendulum, and regular motion was found to exist for all values of frequency offset and dissipation.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, daß das Verhalten kleiner, endlicher Amplitude eines gedämpften, intern resonanten Doppelpendels unter parametrischer Erregung mit der vierfachen Eigenfrequenz des Hauptpendels chaotisch ist für bestimmte Frequenz- und Dissipationswerte. Dies steht im Gegensatz zu Miles [1], wo die erregende Frequenz ungefähr das zweifache der Eigenfrequenz betrug und sich normale Bewegung für alle Frequenzen und Dissipationen ergab.

     

Chromatographic separation of americium from europium using bis-2,6-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,9,9-trimethyl-5,8-methano-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-yl) pyridine

The separation of americium(III) from europium(III) was achieved utilizing a bis-2,6-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,9,9-trimethyl-5,8-methano-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-yl) pyridine (CA-BTP) chromatographic resin. The extraction chromatographic materials were prepared using various concentrations of CA-BTP. This new, hydrolytically stable extractant was impregnated on an inert polymeric support at 40% loading. The uptake of Am(III) and Eu(III) by this material from 0.1 to 4.0 M aqueous HNO₃ solutions was measured. The resulting dry weight distribution ratios, D _w , indicated a strong preference for Am(III) with little affinity for Eu(III). These results are similar to recently reported solvent extraction studies indicating a maximum uptake of Am(III) in the 0.5–1.0 M HNO₃ range. The resin preparation, performance, and characterization of the Am/Eu separation are reported herein.

     

Structural and electronic effects on one-bond spin-spin coupling constants 1J(B-N), 1J(B-H), and 1J(B-F) for complexes of nitrogen bases with BH3 and its fluoro-substituted derivatives

Ab initio equation-of-motion coupled cluster (EOM-CCSD) one-bond spin-spin coupling constants (1)J(B-N), (1)J(B-H), and (1)J(B-F) have been evaluated for complexes X:BH(n)F(3-n) with X = N(2), NCH, NCLi, H(2)CNH, NF(3), and NH(3), for n = 0-3. These complexes can be classified as either covalent or van der Waals complexes, on the basis of their binding energies and B-N distances. (1)J(B-N) for covalent complexes varies significantly from -19 to +9 Hz, whereas (1)J(B-N) is less than 2 Hz for van der Waals complexes. An absolute value of (1)J(B-N) of 3 Hz or greater indicates that the complex is covalently bonded, but a small value of this coupling constant does not necessarily mean that it is a van der Waals complex, in view of the variation among these complexes found for (1)J(B-N) as a function of the B-N distance. Deformation of the boron acid upon complex formation and electron donation by the nitrogen base has opposing effects on both (1)J(B-H) and (1)J(B-F). These effects are relatively small in van der Waals complexes. In covalent complexes, electron donation has the dominant effect on (1)J(B-H), and on (1)J(B-F) in complexes with BH(2)F and BHF(2), but acid deformation has the dominant effect on (1)J(B-F) in complexes with BF(3). Values of both (1)J(B-H) and (1)J(B-F) reflect the van der Waals or covalent nature of the B-N bond.     

Structure elucidation of highly polar basic degradants by on-line hydrogen/deuterium exchange hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) method was used to separate a commonly used pharmaceutical starting material, 4-aminomethylpyridine (4-AMP), and its degradants. The structures of the major degradants were characterized and elucidated without prior isolation by accurate mass measurement, MS/MS analysis and on-line hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange experiments. The mass spectra obtained from H/D exchange experiments are particularly useful to differentiate structural isomers, to elucidate the fragmentation pathways, and to aid in structure elucidation in the absence of MS/MS fragmentation information. The impact of deuterium oxide and temperature on HILIC separation has also been explored here. The integration of H/D exchange with HILIC has been described here for the first time and has been demonstrated to be a powerful structure elucidation tool via the study of degradants in 4-AMP.     

Maximizing critical currents in superconductors by optimization of normal inclusion properties

The movement of vortices in superconductors due to an applied current can induce a loss of perfect conductivity. Experimental observations show that material impurities can effectively prevent vortices from moving. In this paper, we provide numerical studies to investigate vortex pinning and critical currents through the use of an optimal control approach applied to a variant of the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model that can account for normal inclusions. The effects that the size and boundary of the sample and the number, size, shape, orientation, and location of the inclusion sites have on the critical current and vortex lattices are studied. In particular, the optimal control approach is used to determine the optimal properties of the impurities so as to maximize the critical current, i.e., the largest current that can pass through a superconductor without resistance.