Bond Hybrids and the Structures of the Lanthanide Metals [Abstract]

The ideas developed by Altmann, Coulson, and Hume-Rothery to relate bond hybrids to metal structures are extended to include treatment of the f orbitals. A discussion of the possible hybrids along with their application to the lanthanide metals will be considered

The Synthesis and Characterization of Some Fluoride Perovskites, an Undergraduate Experiment in Solid State Chemistry

In light of the increasing importance of solid state chemistry, an experiment dealing with at least some aspects of this rapidly expanding area should he included in advanced chemistry laboratories. Herein is described one of the experiments that we have developed to meet this need. This experiment was designed for a senior level integrated chemistry lab taken by all our chemistry majors. Normally six to eight hours are needed to complete this experiment. This experiment deals with the synthesis and characterization of a perovskite. Perovskites were chosen because compounds with this structure are important in solid state technology, and since most of them are cubic, the characterization by X-ray diffraction is simplified. In addition, magnetic ordering may he observed, and the effects of a Jahn-Teller distortion seen

Fluorine

Considering the long time in which fluorine compounds have been used it seems rather surprising that it was not isolated as an element until 1886. This long delay was not due to lack of effort, but to the reactivity of fluorine and the hazards of working with it and many of its compounds

Substrate-Integrated Folded Waveguide Slot Antenna

In recent years a number of researchers have proposed novel techniques for fabricating rectangular waveguide using microwave integrated circuit techniques. These so-called substrate integrated guides have been fabricated using multilayer LTCC, multi- and single-layer microwave laminates and photoimageable thick films. All of these structures result in dielectric filled rectangular waveguide and as such have a width reduction of 1/square root of the relative permittivity over conventional waveguide. Furthermore, by their very nature they are easily integrated with planar transmission lines and circuits, allowing hybrid waveguide/microstrip systems to be fabricated on a single substrate. Several researchers have investigated slot antennas and arrays in substrate-integrated guide. In this paper we show a slot antenna in a folded substrate-integrated waveguide. These waveguides have half the width of the other types of substrate-integrated waveguide. As such the present structure allows arrays of slot antennas to be more highly integrated

Beam scanning using microstrip line on biased ferrite

The beam scanning properties of a 2-element patch array fed by a microstrip reed situated on a ferrite substrate are presented. Biasing the ferrite changes the phase length or the microstrip line, scanning the beam by up to 40 degrees. The resulting scan loss is similar to 2dB, mainly due to the ferrite becoming lossy as it approaches absorption resonance

The effectiveness of a practical half-time re-warm-up strategy on performance and the physical response to soccer-specific activity.:The physical response to a half-time re-warm-up strategy in soccer

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of a half-time (HT) re-warm up (RWU) strategy on measures of performance and the physical and perceptual response to soccer-specific activity. Ten male soccer players completed a control (CON) and RWU trial, in which participants completed 60 min (4 x 15-min periods with a 15-min HT interspersing the third and fourth periods) of a soccer-specific exercise protocol. The CON trial comprised a passive 15-min HT, whilst the RWU trial comprised a passive 12-min period, followed by a 3-min RWU. The RWU elicited an improvement in 20 m sprint times (d= 0.6; CON: 3.42 ± 0.20 s; RWU: 3.32 ± 0.12 s), and both squat (d= 0.6; CON: 26.96 ± 5.00 cm; RWU: 30.17 ± 5.13 cm) and countermovement jump height (d= 0.7; CON: 28.15 ± 4.72 cm; RWU: 31.53 ± 5.43 cm) following the RWU and during the initial stages of the second half. No significant changes were identified for 5 m or 10 m sprint performance, perceived muscle soreness, or PlayerLoad TM. Ratings of perceived exertion were however higher (~2 a.u) following the RWU. These data support the use of a HT RWU intervention to elicit acute changes in performance. </p

Parental relationship satisfaction in families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) : a multilevel analysis

Couples raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face many challenges. Research so far has focused on whether these couples are more or less likely to separate or divorce compared to other couples whose children do not have ASD. While this is important, we argue that the quality of the couple relationship is equally- if not more- important to research. Systematic evidence from typical development has shown that the quality of the couple’s relationship is related to parenting and also to long-term behavioral and emotional outcomes of children. With this study, we wanted to explore whether mothers and fathers of children with ASD are satisfied with their relationship, and what individual or family-level factors are related to the couple’s relationship satisfaction levels. Our data from 146 couples suggested that mothers and fathers agree on how satisfied they are with their relationship, and that relationship satisfaction appears to be related to parents’ depressive symptoms and the behavior problems of their child with ASD. The higher the depression levels, the lower the parent reported on the dependent variable relationship satisfaction, for both mothers and fathers. Also, as behavior problems increased, relationship satisfaction decreased. Interestingly, relationship satisfaction was not related to the behavior problems of a sibling, the number of children in the household, or the socioeconomic position of families (SEP). Families include interconnected systems whereby an individual’s well-being and behavior can have an impact (positive or negative) on other family dyads such as the couple relationship

Investigation of a Switchable Textile Communication System on the Human Body

In this paper, a switchable textile communication system working at 2.45 GHz ISM band is presented and studied for different locations within a realistic on-body environment. A 3D laser scanner is used to generate a numerical phantom of the measured subject to improve the accuracy of the simulations which are carried out for different body postures. For the off-body communications, the system is acting as an aperture coupled microstrip patch antenna with a boresight gain of 1.48 dBi. On-body communication is achieved by using a textile stripline, which gives approximately 5 dB transmission loss over 600 mm distance. The system is switched between on and off-body modes by PIN diodes. Common issues, such as shape distortion and body detuning effects which the textile antenna may experience in realistic use are fully discussed. Robust antenna performance is noted in the on-body tests, and an additional 3 dB transmission coefficient deduction was noticed in the most severe shape distortion case

An investigation into the benefits of off-site bathroom pod manufacture

Sapone Bathrooms have recognized a need to educate key stakeholders in New Zealand construction projects to the benefits of bathroom pods. The increased unders tanding of bathroom pods will have the intended effect of an increase in the adoption of bathroom pods opposed to traditionaI on-site bathroom construction. This report investigates the barriers of bathroom pod adoption and detaiIs the formulation of the New Zealand Bathroom Pod Industry Review. The New Zealand Bathroom Pod Review i s report which looks to educate key stakeholders on the benefits bathroom pods can provide to New Zealand construction projects . Further to detaiIing the benefits of bathroom pods a guide is formed to aid the evaIuation of bathroom pods in construction projects and the factors, which affect the bathroom pod industry, are highlighted. The New Zealand Bathroom Pod Review is located in Appendix A and is the key deliverable produced for the client, Sapone Bathrooms in this project