Growth of large SbSI crystals

In this paper a novel method of SbSI single crystals fabrication is presented. In this method a sonochemically prepared SbSI gel is used as an intermediate product in a vapour growth process. The main advantages of the presented technique are as follows. First, the SbSI gel source material has lower temperature of sublimation and allows to avoid explosions during SbSI synthesis (the sonochemical synthesis is free of any explosion hazard). Second, but not least, the grown SbSI single crystals have smaller ratio of longitudinal and lateral dimensions. The cross sections of the presented crystals are relatively large (they are up to 9 mm2). The crystals have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, angle-resolved optical spectroscopy, and diffusive reflectivity

Porous ferroelectrics for energy harvesting applications

This paper provides an overview of energy harvesting using ferroelectric materials, with a particular focus on the energy harvesting capabilities of porous ferroelectric ceramics for both piezo- and pyroelectric harvesting. The benefits of introducing porosity into ferro- electrics such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) has been known for over 30 years, but the potential advantages for energy harvesting from both ambient vibrations and temperature fluctuations have not been studied in depth. The article briefly discusses piezoelectric and pyro- electric energy harvesting, before evaluating the potential benefits of porous materials for increasing energy harvesting figures of merits and electromechanical/electrothermal coupling factors. Established processing routes are evaluated in terms of the final porous structure and the resulting effects on the electrical, thermal and mechanical properties

The Efficacy of Sandplay as an Art Therapy Intervention to Improve Communication Between Children With Autism and Their Familes

This grant proposal’s hypothesis is that an eight week Parent-Child Dyad art therapy intervention, through the use of sandplay with children with autism and their families, will improve the children\u27s communication. This project will take place in the Los Banos Unified School District with children, who are identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and their parents. Sessions will be scheduled after school, twice a week, for 30 minutes. This intervention will use the Parent-Child Dyad art therapy theory that addresses attachment between the parents and children, it uses art to encourage the parent and child to engage in joint activities to produce artwork. This theory is designed to help parents and their children to have a therapeutic relationship, and to develop spontaneous non-verbal self-expression and communication. This will be done using the art modality of sandplay with both the children and their parents. Children from the ages 5 to13, who have been identified has having ASD, and their families, will benefit from the collaborative use of Parent-Child Dyad art therapy, sandplay interventions and social stories to improve the children’s communication skills. An art therapist and a co-therapist, who will serve as a teacher for the school district, will facilitate the individual Parent-Child Dyad teacher sessions. They will guide the participants through an opening ritual acidity and check in/ this will be followed by the presentation of a Social Story, and a 10 minute sandplay intervention, which features open communication and interactions. The session will be completed with the children sharing their art and a closing ritua

The relationship between early maladaptive schemas and job burnout among public school teachers

Early Maladaptive Schemas, as defined by Young (1990), are relatively permanent psychological constructs which influence human information processing. They consist of self-perceptions, attitudes and beliefs which are primarily the result of early childhood experiences. These schemas produce faulty thinking about an individual\u27s self and environment, producing cognitive distortions. They are also the source of dysfunctional behavior as well as a wide range of mental conditions including depression, phobias and anxiety. Burnout is a significant problem among today\u27s teachers which adversely effects the operation of schools (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). It is the result of teachers having to solve complicated problems, on a day-to-day basis, in their classrooms. Solutions to these problems are not always easily reached. This leads to frustration among teachers, culminating in cynical attitudes toward work, hostility toward students, absenteeism and job-leaving. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Early Maladaptive Schemas and teacher burnout. The Schema Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were administered to fifty teachers employed by the Los Banos Unified School District, a middle-sized, suburban school district in central California. Subjects were asked to complete both self-report scales and given reimbursement for doing so. Forty-seven sets of questionnaires were collected. It was found that two of the higher order factors on the Schema Questionnaire, Overconnection (OVRC) and Exaggerated Standards (EXST), correlated strongly with the Emotional Exhaustion (EE) scale of the MBI. Weaker, but still significant, correlations were found between OVRC and the other two MBI factors, Depersonalization (DP) and Personal Accomplishment (PA). These relationships were all in the expected directions. Additionally, correlational data analyses suggested differences in gender, age and years of teaching on some of the Schema Questionnaire and MBI factors. Subsequent statistical analysis of mean differences indicated women scored significantly higher on OVRC and EE than did men. Analysis of mean differences, however, did not substantiate significant differences in scores on the Schema Questionnaire factors and the three MBI factors according to age and years of teaching experience

The relationship between early maladaptive schemas and job burnout among public school teachers

Early Maladaptive Schemas, as defined by Young (1990), are relatively permanent psychological constructs which influence human information processing. They consist of self-perceptions, attitudes and beliefs which are primarily the result of early childhood experiences. These schemas produce faulty thinking about an individual\u27s self and environment, producing cognitive distortions. They are also the source of dysfunctional behavior as well as a wide range of mental conditions including depression, phobias and anxiety. Burnout is a significant problem among today\u27s teachers which adversely effects the operation of schools (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). It is the result of teachers having to solve complicated problems, on a day-to-day basis, in their classrooms. Solutions to these problems are not always easily reached. This leads to frustration among teachers, culminating in cynical attitudes toward work, hostility toward students, absenteeism and job-leaving. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Early Maladaptive Schemas and teacher burnout. The Schema Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were administered to fifty teachers employed by the Los Banos Unified School District, a middle-sized, suburban school district in central California. Subjects were asked to complete both self-report scales and given reimbursement for doing so. Forty-seven sets of questionnaires were collected. It was found that two of the higher order factors on the Schema Questionnaire, Overconnection (OVRC) and Exaggerated Standards (EXST), correlated strongly with the Emotional Exhaustion (EE) scale of the MBI. Weaker, but still significant, correlations were found between OVRC and the other two MBI factors, Depersonalization (DP) and Personal Accomplishment (PA). These relationships were all in the expected directions. Additionally, correlational data analyses suggested differences in gender, age and years of teaching on some of the Schema Questionnaire and MBI factors. Subsequent statistical analysis of mean differences indicated women scored significantly higher on OVRC and EE than did men. Analysis of mean differences, however, did not substantiate significant differences in scores on the Schema Questionnaire factors and the three MBI factors according to age and years of teaching experience