This preliminary study examined the feasibility and potential utility of mindful awareness practices (MAPs) in terms of enhancing student learning in the college classroom, as well as improving psychological well-being. One of two identical undergraduate psychology sections included a 10-minute MAP at the beginning of every class (mindfulness group n = 37; control group n = 23). Primary learning and secondary self-report outcomes were obtained. Controlling for significant demographic covariates, students in the mindfulness group demonstrated significant increases in mindful awareness traits and reductions in rumination and state anxiety compared with controls. While mindfulness intervention did not lead to significant improvement in academic performance across the semester, 81% of students self-reported positive effects of MAPs on their learning. It is concluded that it is feasible to incorporate MAPs into a regular college classroom. MAPs may help improve student psychological well-being. Although students perceived themselves to benefit from their mindfulness practice, further research is needed to examine the effects of MAPs on student academic performance.

New radical metalloids, NN-AuSIMes and NN-Cu(bdmpphen), were prepared and their properties were investigated. They were applied to Pd(0)-mediated cross-coupling reactions with aryl halides (ArX) to produce 2-aryl (nitronyl nitroxide)s in moderate to high yields.

A series of group 11 metal complexes coordinated by (nitronyl nitroxide)-2-ide radical anion NN-M(dtpb) [NN: nitronyl nitroxide; M: Cu I , Ag I , and Au I ; dtpb: 1,2-bis(di-2-tolylphosphanyl)benzene)] was prepared. Their structures, electrochemical properties, and related theoretical calculations were investigated. The oxidation potential (E ox , V vs. Fc/Fc + ) of the NN-moiety in these radical-metalloids significantly shifted to the negative direction in comparison to that of the unsubsti- [a] Preparation of NN + -Ag(dtpb)·SbF 6 -: In a glove box filled with argon, NN-Ag(dtpb) (100 mg, 0.131 mmol, 1.0 equiv.) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (4 mL). To this stirred solution, a CH 2 Cl 2 solution (4 mL) of TBPA + ·SbF 6 -(97 mg, 0.135 mmol, 1.0 equiv.) was added. After stirring for 30 min, the solution was concentrated to ca. 2 mL under reduced pressure. Et 2 O was added to the solution. The generating precipitate was collected and washed with Et 2 O, to give NN + -Ag(dtpb)·SbF 6 as a dark brown solid (124 mg, 95 %). Crystals suitable for X-ray crystal structure analysis were obtained by recrystallization from CH 2 Cl 2 /n-hexane. NN + -Ag(dtpb)·SbF 6 -: C 41 H 44 AgF 6 N 2 O 2 P 2 Sb, dark brown crystals; MW 1002.37; m.p. 183-184°C. MS (FAB + ) m/z 765 [NN + -Ag(dtpb)], (FAB -) m/z 235 [SbF 6 -].Preparation of NN + -Au(dtpb)·SbF 6 -: In a glove box filled with argon, NN-Au(dtpb) (95 mg, 0.111 mmol, 1.0 equiv.) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (2 mL). To this stirred solution, a CH 2 Cl 2 solution (2 mL) of TBPA + ·SbF 6 -(80 mg, 0.111 mmol, 1.0 equiv.) was added. After stirring for 30 min, the solution was concentrated to ca. 2 mL under reduced pressure. Et 2 O was added to the solution. The generating precipitate was collected and washed with Et 2 O, to give NN + -Au(dtpb)·SbF 6 as a yellow solid (104 mg, 86 %). Crystals suitable for X-ray crystal structure analysis were obtained by recrystallization from CH 2 Cl 2 /Et 2 O. NN + -Au(dtpb)·SbF 6 -: C 41 H 44 AuF 6 N 2 O 2 P 2 Sb, green crystals; MW 1091.47; m.p. 153°C (decomp.). MS (FAB + ) m/z 855 [NN + -Au(dtpb)], (FAB -) m/z 235 [SbF 6 -]; High resolution MS (FAB + ): found m/z 855.2544; calcd. for C 41 H 44 AuN 2 O 2 P 2 m/z 855. Geometrical Optimizations and Determination of SOMO Energies and NPA Charges of NN-M(dtpb):The geometrical optimizations were achieved using the X-ray structures for the initial input geometries. The determination of HOMO (SOMO) energies of NN-M(dtpb) were achieved using the Gaussian 09 program package [22] with a DFT method at the UB3PW91 level. [25] Basis sets employed were 6-31G(d,p) (for geometrical optimization) and 6-311++(d,p) (for NPA charge calculation [23] ) for C, H, N, O, P, and Cu atoms and Hay-Wadt double-zeta functions with Los Alamos relativistic effective core potential (LANL2DZ) [26] for Ag, Au, Pt, and Hg atoms (Figure 3a, Figure S6). Conflict of Interest:The authors declare no conflict of interest. from JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Number JP17K05790 for M. K. and K. O. and JP26102005 for S. S.).

We prepared the thermally stable SnO 2 nanocrystals (ca. 4 nm) in the mixture of SnCl 4 , tetraethylene glycol (TEG) and a tetrabutyl ammoniumhydroxide (TBAH) under refluxing and obtained a highly sensitive semiconductor gas sensor. It has been elucidated theoretically and experimentally that the synthesis of oxide semiconductor nanoparticles is an important factor for the highly sensitive semiconductor gas sensor. However, as-synthesized nanocrystals generally grow in large size during calcination at high temperature. Such a thermal growth of crystals reduces the sensor response. Therefore, to develop the sensor response of semiconductor gas sensor, thermally stable SnO 2 nanocrystals were synthesized via the heating of SnCl 4 -TBAH-TEG mixture up to 200 o C under refluxing. The SnO 2 nanocrystals obtained exhibited highly thermal stability even if they were calcined.The gas sensing films fabricated from the thermally stable SnO 2 nanocrystals exhibited high sensor response to hydrogen due to their small crystalline size, small donor density and change in the surface property as compared to the conventional SnO 2 nanocrystals via hydrothermal treatment.

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