Contemplating Criteria for Science Education Reform: The Case of the Olympia School District

Proposals for current reform in science education elaborate national standards and a plethora of state-level interpretations commonly labeled as curriculum or learning frameworks. The purpose of this case study was to examine the dynamics of the science curriculum reform process in one of the first school districts to use the Georgia Framework for Learning Mathematics and Science as a basis for their reform initiative. The paper describes the ways in which members of the Olympia School District's Science Curriculum Committee participated in the science curriculum reform process, as well as their personal beliefs about the criteria needed for reform to take place. The results highlight the nature of metaphors guiding reform efforts; the influence of social, historical, economic, and political forces on the reform process; the use of local and professional languages as discourses for communicating about reform; and the complex power relations that influence the micropolitics of reform in the Olympia School District. This study has important implications for other teachers and school districts engaged in standards-based science curriculum reform. It points to the need for reform to include reflection and analysis of the role of teachers in the reform process and consideration of the purpose of science education reform in society.     

On possible spin injection at non-ideal Schottky contacts

The role of the tunneling mechanisms in metal-disordered layer-semiconductor structure under spin injection at the interface is investigated. The non-ideal metal-semiconductor structure as prepared by ionized cluster beam deposition is considered, and it is shown that the depletion region of the semiconductor can be tailored to include a suitably heavily doped region near the interface. The tunneling is described within a simplified model in which the expression for the interface resistance of the metal-disordered layer-semiconductor structure is obtained. It is argued that in the case of ionized cluster beam deposited non-ideal Schottky structure a significant spin injection is achieved.     

Charge donation to and dearomatization of benzene attending complexation: DFT estimates of binding energies of TpMXO(L) with benzene, for Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl) borate, MXO = MoNO, ReCO, and WNO, and L = ammonia, N-methylimidazole, pyridine, phosphine, methyl isocyanide, and carbon monoxide

By density functional methods we characterize the bonding and charge distribution in complexes of benzene with dearomatizing agents tpReCO(L), tpMoNO(L), and tpWNO(L), where tp = hydrido Tris (pyrazolyl)borate), for a range of ligands L. Our LSDA and B3LYP density functional calculations use the Spartan LACVP+ basis and pseudopotential on Re, Mo, and W and 6-31G* on light atoms. The binding energy is strongly dependent on the nature of the ligand L, being greatest for L = ammonia and N-methylimidazole and weakest for CH3NC and CO. We find a correlation between strength of binding and electron transfer from the dearomatizing agents toward benzene. For the most strongly bound systems we find substantial (up to 500 millielectrons) charge transfer towards benzene, while for the most weakly bound systems charge is withdrawn from benzene. Structural details illustrate the ability of Re, Mo, and W species to dearomatize complexed benzene, which is extensive for all but the most weakly bound species with L = MeNC and CO. Re and W dearomatizing agents, which are computed and observed to form stable complexes with benzene, may be economic alternatives to osmium dearomatizing agents.     

Optimization of a portable microanalytical system to reduce electrode fouling from proteins associated with biomonitoring of lead (Pb) in saliva

There is a need to develop reliable portable analytical systems for on-site and real-time biomonitoring of lead (Pb) from both occupational and environmental exposures. Saliva is an appealing matrix since it is easily obtainable, and therefore a potential substitute for blood due to existing reasonably good correlation between Pb levels in blood and saliva. The microanalytical system is based on flow-injection/stripping voltammetry with a wall-jet (flow-onto) microelectrochemical cell. Samples that contain as little as 1% saliva can cause electrode fouling, resulting in significantly reduced responsiveness and irreproducible quantitations. In addition, incomplete Pb release from salivary protein can also yield a lower Pb response than expected. This paper evaluates the extent of in vitro Pb-protein binding and the optimal pretreatment for releasing Pb from the saliva samples. Even in 50% by volume of rat saliva, the electrode fouling was not observed, due to the appropriate sample pretreatment and the constant flow of the sample and acidic carrier that prevented passivation by the protein. The system offered a linear response over a low Pb range of 1-10 ppb, low detection limit of 1 ppb, excellent reproducibility, and reliability. It also yielded the same Pb concentrations in unknown samples as did the ICP-MS. These encouraging results suggest that the microanalytical system represents an important analytical advancement for real-time non-invasive biomonitoring of Pb.     

Neuronal activation by GPI-linked neuroligin-1 displayed in synthetic lipid bilayer membranes

We have characterized, in vitro, interactions between hippocampal neuronal cells and silica microbeads coated with synthetic, fluid, lipid bilayer membranes containing the glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-linked extracellular domain of the postsynaptic membrane protein neuroligin-1. These bilayer-neuroligin-1 beads activated neuronal cells to form presynaptic nerve terminals at the point of contact in a manner similar to that observed for live PC12 cells, ectopically expressing the full length neuroligin-1. The synthetic membranes exhibited biological activity at neuroligin-1 densities of approximately 1 to 6 proteins/microm(2). Polyolycarbonate beads with neuroligin-1 covalently attached to the surface failed to activate neurons despite the fact that neuroligin-1 binding activity is preserved. This implies that a lipid membrane environment is likely to be essential for neuroligin-1 activity. This technique allows the study of isolated proteins in an environment that has physical properties resembling those of a cell surface; proteins can diffuse freely within the membrane, retain their in vivo orientations, and are in a nondenatured state. In addition, the synthetic membrane environment affords control over both lipid and protein composition. This technology is easily implemented and can be applied to a wide variety of cellular studies.     

Ligand-modulated stereo- and regioselective tandem addition reactions of rhenium-bound naphthalene

A series of complexes of the form TpRe(CO)(L)(eta(2)-naphthalene) (Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate) undergoes tandem electrophile/nucleophile addition reactions with a high degree of regiocontrol depending on the auxiliary ligand, L. When L = PMe(3), the reaction of the eta(2)-naphthalene complex with triflic acid followed by a silyl ketene acetal favors the 1,4-addition product, whereas when L = pyridine, N,N-dimethylaminopyridine, N-methylimidazole, or NH(3) the 1,2-addition product is favored. These reactions proceed with excellent stereocontrol: both electrophile (H(+), D(+)) and nucleophile (silyl ketene acetal) add anti to the face of metal coordination, and a single coordination diastereomer can be isolated for each reaction. One-electron oxidation of the Re complex affords the corresponding free dihydronaphthalene in good yield.