A typological analysis: understanding pre-service teacher beliefs and how they are transformed

This article describes the beliefs and their transformations of members of a cohort of early-childhood, elementary and middle-level pre-service teachers (PSTs) as they professionally develop. A typological analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data collected between August 2011 and May 2013 was utilized to categorize how 40 PSTs’ beliefs transformed throughout their formal teacher preparation. Five typologies were identified, showing variation in how PST beliefs transform or remain static.

Among the findings, strong support related to the development of innovative beliefs during coursework coupled with at least one transformative experience where innovation was observed ‘working’ in the field were sufficient for the transformation to innovative beliefs, despite potential constraints by supervisors, cooperating teachers and/or mandated curricula (Typology 3). Another finding revealed disguised growth toward innovation among those in Typology 5, who reported being innovative and having productive beliefs but described extremely traditional practices. Implications call for improved connections between mathematics methods professors and field supervisors, particularly during clinical internships when PSTs are no longer enrolled in methods courses, to enhance PSTs’ productive struggle in their development of innovative beliefs (T3) and to increase opportunities for disconnects between innovative beliefs and traditional practices to be made explicit and negotiated (T5).     

Role of solvation in the energy stabilization inside the hydrophobic core of the protein rubredoxin

There are many forces that contribute to the stability of a protein; among these are dispersion interactions, hydrogen bonding, and solvation effects. In a recent work, Vondrasek et al. estimated the in vacuo stabilization energy of the hydrophobic core of the protein rubredoxin using high level ab initio methods (Vondrasek, J.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 2615). In this work, we evaluate the effects of solvation on the stability of the hydrophobic core of this protein. Solvation calculations are made using the polarizable continuum method at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. It is found that, in a protein-like environment (mimicked by a continuum solvent with a dielectric constant of approximately 4), the stability of rubredoxin's hydrophobic core is decreased by 40-50%. We also observed that the stabilization energy of the hydrophobic core is only slightly lower in a protein-like medium than in an aqueous one (DeltaGether-DeltaGwater approximately 1.0-3.5 kcal/mol).     

Lie superalgebras whose enveloping algebras satisfy a non-matrix polynomial identity

Let L be a Lie superalgebra with its enveloping algebra U(L) over a field F. A polynomial identity is called non-matrix if it is not satisfied by the algebra of 2×2 matrices over F. We characterize L when U(L) satisfies a non-matrix polynomial identity. We also characterize L when U(L) is Lie solvable, Lie nilpotent, or Lie super-nilpotent.     

A-priori testing of alpha regularisation models as subgrid-scale closures for large-eddy simulations

Alpha-type regularisation models provide theoretically attractive subgrid-scale closure approximations for large-eddy simulations of turbulent flow. We adopt the a-priori testing strategy to study three different alpha regularisation models, namely the Navier–Stokes-α model, the Leray-α model, and the Clark-α model. Specifically, we use high-resolution direct numerical simulation data of homogeneous isotropic turbulence to compute the mean subgrid-scale dissipation, the spatial distribution of the subgrid-scale dissipation, and the spatial distribution of elements of the subgrid-scale stress tensor. This is done for different filter parameters and different large-eddy simulation grid resolutions. Predictions of the three regularisation models are compared to the exact values of the subgrid-scale stress tensor, as defined in the filtered Navier–Stokes equations. The potential of the three regularisation models to provide good approximations is quantified using spatial correlation coefficients. Whereas the Clark-α model exhibits the highest spatial correlation coefficients for the subgrid-scale dissipation and the subgrid-scale stress tensor elements, the Leray-α model provides lower correlation coefficients, and the Navier–Stokes-α model exhibits the lowest correlation coefficients of the three models. Our results indicate the presence of an optimal choice of the filter parameter α depending on the large-eddy simulation grid resolution.     

ESR Detection of Triplet States in Rare Earth Chelates

Abstract

Energy transfer from ligand molecule to ion in rare earth chelates has been assumed to involve a molecular triplet state. ^1,2 These triplet states manifest themselves optically as long-lived T_{π, π? →S}π,π emission if the lowest resonance level of the ion is of higher energy than the molecular triplet. ³ If the resonance level lies below the triplet, longlived emission is absent or severely reduced in intensity. ^4,5     

Determination of the strong phase in D0-->K+pi- using quantum-correlated measurements

We exploit the quantum coherence between pair-produced D0 and D[over]0 in psi(3770) decays to study charm mixing, which is characterized by the parameters x and y, and to make a first determination of the relative strong phase delta between D0-->K+pi- and D[over]0-->K+pi-. Using 281 pb(-1) of e+e- collision data collected with the CLEO-c detector at Ecm=3.77 GeV, as well as branching fraction input and time-integrated measurements of RM identical with (x2 + y2)/2 and RWS identical with Gamma(D0-->K+pi-)/Gamma(D[over]0-->K+pi-) from other experiments, we find cosdelta=1.03(-0.17)(+0.31)+/-0.06, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. By further including other mixing parameter measurements, we obtain an alternate measurement of cosdelta=1.10+/-0.35+/-0.07, as well as x sindelta=(4.4(-1.8)(+2.7)+/-2.9)x10(-3) and delta=(22(-12-11)(+11+9)) degrees .     

Differential etching of chalcogenides for infrared photonic waveguide structures

Chemical etching rates for two different chalcogenide glass compositions, As₄₀S₆₀ and As₂₄S₃₈Se₃₈, were studied using sodium hydroxide based etchant solutions. Etching was performed using a variation of standard photolithographic masking and wet-etching techniques. Variations in etch rate with NaOH concentration and glass composition were observed. The depth of etch was characterized using an optical profilometer. Etch rate differences as large as three orders of magnitude between these two glasses were observed at low NaOH concentration (0.053 M). We present a single variable etch rate curve of etch depth per time (nm/s) versus NaOH overall solution concentration (in M) for these two different chalcogenide glasses. This technology shows promise for fabricating photonic structures and has potential applications in fabricating novel photonic bandgap structures that will function in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) regime.     

Bioactive borate glass scaffold for bone tissue engineering

Borate glass particles and microspheres with size distributions in the range of approximately 100–400 μm, were loosely compacted and sintered for 10 min at 600 °C to form a porous, three-dimensional construct (porosity 25–40%). Conversion of the borate glass to hydroxyapatite was investigated by soaking the constructs in a solution of K₂HPO₄ (0.25 M) at 37 °C and with a pH value of 9.0, and measuring the weight loss of the constructs as a function of time. Almost full conversion of the borate glass to hydroxyapatite was achieved in less than 6 days. X-ray diffraction revealed an initially amorphous product that subsequently crystallized to hydroxyapatite. The biocompatibility of the porous constructs was investigated by in vitro cell culture with human mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow (bMSC) and human mesenchymal stem cell derived osteoblasts (MSC-Ob). The cells adhered to the scaffolds and the MSC-Obs produced alkaline phosphatase which is an indication of osteogenic differentiation. The data suggest strong bioactive characteristics for the borate glass constructs and the potential use of the constructs as scaffolds for tissue engineering of bone.