Teachers Describe Epistemologies of Science Instruction Through Q Methodology

Creating scientifically literate students is a common goal among educational stakeholders. An understanding of nature of science is an important component of scientific literacy in K‐12 science education. Q methodology was used to investigate the opinions of preservice and in‐service teachers on how they intend to teach or currently teach science. Q methodology is a measurement tool designed to capture personal beliefs. Participants included 40 preservice and in‐service elementary and secondary science teachers who sorted 40 self‐referential statements regarding science instruction. The results identified three epistemologies toward teaching science: A Changing World, My Beliefs, and Tried and True. Participants with the A Changing World epistemology believe evidence is reliable, scientific knowledge is generated in multiple ways, and science changes in light of new evidence. The My Beliefs epistemology reflects that scientific knowledge is subject to change due to embedded bias, science is affected by culture and religion, and evolution should not be taught in the classroom. The Tried and True epistemology views a scientific method as an exact method to prove science, believes experiments are crucial for scientific discoveries, absolute truth exists in scientific knowledge, and society and cultural factors can be eliminated from investigations. Implications for preservice teacher education programs and in‐service teacher professional development are addressed.     

Measurement of multi-exponential optical decay processes by?phase-shift cavity ring-down

Multi-exponential decay waveforms are common occurrences in cavity ring-down spectroscopy and the respective ring-down times are typically obtained by fitting the ring-down waveform to the sum of exponential decay functions. In phase-shift cavity ring-down (CRD) spectroscopy the measurement of a single phase angle will not provide sufficient information and needs to be complemented by either intensity measurements or phase angle measurements at different modulation frequencies. Here, a formalism analogous to that developed for fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy is adapted to the phase-shift CRD technique and is tested for two types of waveguide CRD systems: (1) a single-mode fiber cavity in which light is confined by two identical Fiber Bragg Gratings and (2) a multimode fiber loop. By measuring the phase angle at different modulation frequencies, lifetimes for up to three different decay processes were obtained.     

TCF selenium preconcentration in geological materials for determination at sub-mugg(-1) with INAA (Se/TCF-INAA)

In geological samples, Se concentration ranges from 1 × 10⁻⁹ g g⁻¹ up to 1 × 10⁻³ g g⁻¹. The analytical difficulty at low concentration (<1 μg g⁻¹), is one of the main reasons why the geological cycle of Se is poorly known. The analytical method that consisted of preconcentration of Se with thiol cotton fiber (TCF) followed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) has been modified by finishing with instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The modified technique involves sample dissolution (HF-HNO₃-H₂O₂) and evaporation to dryness at low temperature (55-60 °C) to avoid selenium volatilization. Se^VI is converted to Se^IV by adding 6 M HCl to the dry residuum and the solution is then heated in a covered boiling bath (95-100 °C). The solution is diluted to obtain 0.6 M HCl and then collected on TCF. The TCF is placed in a polyethylene vial for irradiation in the SLOWPOKE II reactor (Montréal) for 30 s at a neutron flux of 10¹⁵ m⁻² s⁻¹. The 162 keV peak of ^77mSe (half-life 17.36 s) is read for 20 s after a decay of 7 s. The amount of sample to be dissolved is controlled by two competing effects. To obtain low detection limits, a larger amount of sample should be dissolved. On the other hand, the TCF could become saturated with chalcophile elements when large sample is used. Sulfur is a good indicator of the amount of Se and chalcophile elements present. In S poor sample (<100 μg g⁻¹) 3.0 g of sample was used and the L_D was ∼2 ng g⁻¹. In S high samples (>1.5% S) 0.05 g of sample was used and the L_D was ∼120 ng g⁻¹. The present work also includes suggested Se concentration for eight international geological reference materials (IGRM) that compare favorably with literature values.     

The use of inverse gas chromatography to study surface thermal oxidation of polypropylene

Thermo-oxidative effects on the surface energy of polypropylene were measured by inverse gas chromatography as a function of exposure time and temperature. Unaltered polypropylene had a surface energy of 33 mJ/m². Oxidized polypropylene, after exposure to air at temperatures of 100 °C and 110 °C, had a range of maximum surface energies from 38 to 41 mJ/m². Comparisons between FTIR carbonyl peak growth and the surface energy showed that both methods detect oxidation, though the increase in surface energy is detected before the carbonyl peak growth is noticeable. The work of adhesion predicted by the surface free energies obtained in this work between a coated calcium carbonate and polypropylene changes by 10% due to the oxidation of the polymer at 110 °C.     

Lanthanum(III) and uranyl(VI) diglycolamide complexes: synthetic precursors and structural studies involving nitrate complexation

The synthesis and structural characterization of lanthanum(III) and uranyl(VI) complexes coordinated by tridentate diglycolamide (DGA) ligands O(CH2C(O)NR2)2[R=i-Pr (L1), i-Bu (L2)] are described. Reaction of L with UO2Cl2(H2O) n forms the uranyl(VI) cis-dichloride adducts UO2Cl2L [L=L1 (1a), L2 (1b)], while reaction of excess L with the corresponding metal nitrate hydrate produces [LaL3][La(NO3)6] [L=L1 (2a), L2 (2b)] for lanthanum and UO2(NO3)2L [L=L1 (3a), L2 (3b)] for uranium. Compounds 2b and 3a have been structurally characterized. The solid-state structure of the cation of 2b shows a triple-stranded helical arrangement of three tridentate DGA ligands with approximate D3 point-group symmetry, while the counteranion consists of six bidentate nitrate ligands coordinated around a second La center. The solid-state structure of 3a shows a tridentate DGA ligand coordinated along the equatorial plane perpendicular to the OUO unit as well as two nitrate ligands, one bidentate and oriented in the equatorial plane and the other monodentate and oriented parallel to the uranyl unit with the oxygen donor atom situated above the mean equatorial plane. Ambient-temperature NMR spectra for 3a and 3b indicated an averaged chemical environment of high symmetry consistent with fluxional nitrate hapticity, while spectroscopic data obtained at -30 degrees C revealed lower symmetry consistent with the slow-exchange limit for this process.     

Reaction of Cl atoms with C6F13CH2OH, C6F13CHO, and C3F7CHO

The Cl atom initiated oxidation of C(6)F(13)CH(2)OH, C(6)F(13)CHO, and C(3)F(7)CHO was investigated at 298 K and 1000 mbar pressure of air in a photoreactor using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The rate coefficient for the reaction Cl + C(6)F(13)CH(2)OH (reaction 2) was measured using a relative method: k(2) = (6.5 +/- 0.8) x 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). C(6)F(13)CHO was detected as the major primary product, while CO and CF(2)O were found to be the major secondary products. A fitting procedure applied to the concentration-time profiles of C(6)F(13)CHO provided a production yield of (1.0 +/- 0.2) for this aldehyde in reaction 2, and the rate coefficient for the reaction Cl + C(6)F(13)CHO (reaction 4) was k(4) = (2.8 +/- 0.7) x 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). A high CO yield observed in the oxidation of C(6)F(13)CH(2)OH, (52 +/- 1)%, is attributed to the Cl atom initiated oxidation of C(6)F(13)CHO. High CO yields, (61 +/- 2)% and (85 +/- 5)%, were also measured in the Cl atom initiated oxidation of C(3)F(7)CHO in air and nitrogen, respectively. These high CO yields suggest the occurrence of a decomposition reaction of the perfluoroacyl, C(6)F(13)CO, and C(3)F(7)CO radicals to form CO which will compete with the combination reaction of these radicals with oxygen to form perfluoroacyl peroxy radicals in the presence of air. The latter radicals C(n)F(2)(n)(+1)CO(O)(2) (n = 6-12), through their reaction with HO(2) radicals, are currently considered as a possible source of persistent perfluorocarboxylic acids which have been detected in the environment. The consequences of the present results would be a reduction of the strength of this potential source of carboxylic acids in the atmosphere.     

New chiral benzothiazine ligand and its use in the synthesis of a chiral receptor

The development of chiral ligands to direct the course and stereoselectivity of many catalytic asymmetric reactions is an important area of interest for many research groups. As part of a program examining the chemistry of 2,1-benzothiazines, we have prepared a new chiral benzothiazine ligand. This ligand can be made in as few as three steps from commercially available starting materials. Presented herein is the synthesis of the ligand along with the synthesis of a chiral molecular receptor that potentially presages a new class of chiral molecular tweezers.     

Protection against photoaging in the hairless mouse by the isoflavone equol

Topical application of the isoflavone equol immediately following solar-simulated UV (SSUV) radiation exposure has previously been demonstrated to have significant photoprotective effects. Equol reduced both the inflammatory edema and the systemic suppression of the contact hypersensitivity reaction in hairless mice. Furthermore, daily topical equol application immediately following irradiation during a 10-week chronic SSUV exposure regime also reduced photocarcinogenesis severity in the mouse. This study examines the potential for topical equol to prevent photoaging in response to chronic SSUV irradiation for up to 30 weeks. We did not find consistent expression of the characteristic markers of photoaging until 30 weeks, although moderate epidermal hyperplasia and a transient increase in dermal mast cell numbers were evident after 1 week. Daily application of 10 muM equol lotion significantly reduced these early changes. However after 30 weeks of SSUV exposure, photoaging was well developed, as shown histologically by markedly increased epidermal hyperplasia, increased dermal mast cell number, pronounced focal elastotic deposits, degraded dermal collagen and deposition of glycosaminoglycans in the lower dermis. Topical equol treatment protected significantly from each of these impairments, as demonstrated histologically and quantitatively. Additionally, equol was found to have strong antioxidant action against acute UVA (320-400 nm)-induced lipid peroxidation of mouse skin, this property accounting for its antiphotoaging mechanism. The evidence for equol's antiphotoaging activity, taken together with its anti-inflammatory, immunoprotective and anticarcinogenic efficacy against SSUV irradiation in the mouse, suggests that equol could be developed as a helpful topical photoprotective agent for daily use by humans.     

Quantification of Thiopurine/UVA-Induced Singlet Oxygen Production

Thiopurines were examined for their ability to produce singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) with UVA light. The target compounds were three thiopurine prodrugs, azathioprine (Aza), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and 6-thioguanine (6-TG), and their S-methylated derivatives of 6-methylmercaptopurine (me6-MP) and 6-methylthioguanine (me6-TG). Our results showed that these thiopurines were efficient (1)O(2) sensitizers under UVA irradiation but rapidly lost their photoactivities for (1)O(2) production over time by a self-sensitized photooxidation of sulfur atoms in the presence of oxygen and UVA light. The initial quantum yields of (1)O(2) production were determined to be in the range of 0.30-0.6 in aqueous solutions. Substitution of a hydrogen atom with a nitroimidazole or methyl group at S decreased the efficacy of photosensitized (1)O(2) production as found for Aza, me6-MP and me6-TG. (1)O(2)-induced formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-dexyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) was assessed by incubation of 6-methylthiopurine/UVA-treated calf thymus DNA with human repair enzyme 8-oxodGuo DNA glycosylase (hOGG1), followed by apurinic (AP) site determination. Because more 8-oxodGuo was formed in Tris D(2)O than in Tris H(2)O, (1)O(2) is implicated as a key species in the reaction. These findings provided quantitative information on the photosensitization efficacy of thiopurines and to some extent revealed the correlations between photoactivity and phototoxicity.     

Pyrrole β-amides: Synthesis and characterization of a dipyrrinone carboxylic acid and an N-Confused fluorescent dipyrrinone

Pyrrole β-amides are useful building blocks for the preparation of novel molecular architectures that can be used in supramolecular chemistry and sensor development. Under basic conditions, pyrrole β-amides with an α-aldehyde produce different condensation products when reacted with pyrrolinones depending on the amide substitution. Secondary amides form the expected dipyrrinones, but unexpectedly undergo a subsequent trans-amidation with the pyrrolinone nitrogen to produce an unsymmetrical imide (an N-confused fluorescent dipyrrinone). Under the same conditions, tertiary amides produce the expected dipyrrinone carboxylic acids, which have been shown to have strong self-association properties as determined by vapor pressure osmometry measurements, NMR studies, and X-ray crystal structure determination. Furthermore, an N-confused fluorescent dipyrrinone was produced from the same trans-amidation reaction during attempts to decarboxylate a dipyrrinone amide with a 9-carboxylic moiety.