Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Domestic Poultry and Relationship with Migratory Birds, South Korea

During the 2006–2007 winter season in South Korea, several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) were confirmed among domestic poultry and in migratory bird habitats. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all isolates were closely related and that all belong to the A/bar-headed goose/Qinghai/5/2005–like lineage rather than the A/chicken/Korea/ES/2003–like lineage

Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Understandings and Task Values of the Science Practices Advocated in the NGSS in the US

K-12 science education in America has long been criticized for not preparing scientifically literate students who are prepared to engage in science-as-practice. Bearing this in mind, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) recommend engaging students in eight science practices to build their knowledge of and proficiency in science. Engaging students in science-as-practice instruction depends on building preservice teachers’ understanding of, proficiency with, and value for the science practices. Through this mixed methods study, we investigated the effects of an elementary science teaching methods course on 109 preservice teachers’ epistemic understanding of the practices, their perceived importance of each practice, and the value that they ascribe to each practice. The results of our analysis indicate that: (1) the course initiated changes in preservice teachers’ epistemic understanding of the practices; (2) these preservice teachers viewed Asking questions as the most important science practice; and (3) they most frequently attached Attainment value to the science practices. Based on these findings, we recommend that courses for preservice teachers purposefully include significant opportunities for them to engage in the doing of science; place emphasis on crosscutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas in science; and provide preservice teachers with viable strategies for engaging students in each of the science practices in actual classrooms

Influence of high-pressure torsion and hot rolling on the microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum-fullerene composites

In this study, we investigate the impacts of working process, high-pressure torsion (HPT) and hot rolling (HR) on the microstructure and mechanical performance of aluminum-based nanocomposites containing fullerenes. HPT caused severe plastic deformations that generate numerous dislocations and lattice strains, and this stimulated the formation of aluminum carbides (Al4C3) and reduced the hardness during heat treatment. In contrast, the HRed specimens experienced dynamic recovery, and their initial dislocation densities and lattice strains were lower than those of the HPTed specimens. Thus, the HRed composites formed supersaturated aluminum phases as well as aluminum carbides during the heat treatment. The supersaturated phases provided high-density dislocations and severe lattice strains, resulting in an increase in the hardness during the heat treatment. This comparison suggests that the mechanical properties of aluminum-fullerene composites can be controlled by working processes in practical situations.112sciescopu

Effects of Embedded TiO2−x Nanoparticles on Triboelectric Nanogenerator Performance

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are used as self-power sources for various types of devices by converting external waves, wind, or other mechanical energies into electric power. However, obtaining a high-output performance is still of major concern for many applications. In this study, to enhance the output performance of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based TENGs, highly dielectric TiO2−x nanoparticles (NPs) were embedded as a function of weight ratio. TiO2−x NPs embedded in PDMS at 5% showed the highest output voltage and current. The improved output performance at 5% is strongly related to the change of oxygen vacancies on the PDMS surface, as well as the increased dielectric constant. Specifically, oxygen vacancies in the oxide nanoparticles are electrically positive charges, which is an important factor that can contribute to the exchange and trapping of electrons when driving a TENG. However, in TiO2−x NPs containing over 5%, the output performance was significantly degraded because of the increased leakage characteristics of the PDMS layer due to TiO2−x NPs aggregation, which formed an electron path

Comparison of Myelin Water Fraction Values in White Matter Lesions between Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are inflammatory autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system. We hypothesized that the degree of demyelination within lesions in MS and NMOSD would differ as the pathophysiology of the two diseases do. We used myelin water imaging to compare the myelin water fraction (MWF) in 106 periventricular white matter (PVWM) lesions in 27 MS patients and 51 PVWM lesions in 20 NMOSD patients. The MWF was significantly reduced in the MS compared with the NMOSD lesions, suggesting that myelin loss was more severe in MS than in NMOSD.N