Shaping Pre-Service Teachers\u27 Attitudes: An Inquiry Approach to Course Reform

The purpose of the study was to investigate the development of pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward teaching science with inquiry methods as the result of their participation in the two-hour elementary science methods class. Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a partner in the Oklahoma Teacher Education Collaborative (OTEC) which is funded by the National Science Foundation’s reform effort, Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (CETP). The reform effort focuses on the revision of the teacher preparation courses with emphasis on a systemic change in the method in which math, science, and education methods courses are taught across Oklahoma. Nine Oklahoma universities, including the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University, the University of Central Oklahoma, Northeastern Oklahoma State University, Cameron University, Langston University, Tulsa Community College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University, have focused on revising the identified courses with inquiry-based instruction

Kinetics of viral self-assembly: the role of ss RNA antenna

A big class of viruses self-assemble from a large number of identical capsid proteins with long flexible N-terminal tails and ss RNA. We study the role of the strong Coulomb interaction of positive N-terminal tails with ss RNA in the kinetics of the in vitro virus self-assembly. Capsid proteins stick to unassembled chain of ss RNA (which we call "antenna") and slide on it towards the assembly site. We show that at excess of capsid proteins such one-dimensional diffusion accelerates self-assembly more than ten times. On the other hand at excess of ss RNA, antenna slows self-assembly down. Several experiments are proposed to verify the role of ss RNA antenna.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, several experiments are proposed, a new idea of experiment is adde

A note on the Zassenhaus product formula

We provide a simple method for the calculation of the terms c_n in the Zassenhaus product $e^{a+b}=e^a e^b \prod_{n=2}^{\infty} e^{c_n}$ for non-commuting a and b. This method has been implemented in a computer program. Furthermore, we formulate a conjecture on how to translate these results into nested commutators. This conjecture was checked up to order n=17 using a computer

Dissecting financial markets: Sectors and states

By analyzing a large data set of daily returns with data clustering technique, we identify economic sectors as clusters of assets with a similar economic dynamics. The sector size distribution follows Zipf's law. Secondly, we find that patterns of daily market-wide economic activity cluster into classes that can be identified with market states. The distribution of frequencies of market states shows scale-free properties and the memory of the market state process extends to long times ($\sim 50$ days). Assets in the same sector behave similarly across states. We characterize market efficiency by analyzing market's predictability and find that indeed the market is close to being efficient. We find evidence of the existence of a dynamic pattern after market's crashes.Comment: 6 pages 4 figures. Additional information available at http://www.sissa.it/dataclustering/fin

Effects of hydrocarbon spills on the temperature and moisture regimes of Cryosols in the Ross Sea region

Hydrocarbon spills have occurred on Antarctic soils where fuel oils are utilized, moved or stored. We investigated the effects of hydrocarbon spills on soil temperature and moisture regimes by comparing the properties of existing oil contaminated sites with those of nearby, uncontaminated, control sites at Scott Base, the old Marble Point camp, and Bull Pass in the Wright Valley. Hydrocarbon levels were elevated in fuel-contaminated samples. Climate stations were installed at all three locations in both contaminated and control sites. In summer at Scott Base and Marble Point the mean weekly maximum near surface (2 cm and 5 cm depth) soil temperatures were warmer (P<0.05), sometimes by more than 10°C, at the contaminated site than the control sites. At Bull Pass there were no statistically significant differences in near-surface soil temperatures between contaminated and control soils. At the Scott Base and Marble Point sites soil albedo was lower, and hydrophobicity was higher, in the contaminated soils than the controls. The higher temperatures at the Scott Base and Marble Point hydrocarbon contaminated sites are attributed to the decreased surface albedo due to soil surface darkening by hydrocarbons. There were no noteworthy differences in moisture retention between contaminated and control sites

Spin-dependent Seebeck coefficients of Ni_{80}Fe_{20} and Co in nanopillar spin valves

We have experimentally determined the spin-dependent Seebeck coefficient of permalloy (Ni_{80}Fe_{20}) and cobalt (Co) using nanopillar spin valve devices. The devices were specifically designed to completely separate heat related effects from charge related effects. A pure heat current through the nanopillar spin valve, a stack of two ferromagnetic layers (F) separated by a non-magnetic layer (N), leads to a thermovoltage proportional to the spin-dependent Seebeck coefficient S_{S}=S_{\uparrow}-S_{\downarrow} of the ferromagnet, where S_{\uparrow} and S_{\downarrow} are the Seebeck coefficient for spin-up and spin-down electrons. By using a three-dimensional finite-element model (3D-FEM) based on spin-dependent thermoelectric theory, whose input material parameters were measured in separate devices, we were able to accurately determine a spin-dependent Seebeck coefficient of -1.8 microvolt/Kelvin and -4.5 microvolt/Kelvin for cobalt and permalloy, respectively corresponding to a Seebeck coefficient polarization P_{S}=S_{S}/S_{F} of 0.08 and 0.25, where S_{F} is the Seebeck coefficient of the ferromagnet. The results are in agreement with earlier theoretical work in Co/Cu multilayers and spin-dependent Seebeck and spin-dependent Peltier measurements in Ni_{80}Fe_{20}/Cu spin valve structures

Physical Electronics

Contains reports on two research projects

Stock assessment of the Queensland and New South Wales pearl perch (Glaucosoma scapulare) fishery

Pearl perch (Glaucosoma scapulare) are found commonly in sub-tropical offshore-waters along the east coast of Australia and are a valuable table fish popular with commercial and recreational fishers. The species is long-lived, up to 30 years of age, and reaches sexual maturity at between 25 and 35 cm total length. Pearl perch are predominantly line-caught and fishing is managed separately by New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. Historical fishing data indicate that pearl perch harvests have been consistently higher from Queensland waters with 73% of the total catch landed in Queensland in 2013. Approximately 52% of the Queensland catch is taken by recreational fishers compared with 42% in NSW. In Queensland, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) recently classified the stock status of pearl perch as “transitional depleting” (DAF Stock Status 2015). The status raised concern in both Queensland and NSW as to whether current management arrangements are adequate to protect the sustainability of pearl perch fishery. This stock assessment incorporates data from both jurisdictions and assesses at the whole of stock level; establishes current stock status reference points including biomass and fishing pressure levels for pearl perch; and provides advice on whether additional management measures are required to reduce fishing pressure and rebuild fish stocks