STEMteach: Preparing the Next Generation of Mathematics and Science Teachers

With an increasing demand for individuals prepared in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), one university responded to this call by changing its teacher preparation program. Better-prepared mathematics and science teachers have the opportunity to engage and excite students, thereby preparing and promoting more of them to enter the STEM professions. The described program is a replication of the national UTeach model that recruits content majors in mathematics and science to explore the teaching profession during a first-semester course that includes an early field experience in the elementary grades. This field experience is designed to be engaging for both the teacher education candidates and the elementary students in an effort to demonstrate the joy of teaching and to retain the candidates in the program. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase the production of quality secondary mathematics and science teachers who can transfer their own deep understanding of their content to students so that these students will be career and college ready in the STEM disciplines

Improving and Assessing Information Literacy Skills through Faculty-Librarian Collaboration

This article addresses ways to assess the effectiveness of integrating information literacy into college courses by taking a close look at a partnership developed between Dr. Amy Dailey and the reference librarians at Gettysburg College

Methyl halide production in fungi

Methyl halide gases are a source of halogen radicals that can react with and destroy stratospheric ozone. The sources of methyl halide gases are both anthropogenic and biogenic, that is, they are human induced and they occur naturally. This research focused on the emission of methyl betides from fungi in the phylum Basidiomycota, which are one of the known biogenic sources. Previous studies have measured methyl halide production and consumption in soils using field chambers. The objective of this study was to compare production from individual fungi in laboratory cultures to the field measured fluxes to examine whether fungi are a significant source of methyl halide emissions. This study included fungi from four different ecosystems: an agricultural field, a temperate forest, a fresh water wetland, and coastal salt marshes in southern New Hampshire, USA. Fungal samples were collected from each site and cultured in the laboratory using tissue culture, wood bait, and direct soil plating methods. Once pure isolates were obtained, the fungi were assayed for methyl halide production using cryotrapping-gas chromatography. Samples of headspace gas were extracted from flasks containing fungi grown in liquid media or soil substrate and measured on a gas chromatograph/electron capture detector (GC/ECD). By sampling individual fungi from different ecosystems and assaying them in media and soil substrate the halide ratio from fungi could be examined. Two types of statistical analyses were used to determine the methyl halide fluxes: linear least squares fit of the methyl halide concentration vs. time, and a Bayesian model with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. Both statistical methods calculated a slope of the flux for each flask. The fluxes were averaged by isolate, and then normalized to mass by dividing by fungal biomass. The Bayesian model provided a rigorous analysis of the data that could be compared to data derived from the traditional linear fit method in order to determine whether a linear regression fit causes an over-estimation of the production rate. Methyl halide production was observed in fungi collected from all of the sites. Specifically, the highest levels of methyl halides were produced in all species of fungi isolated from salt marshes; the highest levels of methyl bromide were produced by basidiomycetes from all sites and zygomycete isolates from the freshwater fen; the non-basidiomycete fungi isolated from the freshwater fen and from the salt marshes produced the highest levels of methyl iodide. Although the primary focus was methyl halide production in basidiomycetes, the results clearly show that the non-basidiomycete fungi are a potential source of methyl halide emissions that may represent a greater environmental significance than expected from basidiomycetes

Corn/soybean decision logic: Improvements and new crops

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Lateral mass screw fixation in the cervical spine

pre-printTo The Editor: We read with interest the article by Kawabata et al.15 (Kawabata S, Watanabe K, Hosogane N, et al: Surgical correction of severe cervical kyphosis in patients with neurofibromatosis Type 1. Report of 3 cases. J Neurosurg Spine 18:274-279, March 2013). Reconstructive spinal surgery has undergone a tremendous transformation in the last several decades, with improvements in imaging, biologics, and implant technologies. Not uncommonly, the spine surgical community may abandon an older technique when it becomes evident that a new approach or technology is clearly safer or superior. Comparative clinical trials of older versus newer techniques are often limited to a small number of cases published over a short period of time and are typically not performed under the rigors of randomized controlled study sufficient to meet the standards set by governmental agencies to gain regulatory approval. Lateral mass screw fixation (LMSF) of the cervical spine, which has generally supplanted older wiring and hook cervical fixation methods, is one such technique

\u3ci\u3ePhlyctainophora squali\u3c/i\u3e sp. nov. (Nematoda, Philometridae) from the Spiny Dogfish, \u3ci\u3eSqualis acanthias\u3c/i\u3e

Summary Phlyctainophora squali sp. nov. is described from 23 female specimens recovered from the subcutaneous tissue of one of 440 Squalis acanthias caught off Los Angeles, California. This finding represents a new host and distribution for this genus. Phlyctainophora is placed in the family Philometridae on the basis of atrophication of vulva and anus, simple mouth, viviparity and location in tissue of fishes. The family diagnosis for Philometridae is amended to include Phlyctainophora which lacks an anterior ovary

Resolution of an actinomycotic abscess with nonsurgical treatment: case report

Journal ArticleA CASE OF actinomycotic brain abscess is presented. Conservative treatment by prolonged administration of antibiotics after needle biopsy showed complete resolution of the abscess. Previously reported cases suggest that definitive treatment requires excision or open surgical drainage of the abscess. The case presented suggests an alternative approach to treating this unusual cause of brain abscess

Parasite Fauna Of 3 Species Of Antarctic Whales With Reference To Their Use As Potential Stock Indicators

Seventeen species of parasites representing the Cestoda, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, and Crustacea are reported from three species of Antarctic whales. Thirty-five sei whales Balaenoptera borealis, 106 minke whales B. acutorostrata, and 35 sperm whales Physeter catodon were examined from latitudes 30-degrees to 64-degrees-S, and between longitudes 106-degrees-E to 108-degrees-W, during the months of November to March 1976-77. Collection localities and regional helminth fauna diversity are plotted on distribution maps. Antarctic host-parasite records from B. borealis, B. acutorostrata, and P. catodon are updated and tabulated by commercial whaling sectors. The use of acanthocephalan parasites of the genus Corynosoma as potential Antarctic sperm whale stock indicators is discussed

Emergent aneurysm clipping without angiography in the moribund patient with intracerebral hemorrhage: the use of infusion computed tomography scans

Journal ArticleTHE AUTHORS REPORT their experience with 25 patients (mean age, 44.3 ± 12.1 years) with an intracerebral hematoma (ICH) from a ruptured aneurysm who were emergently operated on without angiography. Instead, preoperative high-resolution infusion computed tomography (CT) scans were used to identify the aneurysm causing the hemorrhage. In all patients, the preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale score was 1 cm) midline shift (n = 18). Infusion CT scans correctly identified the aneurysm in all patients (middle cerebral artery, 18; posterior communicating artery, 2; carotid bifurcation, 3; anterior communicating artery, 2). Partial evacuation of the hematoma guided by infusion CT scan was usually required first to clip the aneurysm definitively using standard microvascular techniques. Intraoperative rupture occurred twice, and temporary clips were used on four occasions. Lobectomy (n = 8) , decompressive craniotomy (n=15), and ventriculostomy (n=8) were required to control cerebral swelling. All patients underwent postoperative angiography to confirm aneurysm obliteration. Eleven unruptured aneurysms were subsequently identified. Nine had been predicted by infusion scan. Twelve patients survived, eight of whom were only moderately disabled and were independent at 6-months' follow-up. Of the 13 patients who died, all except one died within 4 days of admission. The authors conclude that although angiographic verification before aneurysm surgery is preferable, in the moribund patient with intracerebral hemorrhage, infusion CT scanning provides sufficient information concerning vascular anatomy to allow rational emergency craniotomy and aneurysm clipping

Vegetation and Thermal Chracteristics of Bobwhite Nocturnal Roost Sites in Native Warm-Season Grass

Native warm-season grass (NWSG) has been widely promoted as wildlife habitat, but little empirical evidence is available to support its value for most wildlife species. One justification for a conversion to NWSG is the high thermal quality of cover resulting from the height and structure of the vegetation. Because vegetation cover is an important factor contributing to bobwhite winter survival, we predicted that they should select roost sites with superior thermal characteristics during winter when energy requirements for thermoregulation are greatest. In this 3-year study we used data derived from roost sites (n 166) obtained from radio-marked quail to compare the relative use of NWSG and 5 other habitat types, and the micro-habitat characteristics of winter roost and random sites on an area intensively managed for quail in Missouri. Of the 6 habitats used for roosting, most locations (51.2%) were in old-field habitats. NWSG ranked third with 17% of the locations. Our findings indicated that roost site selection may be influenced to a greater extent by the micro-habitat characteristics of a site rather than by habitat type. Two micro-habitat features that were of particular importance in habitats used most by quail were litter cover and canopy cover. These habitat features are valuable in reducing conductive and convective heat loss