Effective K– 6 Mathematics Teachers’ Mathematical and Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficacy, Instructional Beliefs, and Use of Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices

The use of student-centered practices is influenced by several factors (Peterson et al., 1989). Specifically self-efficacy has been shown to influence teachers’ self-reported teaching practices (Hadley & Dorward, 2011; Peterson et al., 1989; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007). The purpose of this study was to determine possible relationships among effective teachers’ mathematical and mathematics teaching self-efficacy, instructional beliefs, and the enacted use of effective practices in mathematics. The study involved two K–6 mathematics teachers who were identified as effective by recommendations from highly regarded mathematics teacher educators or administrators. To determine teachers’ level of self-efficacies, instructional beliefs, and enacted teaching practices, I used self-efficacy surveys, multiple observations, and a stimulated recall end-of-study interview. Using a descriptive multi-case study methodology (Yin, 2003), I examined the relationships among the three factors (i.e., self-efficacy, instructional beliefs, and practices) of my participants. I found that the teachers’ mathematical self-efficacy (MSE) influenced their mathematics teaching self-efficacy (MTSE). Additionally, teachers’ self-efficacy interacted with their instructional beliefs and enactment of Standards of Mathematical Practices (NGA & CCSSO, 2010) and mathematical teaching practices (NCTM, 2014). Although teaching during a global pandemic was difficult, the teachers were able to adapt in ways that reflected their instructional beliefs and allowed them to enact effective teaching practices. The resiliency of these effective teachers underscores the value of developing and supporting effective mathematics teachers

Human monoclonal antibodies to West Nile virus identify epitopes on the prM protein

AbstractHybridoma cell lines (2E8, 8G8 and 5G12) producing fully human monoclonal antibodies (hMAbs) specific for the pre-membrane (prM) protein of West Nile virus (WNV) were prepared using a human fusion partner cell line, MFP-2, and human peripheral blood lymphocytes from a blood donor diagnosed with WNV fever in 2004. Using site-directed mutagenesis of a WNV-like particle (VLP) we identified 4 amino acid residues in the prM protein unique to WNV and important in the binding of these hMAbs to the VLP. Residues V19 and L33 are important epitopes for the binding of all three hMAbs. Mutations at residue, T20 and T24 affected the binding of hMAbs, 8G8 and 5G12 only. These hMAbs did not significantly protect AG129 interferon-deficient mice or Swiss Webster outbred mice from WNV infection

Matter effects in the D0-D0bar system

We discuss the impact of matter effects in the D0-D0bar system. We show that such effects could, in principle, be measured, but that they cannot be used to probe the mass difference x_D or the lifetime difference y_D. This occurs because the mixing effects and the matter effects decouple at short times. We also comment briefly on the B systems.Comment: 6 pages, RevTe

High sensitivity of tropical precipitation to local sea-surface temperature

Precipitation and atmospheric circulation are the coupled processes through which tropical ocean surface temperatures drive global weather and climate. Local ocean surface warming tends to increase precipitation, but this local control is hard to disentangle from remote effects of conditions elsewhere. Such remote effects occur, for example, from El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events in the equatorial Pacific, which alter precipitation across the tropics. Atmospheric circulations associated with tropical precipitation are predominantly deep, extending up to the tropopause. Shallow atmospheric circulations impacting the lower troposphere also occur, but the importance of their interaction with precipitation is unclear. Uncertainty in precipitation observations and limited observations of shallow circulations11 further obstruct understanding of the ocean’s influence on weather and climate. Despite decades of research, persistent biases remain in many numerical model simulations, including excessively wide tropical rainbands, the ‘double-intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) problem’ and too-weak responses to ENSO. These demonstrate stubborn gaps in our understanding, reducing confidence in forecasts and projections. Here we show that the real world has a high sensitivity of seasonal tropical precipitation to local sea-surface temperature. Our best observational estimate is 80% precipitation change per g/kg change in the saturation specific humidity (itself a function of the ocean surface temperature). This observed sensitivity is higher than in 43 of the 47 climate models studied, and is associated with strong shallow circulations. Models with more realistic sensitivity have smaller biases across a wide range of metrics. Our results apply to both temporal and spatial variation, over regions where climatological precipitation is around 1 millimetre per day or greater. Novel analysis of multiple independent observations, physical constraints and model data, underpin these findings. The spread in model behaviour is further linked to differences in shallow convection, providing a focus for accelerated research, to improve seasonal forecasts through multidecadal climate projections

Molecular evolution of the insect-specific flaviviruses

There has been an explosion in the discovery of ‘insect-specific’ flaviviruses and/or their related sequences in natural mosquito populations. Herein we review all ‘insect-specific’ flavivirus sequences currently available and conduct phylogenetic analyses of both the ‘insect-specific’ flaviviruses and available sequences of the entire genus Flavivirus. We show that there is no statistical support for virus–mosquito co-divergence, suggesting that the ‘insect-specific’ flaviviruses may have undergone multiple introductions with frequent host switching. We discuss potential implications for the evolution of vectoring within the family Flaviviridae. We also provide preliminary evidence for potential recombination events in the history of cell fusing agent virus. Finally, we consider priorities and guidelines for future research on ‘insect-specific’ flaviviruses, including the vast potential that exists for the study of biodiversity within a range of potential hosts and vectors, and its effect on the emergence and maintenance of the flaviviruses

The Power of Environmental Observatories for Advancing Multidisciplinary Research, Outreach, and Decision Support: The Case of the Minnesota River Basin

An edited version of this paper was published by AGU. Copyright 2019 American Geophysical Union.Observatory‐scale data collection efforts allow unprecedented opportunities for integrative, multidisciplinary investigations in large, complex watersheds, which can affect management decisions and policy. Through the National Science Foundation‐funded REACH (REsilience under Accelerated CHange) project, in collaboration with the Intensively Managed Landscapes‐Critical Zone Observatory, we have collected a series of multidisciplinary data sets throughout the Minnesota River Basin in south‐central Minnesota, USA, a 43,400‐km2 tributary to the Upper Mississippi River. Postglacial incision within the Minnesota River valley created an erosional landscape highly responsive to hydrologic change, allowing for transdisciplinary research into the complex cascade of environmental changes that occur due to hydrology and land use alterations from intensive agricultural management and climate change. Data sets collected include water chemistry and biogeochemical data, geochemical fingerprinting of major sediment sources, high‐resolution monitoring of river bluff erosion, and repeat channel cross‐sectional and bathymetry data following major floods. The data collection efforts led to development of a series of integrative reduced complexity models that provide deeper insight into how water, sediment, and nutrients route and transform through a large channel network and respond to change. These models represent the culmination of efforts to integrate interdisciplinary data sets and science to gain new insights into watershed‐scale processes in order to advance management and decision making. The purpose of this paper is to present a synthesis of the data sets and models, disseminate them to the community for further research, and identify mechanisms used to expand the temporal and spatial extent of short‐term observatory‐scale data collection efforts

Supercooled liquid water clouds observed over Dome C, Antarctica: temperature sensitivity and cloud radiative forcing

Clouds affect the Earth climate with an impact that depends on the cloud nature (solid and/or liquid water). Although the Antarctic climate is changing rapidly, cloud observations are sparse over Antarctica due to few ground stations and satellite observations. The Concordia station is located on the eastern Antarctic Plateau (75∘ S, 123∘ E; 3233 m above mean sea level), one of the driest and coldest places on Earth. We used observations of clouds, temperature, liquid water, and surface irradiance performed at Concordia during four austral summers (December 2018–2021) to analyse the link between liquid water and temperature and its impact on surface irradiance in the presence of supercooled liquid water (liquid water for temperature less than 0 ∘C) clouds (SLWCs). Our analysis shows that, within SLWCs, temperature logarithmically increases from −36.0 to −16.0 ∘C when liquid water path increases from 1.0 to 14.0 g m−2. The SLWC radiative forcing is positive and logarithmically increases from 0.0 to 70.0 W m−2 when liquid water path increases from 1.2 to 3.5 g m−2. This is mainly due to the downward longwave component that logarithmically increases from 0 to 90 W m−2 when liquid water path increases from 1.0 to 3.5 g m−2. The attenuation of shortwave incoming irradiance (that can reach more than 100 W m−2) is almost compensated for by the upward shortwave irradiance because of high values of surface albedo. Based on our study, we can extrapolate that, over the Antarctic continent, SLWCs have a maximum radiative forcing that is rather weak over the eastern Antarctic Plateau (0 to 7 W m−2) but 3 to 5 times larger over West Antarctica (0 to 40 W m−2), maximizing in summer and over the Antarctic Peninsula.</p

The Power of Environmental Observatories for Advancing Multidisciplinary Research, Outreach, and Decision Support: The Case of the Minnesota River Basin

Observatory‐scale data collection efforts allow unprecedented opportunities for integrative, multidisciplinary investigations in large, complex watersheds, which can affect management decisions and policy. Through the National Science Foundation‐funded REACH (REsilience under Accelerated CHange) project, in collaboration with the Intensively Managed Landscapes‐Critical Zone Observatory, we have collected a series of multidisciplinary data sets throughout the Minnesota River Basin in south‐central Minnesota, USA, a 43,400‐km2 tributary to the Upper Mississippi River. Postglacial incision within the Minnesota River valley created an erosional landscape highly responsive to hydrologic change, allowing for transdisciplinary research into the complex cascade of environmental changes that occur due to hydrology and land use alterations from intensive agricultural management and climate change. Data sets collected include water chemistry and biogeochemical data, geochemical fingerprinting of major sediment sources, high‐resolution monitoring of river bluff erosion, and repeat channel cross‐sectional and bathymetry data following major floods. The data collection efforts led to development of a series of integrative reduced complexity models that provide deeper insight into how water, sediment, and nutrients route and transform through a large channel network and respond to change. These models represent the culmination of efforts to integrate interdisciplinary data sets and science to gain new insights into watershed‐scale processes in order to advance management and decision making. The purpose of this paper is to present a synthesis of the data sets and models, disseminate them to the community for further research, and identify mechanisms used to expand the temporal and spatial extent of short‐term observatory‐scale data collection efforts