FIRST-PRINCIPLES INVESTIGATION OF THE INTERFACIAL PROPERTIES OF BORON NITRIDE

The interactions of nanomaterial surfaces with biological compounds, e.g. proteins, DNA, etc., unites the biological regime and nanomaterial world. Hybrid systems of boron-nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and biological compounds are well-suited for a broad range of applications. First-principles methods are used to characterize the interface of these hybrid systems. Previous work has shown that the sensing capabilities of pristine BNNT are limited by long-ranged interactions. In this study the surfaces of pristine and functionalized BNNTs are investigated. The surfaces of the functionalized BNNTs give new properties to the tubes, which may enhance their sensing capabilities, while retaining their stability and chemical inertness. These simulations provide a fundamental understanding of these interaction. During the course of the investigation, two related projects were pursued. The first tangent characterized a new material that was found during the investigation of defects of BNNTs. The material is a B-N monolayer material (BN2) consisting of a network of extended hexagons. The distinguishable nature of the 2-D material is the presence of bonded N atoms (N-N) in the lattice. Analysis of the phonon dispersion curves suggests this phase of BN2 to be stable. The calculated elastic properties exhibit anisotropic mechanical properties that surpass graphene in the armchair direction. The second project investigated the effects of boron nitride substrates on the prop- erties of gold clusters. Experimentalists have deposited gold quantum dots onto boron-nitride nanotubes and were interested in a theoretical explanation for the dif- ferent 2D and 3D structures. For the calculations 2D and 3D, Au6, Au10, Au12, Au14 and Au16 clusters were selected. Their properties were analyzed in a free-standing configuration and on a substrate of h-BN

Pre-service Secondary Social Studies Teachers\u27 Efficacy Towards Character Education A Comparative Study

Character education is one of the most controversial aspects of academic institutions in the United States. The responsibility of educating children about democratic principles and moral values is something many states and schools are taking very seriously as a vital part of a teacher’s role in the classroom. This study investigated the personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service secondary teachers at a large university in the state of Florida. This study investigated the responses of 130 pre-service secondary teachers in language arts, science, social studies, and mathematics within one teacher education program. The questionnaire utilized in this quantitative research study was the Character Education Efficacy Belief Instrument (CEEBI), which was designed by Milson and Mehlig (2002). This instrument is composed of 24 items designed to understand personal teaching efficacy (PTE) and general teaching efficacy (GTE) beliefs. This study examined if there was a statistically significant difference in PTE and GTE scores between secondary pre-service teachers based on the independent variables of a) program/major, b) gender, c) race/ethnicity, and d) coursework in character education. The results of this survey adds to a rich field of research and literature on character education and teacher education by taking a closer look at the specific beliefs of secondary preservice teachers regarding their PTE and GTE for character education. This study was an attempt to better understand the teaching efficacy beliefs for secondary pre-service teachers graduating from a teacher preparation program within a state that mandates character education

Stromule formation is dependent upon plastid size, plastid differentiation status and the density of plastids within the cell

Stromules are motile extensions of the plastid envelope membrane, whose roles are not fully understood. They are present on all plastid types but are more common and extensive on non-green plastids that are sparsely distributed within the cell. During tomato fruit ripening, chloroplasts in the mesocarp tissue differentiate into chromoplasts and undergo major shifts in morphology. In order to understand what factors regulate stromule formation, we analysed stromule biogenesis in tobacco hypocotyls and in two distinct plastid populations in tomato mesocarp. We show that increases in stromule length and frequency are correlated with chromoplast differentiation, but only in one plastid population where the plastids are larger and less numerous. We used tobacco hypocotyls to confirm that stromule length increases as plastids become further apart, suggesting that stromules optimise the plastid-cytoplasm contact area. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ectopic chloroplast components decrease stromule formation on tomato fruit chromoplasts, whereas preventing chloroplast development leads to increased numbers of stromules. Inhibition of fruit ripening has a dramatic impact on plastid and stromule morphology, underlining that plastid differentiation status, and not cell type, is a significant factor in determining the extent of plastid stromules. By modifying the plastid surface area, we propose that stromules enhance the specific metabolic activities of plastids. This is an electronic version of an Article published in The Plant Journal, August 2004, Volume 39, pp. 655-667. Copyright 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and The Society for Experimental Biology

Growing Up as “Man of the House”: Adultification and Transition Into Adulthood for Young Men in Economically Disadvantaged Families

Many children in economically disadvantaged communities assume adult roles in their families. Negotiating the responsibilities and expectations associated with becoming what some young men describe as “man of the house” has important implications for how adolescent boys move into adulthood. In this study, we share insights from field work and life‐history interviews with low‐income, young African American men and Salvadoran men in the Washington, DC/Baltimore region to illustrate how adultification may deliver contradictory expectations for adolescents. The findings also show how the accelerated responsibilities that accompany the experience of adultification create difficulties in the young men's transition into adulthood. These findings indicate that the age period of emerging adulthood may begin earlier for economically disadvantaged young men. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106688/1/cad20054.pd

Assessing the Applicability of Hofstede\u27s Cultural Dimensions for Global 500 Corporations\u27 Facebook Profiles and Content

This research examines how Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions are reflected on the official corporate Facebook pages from 259 organizations on Fortune magazine’s Global 500 list. This research is grounded in original indices to measure the six dimensions across Facebook’s “About Us” section, the textual updates provided by the companies, as well as the media that they share (photographs and videos). This is the first attempt to create a conceptualization of Hofstede’s dimensions for organizational social media use. The results paint a mixed picture indicating that the global nature of these corporations is echoed in a somewhat similar overall presence on Facebook; but when the individual elements (About Us, updates, and media) are examined, statistical differences emerge in relation to the reflection of the cultural dimensions. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed