Problem Solving Approach in Electrical Energy and Power on Students as Physics Teacher Candidates

In agreement with students' conceptual understanding, identifying of problem solving is an important part of physics. This article is to identify the approach used by students in solving a physics problem. The subject of the research were students of physics education year 2014 in Jambi University who had joined basic physics class. The instruments used in this research were DIRECT (determining and interpreting resistive electric circuit concept test) (Engelhardt & Beichner, 2004). Based on the result, 34,1% students still used the memory based approach in problem solving, 52,3% of them used no clear approach, 4,5% used structured manner, 6,82% used unstructured manner and only 2,27% students used a scientific approach to solving the problem. The result showed that many students used no clear approach and memory based approach to solve the problem. It mean that they did not use physics concept in solving the problem and generally they only used the equation they memorized related to the problem they ever did before

Microwave-assisted combustion synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO powders using zinc nitrate and various amount of organic fuels as reactants: influence of reactant parameters-A status review

Abstract. Nanocrystalline ZnO powders have been synthesized by a novel and simple microwaveassisted combustion synthesis method using urea, glycine, carbohydrazine and citric acid as fuels and zinc nitrate as oxidant. The starting materials were directly mixed and a slurry precursor with high homogeneity was formed due to the hygroscopicity of the reactants. The precursor could be ignited at room temperature, resulting in dry, loose and voluminous ZnO powders. An interpretation based on an adiabatic flame temperature, amount of gases produced during reaction for various fuel-tooxidizer molar ratios (ψ), has been proposed for the nature of combustion and its correlation with the characteristics of as-synthesized product. The variation of adiabatic flame temperature (T ad ) with the ψ value was calculated theoretically according to the thermodynamic concept. The reaction process of the precursor was investigated by XRD techniques

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics and antimicrobial activities of copper oxide nanoparticles formed by the solution combustion method

In this paper, copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) was prepared by solution combustion technique. We used copper nitrate as an oxidizer and malic acid as a fuel to make three different CuO NPs by using different fuel ratios: low (M1), stoichiometric (M2), and high (M3). The XRD patterns show that the CuO NPs have the monoclinic structure with an average grain size of 17, 20, and 18 nm corresponding to M1, M2, and M3 respectively. The SEM images revealed that the CuO NPs prepared display bush as morphology consisting of a wheat-like structure for M1, rod-like structure for M2, and sheet-like structure for M3 sample. The FTIR spectrum shows that CuO NPs is successfully formed in all of the samples. A bandgap of around 3.26 eV can be seen in the UV-Vis spectrum. Also, the three samples are possessing antibacterial activity and are influenced by the crystalline size, shape, purity, and uniformity of the crystals. Among the three samples with a difference of morphology, the most influencing factor of antibacterial activity being the shape that of other larger-sized particles

RhoD regulates cytoskeletal dynamics via the actin nucleation-promoting factor WASp homologue associated with actin Golgi membranes and microtubules

The Rho GTPases have mainly been studied in association with their roles in the regulation of actin filament organization. These studies have shown that the Rho GTPases are essential for basic cellular processes, such as cell migration, contraction, and division. In this paper, we report that RhoD has a role in the organization of actin dynamics that is distinct from the roles of the better-studied Rho members Cdc42, RhoA, and Rac1. We found that RhoD binds the actin nucleation–promoting factor WASp homologue associated with actin Golgi membranes and microtubules (WHAMM), as well as the related filamin A–binding protein FILIP1. Of these two RhoD-binding proteins, WHAMM was found to bind to the Arp2/3 complex, while FILIP1 bound filamin A. WHAMM was found to act downstream of RhoD in regulating cytoskeletal dynamics. In addition, cells treated with small interfering RNAs for RhoD and WHAMM showed increased cell attachment and decreased cell migration. These major effects on cytoskeletal dynamics indicate that RhoD and its effectors control vital cytoskeleton-driven cellular processes. In agreement with this notion, our data suggest that RhoD coordinates Arp2/3-dependent and FLNa-dependent mechanisms to control the actin filament system, cell adhesion, and cell migration

Meteorites on Mars observed with the Mars Exploration Rovers

Reduced weathering rates due to the lack of liquid water and significantly greater typical surface ages should result in a higher density of meteorites on the surface of Mars compared to Earth. Several meteorites were identified among the rocks investigated during Opportunity’s traverse across the sandy Meridiani plains. Heat Shield Rock is a IAB iron meteorite and has been officially recognized as ‘‘Meridiani Planum.’’ Barberton is olivine-rich and contains metallic Fe in the form of kamacite, suggesting a meteoritic origin. It is chemically most consistent with a mesosiderite silicate clast. Santa Catarina is a brecciated rock with a chemical and mineralogical composition similar to Barberton. Barberton, Santa Catarina, and cobbles adjacent to Santa Catarina may be part of a strewn field. Spirit observed two probable iron meteorites from its Winter Haven location in the Columbia Hills in Gusev Crater. Chondrites have not been identified to date, which may be a result of their lower strengths and probability to survive impact at current atmospheric pressures. Impact craters directly associated with Heat Shield Rock, Barberton, or Santa Catarina have not been observed, but such craters could have been erased by eolian-driven erosion.Additional co-authors: DW Ming, RV Morris, PA de Souza Jr, SW Squyres, C Weitz, AS Yen, J Zipfel, T Economo

Modeling mitochondrial dysfunctions in the brain: from mice to men

The biologist Lewis Thomas once wrote: “my mitochondria comprise a very large proportion of me. I cannot do the calculation, but I suppose there is almost as much of them in sheer dry bulk as there is the rest of me”. As humans, or indeed as any mammal, bird, or insect, we contain a specific molecular makeup that is driven by vast numbers of these miniscule powerhouses residing in most of our cells (mature red blood cells notwithstanding), quietly replicating, living independent lives and containing their own DNA. Everything we do, from running a marathon to breathing, is driven by these small batteries, and yet there is evidence that these molecular energy sources were originally bacteria, possibly parasitic, incorporated into our cells through symbiosis. Dysfunctions in these organelles can lead to debilitating, and sometimes fatal, diseases of almost all the bodies’ major organs. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in a wide variety of human disorders either as a primary cause or as a secondary consequence. To better understand the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in human disease, a multitude of pharmacologically induced and genetically manipulated animal models have been developed showing to a greater or lesser extent the clinical symptoms observed in patients with known and unknown causes of the disease. This review will focus on diseases of the brain and spinal cord in which mitochondrial dysfunction has been proven or is suspected and on animal models that are currently used to study the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of these diseases

Rapid synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO by a microwave-assisted combustion method

A facile and rapid microwave-assisted combustion method (MWAC) was developed to synthesis to produce nanocrystalline ZnO powder using dissolution of zinc nitrate (as the oxidant) and urea (as fuel) as the starting materials and water as solvent, then heating the resulting solution in a microwave oven. The study suggested that application of microwave heating to produce the homogeneous porous ZnO was achieved in a few minutes. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared combustion products were investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), Raman spectra, UV–Vis absorbance spectra and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD, FTIR and Raman spectra confirmed the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structural ZnO and the SEM results indicated the porous surface characteristic of the products. The as-prepared powders have larger band gap energy (3.06 eV) and are described here

Assessment of environmental soil quality around Sonepur Bazari mine of Raniganj coalfield, India

Assessment of soil quality is one of the key parameters for evaluation of environmental contamination in the mining ecosystem. To investigate the effect of coal mining on soil quality, opencast and underground mining sites were selected in the Raniganj coalfield area, India. The physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the soils, and trace metals and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in the soils were evaluated. Soil dehydrogenase (+79 %) and fluorescein (+32 %) activities were significantly higher in underground mine (UGM) soil, whereas peroxidase activity (+57 %) was higher in opencast mine (OCM) soil. Content of As, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb was significantly higher in OCM soil, whereas Cd was higher in UGM. In general, the PAHs contents were higher in UGM soils, probably due to the natural coal burning at these sites. The observed values for the above properties were converted into a unitless score (0–1.00) and the scores were integrated into an environmental soil quality index (ESQI). In the unscreened index (ESQI-1) all the soil parameters were included and the results showed that the quality of the soil was better for UGM (0.539) than the OCM (0.511) soils. Principal component analysis was employed to derive ESQI-2 and accordingly, total PAHs, loss on ignition, bulk density, Be, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, and microbial quotient (respiration: microbial biomass ratio) were found to be the most critical properties. The ESQI-2 was also higher for soils near UGM (+10.1 %). The observed indicators and the ESQI results revealed that soil quality assessment for these coal mining soils is largely depended on soil PAHs and potentially toxic trace metals. The proposed ESQI may be further refined by incorporating specific parameters related to human exposure risks and exposure pathways