A preferred vision for administering elementary schools : a reflective essay

Effective principals have command of seven themes. They are: 1. A value in building trustworthiness between leadership and the staff. 2. A strong belief in the value of integrity. 3. A belief in developing a shared vision to build a strong school community. 4. A belief in having others participate in decision making. 5. A talent for and belief in clear communication within a learning community. 6. A belief in, collaborative goal setting and personal performance reflection to guide the school toward a shared vision. 7. A belief that ethical behavior strengthens leadership effectiveness. Throughout this paper I will describe these themes and discuss a plan for how to activate them as principal

Learning transfer of geospatial technologies in secondary science and mathematics core areas

The purpose of this study was to investigate the transfer of geospatial technology knowledge and skill presented in a social sciences course context to other core areas of the curriculum. Specifically, this study explored the transfer of geospatial technology knowledge and skill to the STEM-related core areas of science and mathematics among ninth-grade students. Haskell\u27s (2001) research on levels of transfer provided the theoretical framework for this study, which sought to demonstrate the experimental group\u27s higher ability to transfer geospatial skills, higher mean assignment scores, higher post-test scores, higher geospatial skill application and deeper levels of transfer application than the control group. The participants of the study consisted of thirty ninth-graders enrolled in U.S. History, Earth Science and Integrated Mathematics 1 courses. The primary investigator of this study had no previous classroom experiences with this group of students. The participants who were enrolled in the school\u27s existing two-section class configuration were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group had ready access to Macintosh MacBook laptop computers, and the control group had ready access to Macintosh iPads. All participants in U.S. History received instruction with and were required to use ArcGIS Explorer Online during a Westward Expansion project. All participants were given the ArcGIS Explorer Online content assessment following the completion of the U.S. History project. Once the project in U.S. History was completed, Earth Science and Integrated Mathematics 1 began units of instruction beginning with a multiple-choice content pre-test created by the classroom teachers. Experimental participants received instruction with ArcGIS Explorer Online and were required to use ArcGIS Explorer Online with the class project. Control group participants received the same unit of instruction without the use or influence of ArcGIS Explorer Online. At the end of the Earth Science and Integrated Math 1 units, the same multiple-choice test was administered as the content post-test. Following the completion of Earth Science and Integrated Math 1 post-tests, both the experimental and control groups were given geospatial technologies questionnaires. The experimental group\u27s questionnaire asked participants how they used points, the measure tool, and base maps of ArcGIS Explorer Online, while the control group\u27s questionnaire asked participants how they could have used points, the measure tool, and base maps of ArcGIS Explorer Online. The ordinal data gleaned from the questionnaire rubric was analyzed by using the Chi-square statistic. The results showed no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups. However, the modest gain in transfer ability among experimental participants is encouraging. Future research using bigger samples and conducted over longer periods of time in more than one school would contribute greatly to the new and important field of geospatial technology and transfer skills

The Length Distribution of Class I-Restricted T Cell Epitopes Is Determined by Both Peptide Supply and MHC Allele-Specific Binding Preference

HLA class I-binding predictions are widely used to identify candidate peptide targets of human CD8+ T cell responses. Many such approaches focus exclusively on a limited range of peptide lengths, typically 9 aa and sometimes 9-10 aa, despite multiple examples of dominant epitopes of other lengths. In this study, we examined whether epitope predictions can be improved by incorporating the natural length distribution of HLA class I ligands. We found that, although different HLA alleles have diverse length-binding preferences, the length profiles of ligands that are naturally presented by these alleles are much more homogeneous. We hypothesized that this is due to a defined length profile of peptides available for HLA binding in the endoplasmic reticulum. Based on this, we created a model of HLA allele-specific ligand length profiles and demonstrate how this model, in combination with HLA-binding predictions, greatly improves comprehensive identification of CD8+ T cell epitopes.Fil: Trolle, Thomas. Technical University of Denmark; DinamarcaFil: McMurtrey, Curtis. Oklahoma State University; Estados UnidosFil: Sidney, John. La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology; Estados UnidosFil: Bardet, Wilfried. Oklahoma State University; Estados UnidosFil: Osborn, Sean C.. Oklahoma State University; Estados UnidosFil: Kaever, Thomas. La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology; Estados UnidosFil: Sette, Alessandro. La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology; Estados UnidosFil: Hildebrand, Willliam H.. Oklahoma State University; Estados UnidosFil: Nielsen, Morten. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Peters, Bjoern. La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology; Estados Unido

Landau-Khalatnikov-Fradkin Transformations and the Fermion Propagator in Quantum Electrodynamics

We study the gauge covariance of the massive fermion propagator in three as well as four dimensional Quantum Electrodynamics (QED). Starting from its value at the lowest order in perturbation theory, we evaluate a non-perturbative expression for it by means of its Landau-Khalatnikov-Fradkin (LKF) transformation. We compare the perturbative expansion of our findings with the known one loop results and observe perfect agreement upto a gauge parameter independent term, a difference permitted by the structure of the LKF transformations.Comment: 9 pages, no figures, uses revte

Effect of fluorination of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole

The 4,7-dithieno-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DTBT) moiety and its fluorinated counterpart are important π-conjugated building blocks in the field of organic electronics. Here we present a combined experimental and theoretical investigation into fundamental properties relating to these two molecular entities and discuss the potential impact on extended π-conjugated materials and their electronic properties. While the fluorinated derivative, in the solid state, packs with a cofacial overlap smaller than that of DTBT, we report experimental evidence of stronger optical absorption as well as stronger intra- and intermolecular contacts upon fluorination

Effect of the addition of rosiglitazone to metformin or sulfonylureas versus metformin/sulfonylurea combination therapy on ambulatory blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial (the RECORD study)

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and type 2 diabetes are common co-morbidities. Preliminary studies suggest that thiazolidinediones reduce blood pressure (BP). We therefore used ambulatory BP to quantify BP lowering at 6-12 months with rosiglitazone used in combination with metformin or sulfonylureas compared to metformin and sulfonylureas in people with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Participants (n = 759) in the multicentre RECORD study were studied. Those taking metformin were randomized (open label) to add-on rosiglitazone or sulfonylureas, and those on sulfonylurea to add-on rosiglitazone or metformin. RESULTS: 24-Hour ambulatory BP was measured at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. At 6 and 12 months, reductions in 24-hour ambulatory systolic BP (sBP) were greater with rosiglitazone versus metformin (difference at 6 months 2.7 [95% CI 0.5-4.9] mmHg, p = 0.015; 12 months 2.5 [95% CI 0.2-4.8] mmHg, p = 0.031). Corresponding changes for ambulatory diastolic BP (dBP) were comparable (6 months 2.7 [95% CI 1.4-4.0] mmHg, p < 0.001; 12 months 3.1 [95% CI 1.8-4.5] mmHg, p < 0.001). Similar differences were observed for rosiglitazone versus sulfonylureas at 12 months (sBP 2.7 [95% CI 0.5-4.9] mmHg, p = 0.016; dBP 2.1 [95% CI 0.7-3.4] mmHg, p = 0.003), but differences were smaller and/or not statistically significant at 6 months (sBP 1.5 [95% CI -0.6 to 3.6] mmHg, p = NS; dBP 1.3 [95% CI 0.0-2.5] mmHg, p = 0.049). Changes in BP were not accompanied by compensatory increases in heart rate, did not correlate with basal insulin sensitivity estimates and were not explained by changes in antihypertensive therapy between the various strata. CONCLUSION: When added to metformin or a sulfonylurea, 12-month treatment with rosiglitazone reduces ambulatory BP to a greater extent than when metformin and a sulfonylurea are combined. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00379769 http://clinicaltrials.gov

Incidence and Prevalence of Unrecognized Myocardial Infarction in People With Diabetes: A substudy of the Rosiglitazone Evaluated for Cardiac Outcomes and Regulation of Glycemia in Diabetes (RECORD) study

&lt;p&gt;OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and incidence of unrecognized myocardial infarction in a contemporary population with type 2 diabetes.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the electrocardiograms (ECGs) recorded at baseline and after 2 years for the first 1,004 type 2 diabetic individuals to be randomized in the Rosiglitazone Evaluated for Cardiac Outcomes and Regulation of Glycemia in Diabetes (RECORD) study.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;RESULTS: ECGs suitable for analysis were obtained from 669 participants. The prevalence of unrecognized Q-wave myocardial infarction at baseline was 1.9% (n = 13). The incidence of unrecognized Q-wave myocardial infarction at the end of 2 years of follow-up was 1.5/1,000-person-years (n = 2). One-third (13 of 39) of prevalent and one-quarter (2 of 8) of incident myocardial infarctions were unrecognized.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence and incidence of myocardial infarction was low, unrecognized Q-wave myocardial infarctions made up a substantial proportion of all events.&lt;/p&gt

Precision short-pulse damage test station utilizing optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification

The next generation of high-energy petawatt (HEPW)-class lasers will utilize multilayer dielectric diffraction gratings for pulse compression, due to their high efficiency and high damage threshold for picosecond pulses. The peak power of HEPW lasers will be determined by the aperture and damage threshold of the final dielectric grating in the pulse compressor and final focusing optics. We have developed a short-pulse damage test station for accurate determination of the damage threshold of the optics used on future HEPW lasers. Our damage test station is based on a highly stable, high-beam-quality optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA) operating at 1053 nm at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. We present the design of our OPCPA system pumped by a commercial Q-switched pump laser and the results of the full system characterization. Initial short-pulse damage experiments in the far field using our system have been performed

SIC~POVMs and Clifford groups in prime dimensions

We show that in prime dimensions not equal to three, each group covariant symmetric informationally complete positive operator valued measure (SIC~POVM) is covariant with respect to a unique Heisenberg--Weyl (HW) group. Moreover, the symmetry group of the SIC~POVM is a subgroup of the Clifford group. Hence, two SIC~POVMs covariant with respect to the HW group are unitarily or antiunitarily equivalent if and only if they are on the same orbit of the extended Clifford group. In dimension three, each group covariant SIC~POVM may be covariant with respect to three or nine HW groups, and the symmetry group of the SIC~POVM is a subgroup of at least one of the Clifford groups of these HW groups respectively. There may exist two or three orbits of equivalent SIC~POVMs for each group covariant SIC~POVM, depending on the order of its symmetry group. We then establish a complete equivalence relation among group covariant SIC~POVMs in dimension three, and classify inequivalent ones according to the geometric phases associated with fiducial vectors. Finally, we uncover additional SIC~POVMs by regrouping of the fiducial vectors from different SIC~POVMs which may or may not be on the same orbit of the extended Clifford group.Comment: 30 pages, 1 figure, section 4 revised and extended, published in J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 43, 305305 (2010

Heart failure events with rosiglitazone in type 2 diabetes: data from the RECORD clinical trial

Aims Thiazolidinediones are insulin sensitizers, and are associated with fluid retention and increased risk of heart failure (HF) in people with type 2 diabetes. We assessed fatal and non-fatal HF events and their outcome, and identified HF predictors in the RECORD (Rosiglitazone Evaluated for Cardiac Outcomes and Regulation of glycaemia in Diabetes) trial population. Methods and results In a multicentre, open-label study, we randomized 4447 people with type 2 diabetes on metformin or sulfonylurea monotherapy with a mean HbA(1c) of 7.9% to add-on rosiglitazone (n = 2220) or to a combination of metformin and sulfonylurea (n = 2227) and followed them over 5.5 years on average. Heart failure hospitalizations and deaths were adjudicated by a Clinical Endpoint Committee using pre-specified criteria. Independent predictors of HF events were identified out of a group of 30 pre-specified clinical, demographic, and biological variables. In the rosiglitazone group, the risk of HF death or hospitalization was doubled: HR = 2.10 (95% CI, 1.35-3.27): the excess HF event rate was 2.6 (1.1-4.1) per 1000 person-years. An excess in HF deaths was observed (10 vs. two), including four HF deaths as first HF events. By contrast, there was no increase in cardiovascular mortality or hospitalization (HR = 0.99, 95% Cl, 0.85-1.16) or in cardiovascular deaths (60 vs. 71). Independent predictors of HF were rosiglitazone assignment, age, urinary albumin : creatinine ratio, body mass index, and systolic blood pressure at baseline. A history of previous cardiovascular disease was not predictive of HF. Duration of HF hospitalization and rate of HF re-hospitalization were similar in the two groups. Conclusion These findings confirm the increased risk of HF events in people treated with rosiglitazone and support the recommendation that this agent should not continue to be used in people developing symptomatic HF while using the medication. Close follow-up for the risk of HF should be offered to elderly people, people with markedly increased body mass index, people with microalbuminuria/proteinuria, and people with increased systolic blood pressur