What Teacher Capacities do International School Recruiters Look For?

This article frames the intersection of the emerging fields of internationalizing teacher education (ITE) and international schooling (IS) and presents findings of a qualitative study that draws on interviews with international school recruiters to explore teacher qualities valuable for thriving in international school settings. Beyond general characteristics of good teachers, recruiters note the importance of adaptability to living and working in a foreign setting, cultural-sensitivity, and, especially, pedagogical flexibility. Additionally, recruiters discussed the significance of “fit” between the teacher and the school (and school community) as playing a role. Fit overlaps with adaptability, cultural sensitivity and pedagogical flexibility but also introduces more school-specific, subjective (and potentially parochial) factors for “fitting in.” Implications for teacher education are discussed, particularly on the importance of fostering teachers’ pedagogical flexibility.Cet article établit le rapport entre les domaines émergents de l’internationalisation de la formation enseignante et de l’école internationale et présente les résultats d’une étude qualitative qui relève des entrevues menées avec les recruteurs des écoles internationales pour explorer les compétences inhérentes aux enseignants capables de bien fonctionner dans ces contextes. Au-delà des caractéristiques indispensables aux exigences de la profession enseignante, les recruteurs ont spécialement mentionné l’adaptabilité à vivre et à travailler à l’étranger, la sensibilité culturelle et la flexibilité pédagogique. En outre, les recruteurs ont parlé du rôle important que joue la capacité de se ‘conformer’ entre l’enseignant et l’école (et, la communauté scolaire). En effet, cette capacité se dédouble de l’adaptabilité, de la sensibilité culturelle et de la flexibilité pédagogique, mais aussi introduit des facteurs scolaires plus spécifiques, notamment les facteurs personnels contribuant à la conformité. Les implications pour la formation enseignante, particulièrement dans le domaine de la flexibilité pédagogique, sont abordées

Recurrence of Cervical Cancer in Mice after Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator Therapy

Estrogen and its nuclear receptor, estrogen receptor ?, are necessary cofactors in the initiation and multistage progression of carcinogenesis in the K14E6/E7 transgenic mouse model of human papillomavirus–associated cervical cancer. Recently, our laboratory reported that raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, promoted regression of high-grade dysplasia and cancer that arose in the cervix of K14E6/E7 transgenic mice treated long-term with estrogen. Herein, we evaluated the recurrence of cervical cancer after raloxifene therapy in our preclinical model of human papillomavirus–associated cervical carcinogenesis. We observed recurrence of cervical cancer in mice re-exposed to estrogen after raloxifene treatment, despite evidence suggesting the antagonistic effects of raloxifene persisted in the reproductive tract after treatment had ceased. We also observed recurrence of neoplastic disease in mice that were not retreated with exogenous estrogen, although the severity of disease was less. Recurrent neoplastic disease and cancers retained functional estrogen receptor ? and responded to retreatment with raloxifene. Moreover, continuous treatment of mice with raloxifene prevented the emergence of recurrent disease seen in mice in which raloxifene was discontinued. These data suggest that cervical cancer cells are not completely eradicated by raloxifene and rapidly expand if raloxifene treatment is ceased. These findings indicate that a prolonged treatment period with raloxifene might be required to prevent recurrence of neoplastic disease and lower reproductive tract cancers

Electrical conductivity, ionic conductivity, optical absorption, and gas separation properties of ionically conductive polymer membranes embedded with Si microwire arrays

The optical absorption, ionic conductivity, electronic conductivity, and gas separation properties have been evaluated for flexible composite films of ionically conductive polymers that contain partially embedded arrays of ordered, crystalline, p-type Si microwires. The cation exchange ionomer Nafion, and a recently developed anion exchange ionomer, poly(arylene ether sulfone) that contains quaternary ammonium groups (QAPSF), produced composite microwire array/ionomer membrane films that were suitable for operation in acidic or alkaline media, respectively. The ionic conductivity of the Si wire array/Nafion composite films in 2.0 M H_(2)SO_4(aq) was 71 mS cm^(−1), and the conductivity of the Si wire array/QAPSF composite films in 2.0 M KOH(aq) was 6.4 mS cm^(−1). Both values were comparable to the conductivities observed for films of these ionomers that did not contain embedded Si wire arrays. Two Si wire array/Nafion membranes were electrically connected in series, using a conducting polymer, to produce a trilayer, multifunctional membrane that exhibited an ionic conductivity in 2.0 M H_(2)SO)4(aq) of 57 mS cm^(−1) and an ohmic electrical contact, with an areal resistance of ~0.30 Ω cm^2, between the two physically separate embedded Si wire arrays. All of the wire array/ionomer composite membranes showed low rates of hydrogen crossover. Optical measurements indicated very low absorption (<3%) in the ion-exchange polymers but high light absorption (up to 80%) by the wire arrays even at normal incidence, attesting to the suitability of such multifunctional membranes for application in solar fuels production

Magnetic ground state of the two isostructual polymeric quantum magnets [Cu(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6 and [Co(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6 investigated with neutron powder diffraction

The magnetic ground state of two isostructural coordination polymers, (i) the quasi-two-dimensional S=1/2 square-lattice antiferromagnet [Cu(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6 and (ii) a related compound [Co(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6, was examined with neutron powder diffraction measurements. We find that the ordered moments of the Heisenberg S=1/2 Cu(II) ions in [Cu(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6 are 0.6(1)μb, while the ordered moments for the Co(II) ions in [Co(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6 are 3.02(6)μb. For Cu(II), this reduced moment indicates the presence of quantum fluctuations below the ordering temperature. We show from heat capacity and electron spin resonance measurements that due to the crystal electric field splitting of the S=3/2 Co(II) ions in [Co(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6, this isostructual polymer also behaves as an effective spin-half magnet at low temperatures. The Co moments in [Co(HF2)(pyrazine)2]SbF6 show strong easy-axis anisotropy, neutron diffraction data, which do not support the presence of quantum fluctuations in the ground state, and heat capacity data, which are consistent with 2D or close to 3D spatial exchange anisotropy

Toward sustainable environmental quality : priority research questions for Europe

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals have been established to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals will require a healthy and productive environment. An understanding of the impacts of chemicals which can negatively impact environmental health is therefore essential to the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, current research on and regulation of chemicals in the environment tend to take a simplistic view and do not account for the complexity of the real world, which inhibits the way we manage chemicals. There is therefore an urgent need for a step change in the way we study and communicate the impacts and control of chemicals in the natural environment. To do this requires the major research questions to be identified so that resources are focused on questions that really matter. We present the findings of a horizon-scanning exercise to identify research priorities of the European environmental science community around chemicals in the environment. Using the key questions approach, we identified 22 questions of priority. These questions covered overarching questions about which chemicals we should be most concerned about and where, impacts of global megatrends, protection goals, and sustainability of chemicals; the development and parameterization of assessment and management frameworks; and mechanisms to maximize the impact of the research. The research questions identified provide a first-step in the path forward for the research, regulatory, and business communities to better assess and manage chemicals in the natural environment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;9999:1-15

Exploring the Mode of Action of Bioactive Compounds by Microfluidic Transcriptional Profiling in Mycobacteria

10.1371/journal.pone.0069191PLoS ONE87-POLN

Effects of environmental pollutants on the reproduction and welfare of ruminants

Anthropogenic pollutants comprise a wide range of synthetic organic compounds and heavy metals, which are dispersed throughout the environment, usually at low concentrations. Exposure of ruminants, as for all other animals, is unavoidable and while the levels of exposure to most chemicals are usually too low to induce any physiological effects, combinations of pollutants can act additively or synergistically to perturb multiple physiological systems at all ages but particularly in the developing foetus. In sheep, organs affected by pollutant exposure include the ovary, testis, hypothalamus and pituitary gland and bone. Reported effects of exposure include changes in organ weight and gross structure, histology and gene and protein expression but these changes are not reflected in changes in reproductive performance under the conditions tested. These results illustrate the complexity of the effects of endocrine disrupting compounds on the reproductive axis, which make it difficult to extrapolate between, or even within, species. Effects of pollutant exposure on the thyroid gland, immune, cardiovascular and obesogenic systems have not been shown explicitly, in ruminants, but work on other species suggests that these systems can also be perturbed. It is concluded that exposure to a mixture of anthropogenic pollutants has significant effects on a wide variety of physiological systems, including the reproductive system. Although this physiological insult has not yet been shown to lead to a reduction in ruminant gross performance, there are already reports indicating that anthropogenic pollutant exposure can compromise several physiological systems and may pose a significant threat to both reproductive performance and welfare in the longer term. At present, many potential mechanisms of action for individual chemicals have been identified but knowledge of factors affecting the rate of tissue exposure and of the effects of combinations of chemicals on physiological systems is poor. Nevertheless, both are vital for the identification of risks to animal productivity and welfare