An investigation of the science content preparation of Iowa State University elementary education majors: relationships among secondary and college course backgrounds, attitude toward teaching science, science teaching efficacy, science misconceptions, and science achievement

The goal of this study was to explore the role that formal science content education plays in the process of educating future elementary teachers of science. The formal science content preparation of elementary education majors was investigated to explore the relationships between secondary school and college science content preparation and science achievement, attitude toward teaching science, science teaching efficacy, selected science misconceptions, and other demographic variables. Some of the instruments utilized included Enoch\u27s and Rigg\u27s Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument Form B, Thompson\u27s and Shrigley\u27s Revised Science Attitude Scale, the ACT Science Reasoning Test, student constructed concept maps, and a demographics questionnaire;Although a number of statistically significant relationships were found to exist among the variables, the significant correlations were mainly in what might be classified as low to moderate ranges of correlation;The results of this research can be drawn upon to make recommendations and set strategies for policy makers to consider when determining how to best prepare elementary education majors to teach science

Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction between atomic chlorine and dimethyl selenide; comparison with the reaction between atomic chlorine and dimethyl sulfide

Dimethyl selenide is the most abundant gaseous selenium species in marine environments. In this work, the value of the rate coefficient for the gas-phase reaction between dimethyl selenide and Cl atoms has been determined for the first time. The value of the second-order rate coefficient obtained was (5.0±1.4)×10–10 cm3 molecule–1 s–1. The very fast nature of the reaction means that, when estimating the lifetime of dimethyl selenide in the atmosphere, loss due to reaction with Cl atoms should be considered along with loss due to reaction with O3 and with OH and NO3 radicals. Analysis of the available kinetic data suggests that at 760 Torr the dominant reaction pathway for the reaction of Cl atoms with dimethyl selenide will be the addition of Cl to the Se atom forming an adduct of the type CH3Se(Cl)CH3. Theoretical calculations, at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, show that at 298 K the value of rH for the formation of the adduct is –111.4 kJ mol–1. This value may be compared to –97.0 kJ mol–1, the value calculated for rH for the formation of the analogous sulfur adduct, CH3S(Cl)CH3, following the reaction between Cl atoms and dimethyl sulfide. Variational RRKM theory was used to predict the thermal decomposition rates of the two adducts back to starting materials. The estimated rate constant for the decomposition of the selenium adduct to the reactants is 5×10–5 s–1, compared to 0.02 s–1 in the case of the sulfur adduct. However, our calculations suggest that the CH3Se(Cl)CH3 adduct, which is initially formed highly excited, will not be stabilised under atmospheric conditions, but rather will decompose to yield CH3SeCl and CH3, a process that is calculated to be exothermic with respect to the initial reactants by 5.8 kJ mol–1. The formation of CH3SCl and CH3 from the sulfur adduct, on the other hand, is endothermic by 20.8 kJ mol–1 with respect to the initial reactants, and is thus not expected to occur

Sampling intensity and timing for estimating acremonium coenophaialum incidence in fescue pastures

Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones and Gams has been associated with several animal disorders known collectively as fescue toxicosis. Reestablishment of infected (E+) pastures with seed not containing the fungus (E-) is beneficial for eliminating the symptoms of fescue toxicosis. However, since management decisions must be based on knowledge of A. coenophialum incidence, appropriate sampling methods should provide information about fungal incidence with accuracy. Two sampling studies were conducted to determine an effective sampling method. In the first, eight 4-ha research pastures that had been established for a grazing trial having E+ incidence ranging from near 0 to more than 70% were sampled in June 1986 using a transect method (TM) and a stratified random sampling design (SR) at an intensity of 23 tillers ha-1. In the second, four 2-ha pastures were sampled at monthly intervals from November 1985 through October 1987, using SR at 41 samples ha-1. Samples were assessed for E+ status using Protein A enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PAS-ELISA). In the first study, observed variability in E+ incidence of two pastures increased from 15 or 30% to about 60% during the 27-month period: six other pastures, with original 0, 45. 60, and 75% E+ incidence, had only small increases in E+ incidence. In the second study, only small fluctuations in fungal incidence were observed in four pastures with 60% E+ incidence. Significant E+ incidence could be detected at any time during the year using PAS-ELISA. The distribution of the E+ and E- plants was random in the first study because they had been seeded uniformly, but was highly aggregated in the older (\u3e11 y) pastures of the second study. Therefore, dispersal of sampling sites across the entire field is important when sampling older pastures that may have an aggregated fungal distribution. It appears that relatively few samples are required for assessment of E+ status in pastures. Eight or more stratified random samples ha-1 might be an adequate sampling intensity for producers: for research purposes, sampling intensity should approach one sample 250 m-2 in a stratified random sampling. The TM and SR gave similar estimates, but SR could better detect spatial relationships

An investigation of networking techniques for the ASRM facility

This report is based on the early design concepts for a communications network for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility being built at Yellow Creek near Iuka, MS. The investigators have participated in the early design concepts and in the evaluation of the initial concepts. The continuing system design effort and any modification of the plan will require a careful evaluation of the required bandwidth of the network, the capabilities of the protocol, and the requirements of the controllers and computers on the network. The overall network, which is heterogeneous in protocol and bandwidth, is being modeled, analyzed, simulated, and tested to obtain some degree of confidence in its performance capabilities and in its performance under nominal and heavy loads. The results of the proposed work should have an impact on the design and operation of the ASRM facility

Requiring Mandatory Personal Mental Health and Stress Survival Training and Awareness for Peace Officers

Law enforcement officers are placed in critical incident situations on a daily basis throughout the entirety of their careers. These situations expose the officer to a wide variety of negativity and may have a critical impact on the lives of the officer, their co-workers, family members, and friends. Some of the issues that may arise from the negative effects that the officers are exposed to can include suicide, suicidal ideations, depression, anxiety, insomnia, relationship issues, weight gain or weight loss, behavioral issues, and many others. These negative effects can often go untreated, unnoticed, and ignored. Ultimately, when these issues and symptoms are left unresolved and unrecognized, the officer can be left in a desperate situation. This paper and research is aimed at encouraging law enforcement administrators and TCOLE to mandate both initial mental health awareness training in the police academy setting and to mandate ongoing continuing education on mental health awareness throughout the entirety of a peace officers career. Law enforcement places a great deal of training in the recognition of mental health issues in others but focuses very little on saving their own from the same perils of critical mental health issues