Coordination chemistry of life processes: Bioinorganic chemistry

Many enzymes and proteins have metal ions at their active sites that play key roles in catalysis. An important goal of an interdisciplinary field like bioinorganic chemistry is the development of small inorganic coordination complexes that not only reproduce structural and spectroscopic features, but also function in a manner similar to their natural counterparts. To highlight this burgeoning field, some selected results on synthetic modelling of (i) the electronic structure of manganese cluster of photosystem II and (ii) functional modelling of the dinuclear copper enzyme tyrosinase are described in this article.     

Differences on Bayley's infant behavior record for a sample of high-risk infants and their controls

3 groups of high-risk newborns and their controls were assessed at 92 weeks post-conceptional age using Bayley's Infant Behavioral Record (IBR). The 3 groups of high-risk infants were those who weighed 1,500 grams or less at birth and required no ventilator therapy, those weighing 1,500 grams or less at birth who required ventilator therapy, and newborns weighing more than 1,500 grams at birth who required ventilator therapy. Controls were healthy term infants matched for 7 socioeconomic and demographic variables. The first principal component of the IBR ratings for the 3 groups of high-risk infants and the controls were similar. All 3 groups of high-risk infants received less desirable IBR ratings on most items than their controls. In addition, there were some differences among high-risk groups; ventilated infants regardless of birth weight received the lowest ratings reflecting overall performance on the IBR, very low birthweight, ventilated newborns were more likely to receive ratings characterizing an overly active infant with a short attention span, and very low birth-weight, never-ventilated infants were most likely to be rated as happy but passive and delayed. The differences between the high-risk infants and controls in large part resulted from infants who were also delayed in terms of their mental and motor development.     

Training to use Television as a Teacher

Television, no longer in its infancy, no longer a novelty, still possesses the unique ability to focus, one may even say command, the attention of both the individual and the group. It is no doubt due to this quality that the use of television has developed greatly during recent years. The fact that it can keep pace with the contemporary scene (e.g. important events can be shown ‘live’ or soon after they have taken place) plus the personal method of presentation may have made it something more than a ‘teaching aid’.     

Needed: new models for linking the two cultures

Summaries

English

In recent years problems facing humankind have become more complex and challenging and have increasingly involved science and technology. While the public, generally, has been inadequately informed about such scientific and technical issues, public understanding of issues at the interface of science, society, and technology are an essential part of the resolution of societal problems. This paper outlines specific ways to promote understanding enabling individuals to participate more responsibly in enlightened democratic decision‐making responsive to societal needs. A systematic scheme is outlined with examples from two science education centres at tertiary institutions through activities including teaching, outreach, curriculum development, and research.     

Identifying the training experiences and needs of bilingual school psychologists

The purpose of this pilot study was to better understand the training experiences of bilingual school psychologists (BSPs) and identify their training needs in the provision of psychological services to English language learner students. The secondary aims of the study were to determine how school psychology programs can better prepare BSPs and incorporate best practices in bilingual competencies into their training models. Six BSPs (Spanish/English‐speakers) participated in the study; findings revealed four themes related to their training experiences: (a) programmatic limitations, (b) assumption that language equals competence, (c) going beyond the classroom, and (d) experiential training. In addition, as a result of their training experiences, the BSPs provided training recommendations in two major areas: (a) trainers and (b) culturally relevant curriculum. Implications for school psychology trainers will be provided.     

The Use of Reflective Journals to Stimulate Critical Thinking in the Academic Internship

Reflective journals have been widely accepted throughout various educational disciplines for many years as a means of enhancing experiential learning practices. Reflective journals allow for students to gain a better understanding of a given experience and explore the levels of critical thinking as they work through the understanding and learning processes. Critical thinking involves the logical progression from mere knowledge and understanding to the highest levels of synthesis and evaluation. The immediate study presents findings of the analyses of a series of sequential reflective journals presented over the course of a semester-long internship experience. Findings indicate that reflective journals are shown to facilitate progression through the levels of critical thinking as identified in Bloom’s taxonomy and promote a higher level of understanding and application of theoretical concepts to practical experiential learning.     

Time Spent Gaming and Social Competence in Children: Reciprocal Effects Across Childhood

Electronic games are popular and many children spend much time on this activity. Here we investigate whether the quantity of time children spend on gaming is related to their social development, making this the first study to examine this relationship in children. We examine prospective relations between time spent gaming and social competence in a community sample of Norwegian 6 year olds (n = 873) followed up at ages 8, 10, and 12, controlling for socioeconomic status, body mass index, and time spent gaming together with friends. Results revealed that greater social competence at both 8 and 10 years predicted less gaming 2 years later and that more age-10 gaming predicted less social competence at age 12 but only among girls.     

Design and implementation of volitional control support in mathematics courses

We designed support for volitional control with four stages for goal initiation (“Want it”), goal formation (“Plan for it”), action control (“Do it”), and emotion control (“Finish it”) based on theories and models of volition. We implemented the support in mathematics courses offered at a community college. We examined the effects of volitional control support on students’ motivation (i.e., intrinsic value, self-efficacy), emotions (enjoyment, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness, and boredom), effort regulation, and achievement. We found significant effects of the volitional control support on intrinsic value, enjoyment, anger, anxiety, and boredom. Findings are discussed to improve the design and development of the volitional control support. Limitations and implications of the study are presented as well.     

Immune response to n-terminal and c-terminal deletion mutants of Aspergillus fumigatus major allergen ASP F 3

The ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus causes allergic rhinitis, asthma, sinusitis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. A number of major allergens from A. fumigatus are purified, but their structure-function role in the pathogenesis of disease is not known. Such information is essential for devising alternative therapy of fungal allergic diseases. In the present study, N-terminal and C-terminal deletion mutants ofAsp f 3 were constructed and their immunopathological responses studied in a mice model of allergy. Three mutants viz,Asp f 3 (aa 33–168), (aa 1–142), and (aa 23–142) were made by deleting certain amino acids from epitopic regions of full lengthAsp f 3, a major allergen of A. furnigatus. TheAsp f 3 and three mutated proteins were expressed in pET vector. The C-terminal deletion mutantAsp f 3 (aa 1–142) induced elevated IFN-γ but low levels of IL-4 by spleen cells. This mutant also showed significant downregulation of peripheral blood eosinophils and lung inflammation in immunized mice. The N-terminal deletion mutantAsp f 3 (aa 33–168) also exhibited an immuno-suppressive effect in terms of IgE production and induction of Th2 cytokine. The results indicate thatrAsp f 3 and its deletion mutants induced distinct immune-inflammatory responses in mice on challenge with these proteins. The non-IgE binding deletion mutants ofAsp f 3 (aa 1–142 and aa 33–168) could deviate Th2 immune response with a concomitant reduction in airway inflammation and infiltration of inflammatory cells.     

School Education Through the Eyes of Parents

Data from surveys of parents of students in Russian schools of various types in the years 2006 to 2011 show a high level of desire to invest in their children's education. There has been a high degree of stability in aspirations and investment in spite of the economic problems caused by global recession.